No.8 Wire: Employment obligations still fall short

Most dairy farmers are making sure staff have a safe and supportive work environment but others have a way to go.

Dairy sector audits on employment compliance show that the industry still has more work to do to lift its performance, says DairyNZ strategy and investment leader Mark Paine.

The findings by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment indicate that some farmers are still not meeting the minimum requirements. "That's disappointing because we've been doing a lot of work with our farmers in this area," Paine says. "Employment conditions on dairy farms are critical to attracting and retaining talented people. It is a key objective in our dairy industry strategy," he says.

"Many farmers are making progress. While these latest results are largely from visits to a group of farmers where there were existing employment compliance concerns, they are a stern reminder that we still have a way to go before minimum standards are achieved across the entire sector."

Paine says the industry has made it a priority to ensure that farm staff have a safe and supportive work environment.

"Farmers have to step up and get it right with us. As an industry body we are here to support them with advice, information, tools and resources. If there is any confusion about what they need to do, we'd encourage them to contact us or Federated Farmers or visit our websites. There's a wealth of online information available including ready-made templates that can make it easy for them.

"We are also currently working with Federated Farmers and other industry stakeholders to develop a quality workplace accord that will further strengthen our commitment to making sure we lift our performance. We want to give farmers all the support and advice we can for managing and employing staff well."

Mark says DairyNZ has been working to lift performance with key initiatives that include training workshops and developing extensive online advice and resources.

"We're now moving to a much more specific focus on some key compliance areas including employment agreements, hours of work records and holiday entitlements."

DairyNZ is looking at a tool customised for farmers that will help them design rosters to provide balanced and productive work time for everyone. Support will also focus on health and safety.

"Attracting and retaining talented people on our dairy farms is vital for the future of our industry," Paine says.

"We are fully committed to that goal because we know many other industries are also competing for staff.

"We have to be competitive not just as exporters in a global marketplace but in terms of the international competition for people."

Honey seminar

Rapid growth in honey exports has prompted a seminar focusing on manuka and marginal land use in Hawke's Bay.

The value of honey exports rose to $187 million last year, up a third from 2013, reflecting an increase in the number of hives.

Owners of marginal land are increasingly considering manuka as a valid commercial alternative to livestock and plantation forestry on large areas of their properties.

Last year more than 150 people attended a seminar on growing manuka.

It was run by Masterton-based forestry consultants Woodnet in conjunction with the Wairarapa Farm ForestryAssociation.

This year Woodnet are partnering with the Hawke's Bay Regional Council to run the manuka and marginal land use seminar, on May 6 in the War Memorial Conference Centre, Napier.

It will feature a line-up of top industry speakers, and includes an afternoon visit to the council's manuka trial sites at Tutira.

Smith triumphs

Hawke's Bay shearer Rowland Smith nailed it when he won the Taranaki Shears open in Stratford.

The six-man final featured four world champions.

Smith, the 28-year-old reigning world champion, beat surprise runner-up and 2008 world champion Paul Avery. Third was 2012 champion Gavin Mutch, and five-time world champion David Fagan was fourth.

Smith has won three out of three contests over nine days following a nine-month break from competition since winning his big title in Ireland.

Smith is now the favourite to take a fourth New Zealand championship in Te Kuiti next week.

The sentimental money will be on 53-year-old Fagan, who will soon be retiring from show competitions after a career stretching back 37 years.

Smith, who won the Waitomo Caves Sports Shears on Saturday and the Waimarino Shears in Raetihi a week earlier, has won at least 10 finals since his last defeat in New Zealand at Kumeu a week after winning last year's Golden Shears.

Mutch beat the field on Saturday to finish his 20 sheep in 15m 19.19s, more than a sheep ahead of Smith, who said later: "It was quite a surprise to win this one. I thought Gavin had nailed it."

Mutch knew otherwise, saying he knew his quality wasn't good enough to hold out the others, despite a time advantage of almost three points.

Getting together

A new range of grassroots projects have been approved for the Sustainable Farming Fund totalling $7.8 in a new round announced by Minister of Primary Industries Nathan Guy.

The 29 projects support farmers, growers and foresters to tackle shared problems and develop new farming opportunities.

"They will deliver real economic, environmental and social benefits," Guy said.

Among them are plans to develop industry tools to improve farm practices, such as water quality and infrastructure, while reducing nutrient loss.

Other projects are aimed at increasing productivity from onion and potato growers, improving farmer uptake of summer forages, and helping tackle the risk of rot in apples.

Co-funders will invest $16.3 million in the 29 projects over four years.