By Jason Herrick, Southland Federated Farmers Sharemilker Chair Farm staff shortages in Southland and around the country are getting worse. While the government finally bowed to dairy industry pleas and announced border exemptions for 150 management and 50 farm assistant positions, the sector was already under severe workforce gap pressure. The super-busy calving season begins […]
Health and Safety
Lakeman Brewing and NZ Farming brew an IPA for Rescue Helicopter Trusts around New Zealand
With support from NZ Hops and Gladfield Malt, Lakeman Brewing and NZ Farming have produced the JET FUEL IPA as a celebration of regional New Zealand. All profits from the sale of this limited release craft beer will be donated to Rescue Helicopter Trusts around New Zealand. James Cooper from Lakeman Brewing says: “We are […]
Health and safety, it’s not necessarily something you can call ‘just common sense’
“Working in a rural role but desk-based has really made me reflect on the very different health and safety challenges of being ‘hands on’ on farm,” says Kieran McCahon. Kieran, Waikato/Bay of Plenty FMG Young Farmer of the Year, grew up on his family’s 1000-cow dairy farm on Northland’s Pouto Peninsula, near Dargaville. He gained […]
The job’s always going to be there – getting home safely is the main thing
Working with ANZ’s rural lending team, Taranaki/Manawatu 2021 Young Farmer of the Year Jake Jarman sees real value in good health and safety practices. “In my experience, a farm that makes health and safety a priority is a productive and profitable farm,” he says. Jake’s own health and safety focus began with a solid grounding […]
Growing professionalism driving awareness of health and safety in shearing industry
“Industry campaigns and growing professionalism are driving awareness of health and safety among shearers,” says national FMG Young Farmer of the Year finalist Joseph Watts. Yet, he still sees plenty of room for improvement. Joseph, from Waipukurau, will represent East Coast in the national competition. He began his rural career as a shearer, having completed […]
Ensure people are well trained for all the tasks they need to do
Working on massive farming operations in the United States highlighted the importance of New Zealand’s focus on health and safety for Dale McAlwee. Dale, Aorangi FMG Young Farmer of the Year, grew up near Timaru on the farm that’s been in his family for over a century. After gaining a Bachelor of Agricultural Science, he […]
Feds backs firearms safety, but rules must be practical and achievable
Farmers support practical rules around safe storage of firearms but some of the proposals in the Arms Regulations Consultation Document go too far, Federated Farmers President and firearms spokesperson Andrew Hoggard says. If the proposed rules go through unchanged, Feds believes they will lead to widespread non-compliance – both accidental and intentional. “We need to […]
People can make mistakes, so you need those safeguards in place
Sam Hodsell, the 2021 Otago-Southland FMG Young Farmer of the Year, says it’s critical to identify and manage workplace risks on their farm – but he and his family are also actively putting tangible measures in place to help protect people if someone does make a mistake. “For instance, we’ve recently purchased and had big […]
Rural crime on the rise for Kiwi farmers
by Ewan Kelsall Over half of farmers have been the victim of crime on their farms in the last two years, according to the 2021 Federated Farmers and NZ Police rural crime survey. The late April/early May survey drew responses from more than 1200 farmers, of whom 52% had been impacted by incidents of crime. […]
Seat belts on school buses petition presented
Wheels are turning in the drive to get seat belts on school buses. A petition on the topic that gained more than 6,500 signatures in four weeks was presented to National MP Jacqui Dean on the steps of Parliament on Wednesday afternoon by its organiser, Philippa Cameron, and Federated Farmers of NZ Vice-President Karen Williams. […]