Bank satisfaction continues to wane. Last Friday, Federated Farmers released the results from its May 2021 Banking Survey. It showed a further slippage in farmer satisfaction in banking relationships, a trend evident since late 2017. Our media release is here and the full report can be found here. The key results were: 62% of farmers […]
employment
Retention and fun two ingredients as we battle staff shortages
By Chris Lewis, Federated Farmers national board member I’ve been talking to a lot of Feds members lately about why we need migrants on our farms. It’s no different to the conversations I’ve had with builders, tilers, machinery operators … and the list could go on longer than the length of this article. With continued […]
#Bringthemhome
It’s time for a good old-fashioned letter writing campaign. I am not a psychologist or a therapist, but my skills at helping others when they are at near breaking-point have been getting a good work out lately. I take a call every day from someone who is desperately trying to figure out how they can […]
Andrew Olsen new CEO for Rural Contactors NZ
Andrew Olsen has been appointed as the new CEO of Rural Contractors NZ which represents 600 contractors in the $1.5b industry. RCNZ vice president Helen Slattery says the former Chief Executive of the Travel Agents Association NZ stood out to the selection panel in a very strong field of candidates. “Our industry is facing some […]
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 […]
Fonterra lifts farmgate price, food prices down
by Nick Clark, Federated Farmers Manager General Policy Fonterra lifts payout forecast Fonterra has lifted its farmgate milk price forecast for the current 2020/21 season to a range of $7.30-$7.90 per kgMS with a midpoint of $7.60. This is up from its previous range of $6.90-$7.50 and midpoint of $7.20. Fonterra said its milk price […]
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 […]
GDT surges, commodities up, exports down
by Nick Clark, Federated Farmers Manager General Policy GDT surges Dairy prices leapt at this week’s Global Dairy Trade auction, up a whopping 15.0% at this week’s auction. Whole milk powder, by far the biggest commodity by volume, led the way in jumping 21.0% compared to a fortnight ago. Almost all the other commodities also […]
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 […]
Time for agriculture to promote the true benefits of farm jobs
By Chris Lewis, Federated Farmers employment spokesperson OPINION: Farmers would have been largely unsurprised by the recent dip in unemployment figures. The almost 800 jobs advertised in the dairy industry pretty much every week since Covid-19 reared its ugly head is a clear sign that New Zealanders are not out there clamouring for work, or […]