Fears harvests will rot as farmers denied skilled workers :
Warnings from our farmers that some of their crops could be left to rot this harvest, resulting in low supply or price hikes for some of our supermarket staples like bread.
They’re struggling without 200 skilled harvest machinery operator workers they were promised from overseas and say it’s because the Government dragged its feet on allowing them in on time.
The Turleys grow enough on their South Canterbury farm to make more than 15 million loaves of bread.
The wheat might well be ready, but their harvesters and heavy machinery sit idle. . .
Contractors reach out to dairy companies for staff lifeline – Gerald Piddock:
Farming leaders have contacted the dairy industry to see whether its milk tanker drivers can switch to operating combines and tractors as a solution to the dire shortage of drivers the contracting industry is facing.
Federated Farmers and Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) have co-signed a letter to Dairy Companies of New Zealand (DCANZ) with the proposal to see if it is feasible.
“Given the number of experienced truck drivers and machinery operators employed by the various dairy companies, we ask you to consider the possibility of the dairy companies releasing some of these operators to work for agricultural contractors for the peak of the harvest,” the letter said.
“We appreciate how unorthodox this proposal is, but we must consider all employment options in this highly challenging time. Alongside delivering the critical workload that our farmers need, we believe there is a considerable benefit in the farming community seeing the organisations they rely on working together.” . .
Daughter adds new strand to enterprise – Sally Rae:
A young Southland woman is combining her family’s more than century-long wool-growing experience with her own qualifications and passion for the farming sector to launch a business. She talks to business and rural editor Sally Rae.
All things being equal, Kate Macdonald should have been living it up in London.
But the intervention of a global pandemic eventually turned the proverbial curse into a blessing for the young Southland woman.
On Saturday, Miss Macdonald (25) is launching Davaar & Co, taking wool from her long-established family property Davaar Station, near Te Anau, and producing homespun-style woollen jerseys, in a farm-to-fashion process with each step being done in New Zealand. . .
Big changes for new Rotary president – Ashley Smyth:
Incoming Oamaru Rotary Club president Sven Thelning says he gets more out of his involvement with the charity than he puts in.
A career move from managing a dairy farm to concentrating on building what was a side-hustle of working in agricultural compliance into a full-time business will allow him more time and flexibility for the role, which begins in July.
‘‘That’s given me the opportunity to hopefully free up a bit of time to commit to the president role at Rotary,’’ Mr Thelning said.
‘‘I’ve been doing other roles like secretary, which I’ve been able to do fairly remotely, and doesn’t have quite the same commitment as the president role. . .
Dry autumn trims numbers for lamb sale – Shawn McAvenue:
A bumper season is producing healthy lambs but numbers at a sale were down due to a dry autumn, a Taieri farmer says.
Lo-Debar Station co-owner Tim Howie offered about 1600 lambs — a mix of Perendale and Texel cross — on his more than 400ha farm in Hindon last week.
He had hoped to have more lambs on sale but last year was “a b…… of a season”.
The biggest challenge on the farm, about 20km north of Outram, was a drought due to a dry autumn but he remained philosophical . .
Known for merino knowledge now an artist – Stephen Burns:
The journey from ramshed to artists studio might be thought a long one – but in Stu Hodgson’s case, it was just one more step through what has been a most interesting and rewarding career.
That he now devotes his spare time to painting landscapes – and more recently seascapes – has surprised many of his friends but his late maturing interest in art has been encouraged by wife Libby, and daughters Will, Emma and Prue.
Stu Hodgson is well known in the Merino industry from the time he was a jackaroo on Tom Culley’s famed Wonga stud, Jerilderie and through his subsequent career as sheep classer and sheep industry specialist with Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)
But it was the wider social restrictions bought on by Covid which decided him to pick up his brushes and record some of the many fascinating landscapes he has seen during his travels. . .
Homepaddock 