North Canterbury News: October 14, 2021

RURAL LIFE
30 North Canterbury News, October 14, 2021
Helping hand ... Murray Hartnell, of Amberley, assists in the shearing shed at apast New
Zealand Agricultural Show.
PHOTO:FILE
Call for financial aid
The scratching of SouthIsland A&P shows
from the spring calendar will wipe millions
of dollarsfrom local economies.
With the New Zealand Agricultural
Show,Rangiora Show and SelwynSpring
Show reducedtospectatoronly events, the
RoyalAgriculturalSociety(RAS) is
considering approachingthe Government
for financial aid, as showswill have to write
off up­front costs.
The Canterbury A&P Association has the
ability to draw on aloan of up to $1 million
from the Christchurch City Council, but
othershow committees are not so lucky.
RAS presidentBrentSnellex, of
Rangiora, says the cancellation of the
showsisamajor blow.
‘‘TheA&P shows are an amazingvehicle
for the urban community to interact with
the country and it givesthe rural
community an opportunity to see each
otherand that’shelpful fromamental
health perspective.’’
They are major revenue­earners and
theircombinedlosses are likelytorun into
tens of millions of dollars,hesays.
Mr Snellex saysitishard to stomach,
with no Covid­19 cases in the South Island
in the last12months.
He says the future of other events was
unknown.
Australianshows have received financial
help from the government and perhaps the
New Zealand Government should step in,
he says.
Shearingorganiserswill proceed with
the national Corriedale shearing and
woolhandling championships, normally
part of the Canterbury show.
Convener DaveBrooker says the
championships will be heldatthe
showgrounds, without the public but
probably livestreamed.
The Ellesmere A&P Association has
excluded the public fromthis weekend’s
Selwyn Spring Show, restricting it to
exhibitors and competitors.
It is amajor blowafter the association’s
150thcelebrationswere postponed last
year.Tosoften the blow,itplansto
livestream some events.
Competitions are being spread over
threedays, instead of asingle show day at
the Ellesmere Showgrounds to reduce the
risks.
Events kick off on Friday withhorse,
sheep, dog trial,wool,and grain and seed
competitions.
Horsecompetitionswill continue on
Saturday, along withClydesdales, donkeys,
dairyand beef cattle,goats, poultry,wood
chopping, dog trialsand highland dancing.
On Sunday the horseswill be joined at the
showgrounds by pet lambs and alpacas.
Visas extended for workers
An estimated9000 migrants working in
New Zealand’s primary industries and
theirfamilies could benefitfrom the
government’s announced one­off,
simplified pathway to residence,
Agriculture and Rural Communities
Minister Damien O’Connor says.
‘‘This is agreat stepthat willprovide
certaintyfor hard­working migrants, their
families, their employers and our rural
communities.’’
Immigration Minister KrisFaafoi last
week announcedthe new 2021Resident
Visa,anarrangement that couldsee up to
165,000 migrantsgrantedresidence.
Immigration New Zealand has published
eligibility criteria that will be relevant to
many migrants currentlyworking on farms.
‘‘Acrossrural New Zealandmigrants are
demonstratingtheir value to our economy
and particularlyduring these Covid­19
times,’’ Mr O’Connor say.
‘‘We needtomake sure we showhow we
valuethese peopleand in doing so retain
them.
‘‘Covid­19has greatly disrupted the
movementofpeopleacrossborders. Our
focusnow is to move through this process
as quickly and fairlyaspossible.’’
Visa holders canalso include their
partners and dependents in their
application.
Applications for the 2021 Resident Visa
will be open in two phases ­onDecember
1this year andMarch1next year.
The announcement follows theapproval
for quarantinefree travelfor horticultural
workersfrom Samoa,Tonga and Vanuatu
to assistgrowers in fillinglabour shortages.
Mr O’Connorsays whilethe
announcementhelps to relieveworkforce
pressure,hebelieves the primary
industries still need to stay focusedontheir
long­termstrategiesfor developing people.
‘‘Immigration is one way to source
people, but we also need to keep up the
good work that’s been done over the past12
months or so to attract Kiwis intolifeonthe
land or our supply chains,and of course
retain them.
‘‘Wherever you go in modern economies
around the world,the most valuedresource
is people and it’s no different for our
primary sector. Acrossour primary
industries we are experiencing very good
growth in export revenuesand having great
people will be key to our trade­led recovery
from Covid­19,’’ Mr O’Connor says.
Dairy award entries open
Entries are open for the revamped 2022
New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards
programme.
Changeshave been made to all three
categories, the share farmer, dairy
manager and dairy trainee of the year, after
months of consultation, awardsgeneral
manager Robin Congdon says.
‘‘The share farmer, dairy manager and
dairy trainee categorieshave been futureproofed
to ensure the awardsprogramme
provides the best platform for all entrants
to learn, connect and grow. This can be
seen in the changes to judginginthe dairy
trainee category, with askills day providing
an opportunity to learn and not just be
judged.’’
The dairy managerentry conditions have
changedincluding removing the minimum
time spent on aNew Zealand farm in
relationtovisa restrictions.
Merit awards‘‘now reflect the evolving
New Zealand dairy industry’’, with the
powerplay droppedand the emerging
talentaward replacing the encouragement
award, Mr Congdonsays.
Other merit awardsinclude the people
and engagementleadership award,
environment and sustainability award
replacing the leadershipaward and the
pasture and feed managementaward
replacing the feed managementaward.
The Share Farmer category has also
been under the microscopewith changes
including an easierentry process,
lessening the work load of judges who are
all volunteers and to ensurethe category is
still fit for purpose.
The national awardsdinnerwill return
to Christchurch for the first time since 2008,
with Te Pae, the Christchurch Convention
Centre, hosting the event May 14, 2022.
Entriescan be made via
dairyindustryawards.co.nz.
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