Compared to the rest of the world, down here we have had a very fortunate escape from the ravages of Covid19, largely because we are bobbing away in the ocean, 4,000km from anyone else. The Delta variant of Covid19 has arrived, which many would say was inevitable, but unfortunately, as of Sept 1st, our vaccination […]
on-farm
WorkSafe warns of spring fatalities spike
WorkSafe is giving farmers a heads up to be mindful of risks on farm this spring. In spring 2020, fatalities spiked to five during the months of August and September. Vehicles continue to be the primary source of harm in on farm fatalities. On Monday this week a person was tragically killed in an incident […]
Celebrate dairy farmers this Farm Worker Appreciation Day
Today is Farm Worker Appreciation Day (August 6), where Kiwis are encouraged to pay tribute to the dedicated workers on our farms. DairyNZ general manager responsible dairy Jenny Cameron says Farm Worker Appreciation Day provides the opportunity to celebrate the success, dedication, and contribution of our farmers. “Our farmers undertake a lot of work on […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Sharing a farm with the public
Kate Scott, a Federated Farmers member, is the co-owner of remote Rees Valley Station, near Glenorchy. Thousands of people visit her farm each year. Late last year she talked to the Walking Access Commission/Ara Hīkoi Aotearoa about why she and her family support public access and what it’s like to have a stream of tourists on […]