The shortage of skilled agricultural machinery operators is reaching a crisis point say rural contractors, with many unable to meet farmer requirements and increasing fears for their health and safety.

Andrew Olsen, CEO of Rural Contractors NZ says an urgent meeting was held in the Waikato this week with Federated Farmers to discuss the escalating impacts on contractors and farmers.

One outcome is an urgent joint appeal to the Minister of Immigration to approve more skilled machinery operators to come in for this season.

“We are asking to see Kris Faafoi early next week. We warned this would come to a head unless more skilled workers could come in and now Mr Faafoi needs to hear directly about the emerging consequences for farm production and workers increasingly at risk.”

He says a particular factor in the Waikato is that farmers are enjoying top spring conditions, causing them to seek to plant or harvest more crop than initially planned with contractors.

“We’ve got contractors arriving to crop 6 hectares of crop only to have a farmer desire 10ha. This is pushing contractors’ mental and physical limits and the meeting was called to find respite and solutions that accommodate both parties.”

Rural Contractors NZ president Helen Slattery, who is Waikato based and attended the meeting, says messages now being sent to members by Federated Farmers may provide some relief.

“Farmers are being asked by Feds to be patient with their contractors as we have an enormous workload with some of the best growing conditions in November seen for some years but limited, experienced staff.

“There needs to be better and earlier communication about an area to be worked– farmers can’t just let a mower driver arrive to be told its 30ha not 20ha.”

Helen Slattery says farmers are also being asked to help where they can – dropping fences where practical, having access away from stock or agreeing to wait a week.

“Ringing around contractors to see who can get there first adds pressure we just don’t need and is only at best a short-term fix.”

Andrew Olsen says Rural Contractors NZ has been petitioning the Government for months for more approved skilled workers from overseas.

“In each of those submissions we have emphasised that a shortfall in overseas skilled operators will result in the very things that are happening right now.”

He says the entire primary sector is short of the skilled labour it needs.

RCNZ is supporting a range of training initiatives to increase the number of Kiwis working in the sector. It is also working with Federated Farmers and other primary industry organisations on a joint approach to Government about the number and border entry requirements for overseas workers for next year.

“In the interim, I’ve today asked my members to tell me how many workers they need right now so we have a ballpark total per member to take to Minister Faafoi. It’s in his hands to approve some further skilled workers – or let this crisis take an increasing  toll on people and farm production.”