Only 50 applied to join the camp with 180 spots available at the Telford campus in Balclutha. Students were given the chance to see what the primary sector might have to offer: fencing, organic farming, dairy farming, marketing.
Should they show interest applicants can attend a six-week agricultural contractor course at the same campus – with tuition, meals and accommodation provided free.
While it is early days for such retraining programmes and the full impact of covid-19 on jobs might not yet be felt it does raise questions over whether the dairy industry will be able to entice the 1000 workers it needs now many migrant workers are shut out of the country.
Gerard Hutching
Marion Hobbs’s job on the line
Otago Regional Council chairwoman Marion Hobbs is fighting to stay in her role after a push by some councillors to remove her in what she portrays as a rearguard action against policies to clean up waterways.
Hi-tech hort employees
Potential recruits to the horticulture industry are likely to be better qualified and more tech savvy than those usually in the labour pool, posing a challenge to employers to make good use of their talents.
Primary sector on show at expos
Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch will host New Zealand Careers Expos in August and September, with a strong focus on primary sector jobs.
Fonterra wields stick
Fonterra has clarified it will not be paying farmers a bonus for producing more sustainable milk but rather penalising those who fail to tick all the boxes. Federated Farmers would have preferred it consulted farmers first.
Planning pays off for Dairyworks
Processing company Dairyworks had an action plan ready to go as covid-19 hit in March so the pandemic did not adversely affect its relationships with Chinese customers and the retail sectors in New Zealand and Australia.
Tonight on Sarah’s Country
7.10pm – Wool farmers have spoken. Southland farmer Amy Blakie has registered a petition to the Government that all public-funded buildings and KiwiBuild homes are built or refurbished with New Zealand wool carpet and wool insulation and will join us to discuss.
7.20pm – The Official Cash Rate remained unchanged last week and with a high United States dollar we get a feel for the currency markets with NZAB's managing director Scott Wishart to find out where the opportunities lie for the primary sector.
7.30pm – National’s Agriculture spokesman David Bennett joins us to discuss how throwing money at training will not address massive skill shortages in the immediate future.
7.40pm – With changes to the helm at Federated Farmers former arable chairwoman now vice-president Karen Williams shares her thoughts on the leadership direction for the policy organisation leading into the 2020 election and where she would like to see Feds positioned into the future for farmers voices to be heard.
