The industry was committed to improving onfarm work environments to ensure it would attract and retain the skilled people it needed in all farm roles, he said.
Having a world-class work environment was one of the themes in the Strategy for Sustainable Dairy Farming, which started by providing workplaces that met all legal responsibilities, he said.
“We’ve got significant obligations around employment practices and, as an industry, we need to lift our game if we’re going to be considered world leaders.
“We compete for the best young talent from schools and tertiary institutions, so improving our systems to train and equip young people for their farm role is a priority. We also need to provide a world-class work environment.”
There was a growing focus on how farmers measured up to legal employment obligations, Paine said.
“We’ve had labour and health and safety investigators focused on our industry in the past year. We’re in the spotlight and we need to shine to build and retain a good reputation as an industry.”
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has issued a new position statement on minimum wage and employment agreements in the agricultural sector, which requires farmers to deduct accommodation or other goods and services from wages before they are paid.
Including accommodation as wages and deducting it before payment will ensure minimum wage requirements are met.
Farmers not meeting the Minimum Wage Act will be penalised.
DairyNZ and Federated Farmers are working on an Industry Best Practice Guidance document to ensure farmers are clear on what they need to do to comply to meet minimum wage requirements.
View the new statement on minimum wage and employment agreements.
For more information on legal employment requirements visit www.peoplesmart.co.nz
