Dairy companies want to help contractors with drivers, but there are limitations on what is possible, DCANZ executive director Kimberly Crewther says.
Farming leaders have contacted the dairy industry to see whether its milk tanker drivers can switch to operating combines and tractors as a solution to the dire shortage of drivers the contracting industry is facing.
Federated Farmers and Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) have co-signed a letter to Dairy Companies of New Zealand (DCANZ) with the proposal to see if it is feasible.
“Given the number of experienced truck drivers and machinery operators employed by the various dairy companies, we ask you to consider the possibility of the dairy companies releasing some of these operators to work for agricultural contractors for the peak of the harvest,” the letter said.
“We appreciate how unorthodox this proposal is, but we must consider all employment options in this highly challenging time. Alongside delivering the critical workload that our farmers need, we believe there is a considerable benefit in the farming community seeing the organisations they rely on working together.”
Feds arable chair Colin Hurst said the proposal is a longshot at best, given that the trucking industry is experiencing similar labour issues as the farming industry.
“But you never know. It does highlight that we need to work together to get through this and we all rely on each other for our prosperity,” Hurst said.
Dairy production across the country was starting to fall away as farms came off its peak milk period. This production decline coincided with the harvest window across the country, which could mean some tanker operators would be available to help out.
These drivers are regionally based and have the necessary skill sets with many having previously worked in the agricultural sector and had the Class 5 licence required to operate the vehicles, he said.
“I know some dairy drivers in South Canterbury and they have got a farming background. They know how to drive machines and a lot of them have worked in rural transport,” he said.
Even if it fails to produce any extra staff for this season, it should cement better relations with the dairy companies if labour shortages persist in the future.
Dairy companies also have a track record of helping out their local communities during adverse events such as flooding or droughts.
With maize harvest just weeks away in the North Island, those extra staff are needed immediately, he said.
DCANZ executive director Kimberly Crewther said while the companies welcomed the creative thinking behind the proposal, many of the drivers were already contracted out to other employment once peak milk had ended.
There is a willingness to help, but there are limitations on what is possible.
“While at face value dairy companies have a greater supply of drivers at the peak of the season than at the shoulders, the reality is that these peak driving requirements are often met through seasonal contract arrangements,” Crewther said.
Those contracted drivers then drove for other sectors, including the primary and arable industries, once that peak milk time had finished.
“Beyond that, where individual companies have assessed where they may have drivers that can be spared as milk volumes decrease over the coming months and could possibly help out, those companies are either engaging at the moment or will be with Federated Farmers and Rural Contractors,” she said.
The industry was also coming to terms with the effect of Omicron. In Australia it resulted in high absenteeism, which affected supply chain logistics.
“Even though (milk) volumes are falling in the next few months, we might need everything that’s available to keep up with the collection,” she said.
