by Sue Meade, HR Manager, Growing Future Farmers When most people win awards they sit back and enjoy a job well done . . . when Federated Farmers members Tam and Dan Jex-Blake won a training award in 2016, they realised there was so much more they could do to help the agricultural sector. True […]
Employment
Awards celebrate the food and fibre sector employer excellence
Exceptional employment practices in the primary industries have been celebrated at the Good Employer Awards, held at Parliament on Monday evening, 12th April. “Tonight’s awards provided the opportunity to celebrate and thank those employers in the food and fibres sector who have gone beyond business-as-usual in creating productive, safe, supportive, and healthy work environments for […]
Federated Farmers sees MIQ opportunity for agriculture
Federated Farmers hopes that the Government will take the opportunity of newly available space in MIQ quarantine to bring much-needed workers for the primary industries into New Zealand. COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins estimates that the Australian quarantine-free travel bubble will free up 1000 to 1300 beds in MIQ a fortnight. “MIQ spacing has been […]
Arguing the case for extra dairy workers to cross border
By Chris Lewis, Federated Farmers national board member With the developing and serious workforce shortage on dairy farms top of mind, Federated Farmers and DairyNZ have combined to put the case to government for 500 migrant staff to be allowed into New Zealand to head off critical animal and human welfare issues. A survey conducted […]
Get up to speed on the minimum wage
With the adult minimum wage increasing on 1 April 2021, it’s timely for farmers and others in the agricultural sector to ensure employees are paid at the correct rate. Erin Anderson, an Associate with Norris Ward McKinnon (Federated Farmers legal partners), outlines the obligations…. An employer must pay its employees at least the relevant minimum […]
Economic Week – March 26
by Nick Clark, Federated Farmers Manager General Policy Housing tax shakeup The big news for the week was the Government’s much anticipated housing package aimed at tilting the playing field in favour of first home buyers over speculators and investors. It came after a surge house prices surged (up 22.8% for the year to February […]
MSD extends ‘Get Kiwis on Farm’ partnership
People often use the phrase ‘win-win’. In relation to the Get Kiwis on Farm programme, it’s a triple win, not just a double. Not only does the Federated Farmers/Ministry of Social Development venture assist the unemployed and those whose jobs have been displaced by the pandemic, and help farmers plug workforce gaps, it has also […]
Flexi-wage: what employers, job-seekers and self-employed should know
Interested in hiring someone? The Ministry of Social Development may be able to help through its recently expanded Flexi-wage employment programme. MSD is New Zealand’s largest employment service, with a nationwide network connecting job seekers and businesses. The Flexi-wage programme is just one of the ways MSD helps job seekers get a job, by working with employers […]
Ten reasons why we love to farm
By Bernadette Hunt, Vice-President Federated Farmers Southland In the face of constant news about all the challenges farmers face, I’ve been asked several times lately why farmers do what we do. So this morning, as I walked up and down the tractor lines of an oats paddock looking for weeds (one of arable farming’s more […]
Dairy Industry Opportunities with a Guarantee
By chair of the Sharemilker Farm Owners’ Section, John Numan The Sharemilker farm owners’ section of Federated Farmers and the Sharemilkers’ section frequently review the Federated Farmers employment contracts used for Contract Milkers, Lower Order Sharemilkers and Herd Owning Sharemilkers. As anyone who has used them will know, unfortunately, the contracts are lengthy as they […]