Skills

Immigration minister Kris Faafoi has missed two key deadlines for the government’s long signalled immigration ‘reset’.

The Central Otago summerfruit harvest is being hampered by some growers only having half the number of staff they had last year.

The window for foreign machinery operators to arrive in New Zealand before summer crop harvest is rapidly closing as the hot humid weather creates ideal growing conditions across many North Island farms.

Alliance Group is seeking a loosening of migration rules so the meat industry can resolve an estimated shortage of 2000 workers.

An expected announcement of Government approved border exemption for 15 foreign halal butchers, has been slated by the meat industry which says it needs three times that number.

Rural contractors have breathed a sigh of relief after the Government granted 200 skilled machinery operators exemption to enter the country.

With record crop volumes anticipated this summer for pip and summer fruit, the industry is welcoming the timely arrival of the first Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) staff in two years from Tonga, Vanuatu and Samoa.

Bay of Plenty dairy farmer Mohi Beckham-Adams has introduced some innovative ideas to nurture not just his land, but also the people who work on it.

A few years ago Gisborne farmers Dan and Tam Jex-Blake recognised the need for another pathway for young people into careers in the sheep and beef sector was critical and decided to do something about it. The end result was the Growing Future Farmers programme.

Rural contractors are warning that the lack of experienced staff and the massive volume of work being pushed on them this spring could lead to fatal consequences.

The food and fibre sector needs to change the way it is trying to attract young people to jobs within it, a new report says.

Rural contractors have been thrown a lifeline to help ease their dire shortage of staff.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) has teamed up with the Growing Future Farmers (GFF) Essential Farm Skills Programme to attract and train more young people in the red meat sector.