Frontline biosecurity 'untouchable'
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has reiterated that 'frontline' biosecurity services within Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) will not be cut under the Government's plan to reduce the public service.
There is a need to re-orientate New Zealanders into working in the primary sector, according to the director general of the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Ray Smith’s comments come as widespread concern is expressed, right across the agricultural sector – especially in horticulture, about the lack of people to harvest crops and work in various jobs.
He believes part of the problem is that the benefits of working in the primary sector haven’t been marketed as effectively as they could have been. Smith says while there are some tough-end jobs that don’t pay well, there are actually a huge number of highly-paid jobs in the sector and that will grow.
“I think that some people in the ag sector could improve their employment practices but, having said that, a hell of a lot are doing really well,” he told Rural News.
“That said, I think some of the models we have operated on in the past will have to change in a world where travel is not so easy. We have relied heavily on migrant labour and now we are going to have to turn more to ourselves and look at how we get Kiwis into these jobs.”
Smith acknowledges that wage rates and the seasonal nature of some of the work is an issue. He says wages have to be attractive for potential employees.
However, he points out that in terms of seasonal work there is the opportunity for people to follow the harvests around – with the likes of apples and kiwifruit. Smith says the kiwifruit industry, in particular, is well organised and does a very good job at attracting New Zealanders to work in their sector.
Smith claims growers have got to take a long term view if they are going to change their workforces.
He says they need to take stock of where they are and improve the situation and that it’s important to treat people with decency and respect; and pay them reasonably well.
“A lot will come from word of mouth. People know who the great employers are and actually most of the great employers aren’t struggling to get staff. You can’t just keep on growing and not have a mechanism for providing labour.”
Rural trader PGG Wrightson has revised its operating earnings guidance, saying trading conditions have deteriorated since the last market update in February.
It's been a bumper season for maize and other supplements in the eastern Bay of Plenty.
Leading farmers from around New Zealand connected to share environmental stories and inspiration and build relationships at the Dairy Environment Leaders (DEL) national forum in Wellington last month.
AgriZeroNZ, a joint venture fast-tracking emissions reduction tools for farmers, is pouring $5 million in a biotech company to develop a low emissions farm pasture with increased productivity gains.
Fonterra is teaming up with wealth app provider Sharesies to make it easier for its farmer shareholders to trade co-op shares among themselves.
Te Awamutu dairy farmers Doug, Penny, Josh and Bayley Storey have planted more than 25,000 native trees on the family farm, adding to a generations-old native forest.