Friday, March 29, 2024

Concern over calving season amid labour shortage

Neal Wallace
They may have had one of their highest ever milk payouts but dairy farmers are anxious about the human toll of the looming calving season, as the industry grapples with an estimated shortage of 4000 workers.
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Federated Farmers board member Chris Lewis says the industry’s reliance on immigrant workers will remain, at least until the Government changes to vocational training is completed, which could be several years.

He believes the Government’s recently announced plans to curb migrant workers is shortsighted and will hinder the country’s ability to utilise high international product prices and demand to repay debt, which is growing at over $80 million a day.

The Government has allowed access for 150 foreign dairy managers and 50 farm assistants, but that is well short of what the sector says it needs.

Lewis is hopeful economic necessity will force the Government to change its position as has happened in Australia, where the primary sector has been issued 10,000 visas for foreign workers.

DairyNZ’s manager of responsible dairy Jenny Cameron says each year the dairy sector needs about 5600 new staff, about 14% of the 40,000 strong workforce, to replace those leaving the sector but recruits just 3000 New Zealanders, with the balance migrants.

“The sector’s focus is always to recruit NZers first and all job vacancies must be advertised in NA. However, pre-covid if these jobs were unfilled, then employers could look to recruit migrant workers,” Cameron said.

“We are aware that a labour shortage in the dairy sector existed long before the pandemic, but we are currently more short-staffed due to New Zealand’s border restrictions.”

The proportion of migrants needed by the industry reflects the country’s low unemployment rate.

Cameron says dairy workforce turnover is comparable to other sectors, including sheep and beef and forestry (both 16%) and carpentry (14%).

“This highlights the work the sector is focused on doing regarding staff retention, by striving to offer competitive packages and great workplaces where staff can thrive,” she said.

A survey of farmers showed they are making improvements to on-farm conditions to help retain and attract staff, she says.

“The responses showed that 87% of farmers have made improvements to employment conditions in the past 12 months, with 65% of farmers having increased salaries and wages,” she said.

DairyNZ’s GoDairy recruitment campaign attracted 575 people, of which 72 graduated and 35 were employed.

Beef + Lamb NZ chief insight officer Jeremy Baker estimates about 2500 workers shift sheep and beef farms or move into the sector each year, of which about half shift from other sectors.

They tend to be older and more settled, but surveys show farmers still find it a challenge to attract the right people.

Baker says B+LNZ investment in recruitment and career promotion tends to be focused at farm level as opposed to generic advertising.

That includes launching an employment hub that provides farmers with resources on recruitment.

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