Going online means farmers can join the discussion from their living rooms, offices or dairies.
“We even had someone the other day who tuned in while he was working in the milking shed,” DairyNZ acting general manager of farm performance Sharon Morrell said.
“The farmer put his phone on silent for most of it and was able to take part as if he’d been at a meeting in person.”
The online discussion groups are an important way for farmers to provide support and ideas to each other, replacing the face-to-face discussions.
“It’s very important we ensure our farm teams, families and supporting services are safe and implementing the right measures to protect themselves while continuing their work on farm as essential businesses.
“But we’re also keen to ensure our farmers are able to catch-up to talk about their activities and current priorities,” Morrell said.
DairyNZ is hosting the online discussion groups for farmers across New Zealand in the various regions, including Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Lower North Island, West Coast and Southland/South Otago.
Most sessions run for 60 to 90 minutes and people can attend for as long as they like.
Farmers say the technology is easy to use – just click on the link to join a virtual room where everyone enjoys the opportunity to hear from each other.
Farmers can join a discussion group by going onto the DairyNZ website and clicking on the events section. From there, click on a discussion group in their area and send a message asking to join.
