RWNZ chief executive to step down
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) chief executive Gabrielle O’Brien will step down at the end of June.
Securing MIQ spots remain the biggest hurdle to getting overseas workers for the dairy sector.
Five months after the Government granted border exceptions for 200 dairy farm workers and their families, just a handful of workers have arrived in the country.
Now in the dairy sector is pleading for 1500 overseas workers to be allowed into the country and self-quarantine on farms before the start of 2022 season to ease a severe staff shortage.
Federated Farmers dairy chair Chris Lewis says a lot of behind-the-scenes work is going with the Government.
He told Rural News that the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor's office has asked for more information.
"Everyone is working hard behind the scenes on this," he says. "We have researchers working on our behalf to get additional information. It's a massive effort."
Lewis says while MPI and O'Connor are working closely with the dairy sector, the biggest hurdle is securing MIQ spots for overseas workers.
He points out that only two or three workers have arrived into the country so far - despite the Government granting border exceptions five months ago for 200 dairy farm workers and their families, comprising 150 herd managers or assistant farm managers and 50 farm assistants.
"Without securing MIQ spots, it is bloody hard."
Lewis says it's hard to say how many workers will be here by the start of the next season.
But he points out that with the rapidly changing position, New Zealand's border could be open by then and the request for 1500 special visas would become obsolete.
Earlier this month, DairyNZ, Federated Farmers and Dairy Women's Network urged the Government to allow 1500 international dairy workers into New Zealand in 2022 to help meet the sector's workforce shortfall, if borders continue to remain closed.
Along with the request for additional international workers, the organisations also support international farm workers being able to quarantine in separate housing on-farm, if fully vaccinated and following Covid-19 safety requirements while in quarantine.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
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