News & Events
Rural Contractors News
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Rural Contractors NZ is the voice for the $1.5b rural contracting industry accounting for 0.8% of GDP and 0.9% of national employment. Source: Infometrics 2018 report available here
RCNZ media releases and comments below – or contact our Communications advisor Brendon Burns (0274 305501)
Media Comments
MPI and rural contractors support Hanzon training initiative
The Rural Contractors NZ Board has agreed to help fund a HanzonJobs initiative alongside support of $140,000 from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to train and mentor young people working with contractors around the country. It is being launched today....
Rural contractors take Hanzon approach to training
Rural contractors facing desperate shortages of skilled staff can now tap into the training of 200 new industry trainees who will use an app to record and document their work. The Rural Contractors NZ Board last week agreed to help fund the HanzonJobs programme which...
Spray contractors do their best but costs are rising
Rural spraying contractors are doing all they can to insulate farmers from emerging price increases for chemicals but warn of emerging cost rises. Rural Contractors NZ vice-President Clinton Carroll, who runs a Wairarapa spraying business, says contractors are facing...
Wet spring compounding feed shortages, says rural contractors
Some rural contractors in Southland are saying this is the wettest spring in 30 years, says Rural Contractors NZ board member Daryl Thompson, impacting on already short supplies of feed. In Zone reports to last week’s Board meeting, he said the constant rain in the...
Insurance offer getting pick-up
Some free insurance given to all RCNZ members by American Income Life (AIL) has now had around 75 responses from members who've chosen to add further to the free offer. All members of Rural Contractors NZ are now covered by a $1,500 Accidental Death &...
CEO’s message to RCNZ members re Essential Work – August 19
Hi everyone. MPI held a meeting today with primary industry leadership and a couple of things from that to share with you. They are aware that if nothing changes in the next days, Auckland and Coromandel will be at different alert levels to the rest of country....
Biosecurity workshop on offer
Rural contactors around most of the country are being offered a free visit and workshop to alert them to biosecurity risks. A key focus is on velvetleaf, an invasive weed with incursions in nearly every region of New Zealand. A member of the mallow family, velvetleaf...
Govt signals welcome but skilled labour urgently needs MIQ space
Rural contractors say while they welcome signals the Government is recognising labour pressures in the farming sector, another challenge looms in their efforts to recruit enough skilled staff to keep New Zealand farms in production. Andrew Olsen, CEO Rural Contractors...
Rural contractors change guard as challenges mount
A new President, vice-President and CEO have taken the helm at Rural Contractors NZ after an annual conference concluding last night which highlighted compounding challenges in meeting capacity constraints which are likely to impact on some farmers and crop...
Tax Remuera Rovers, not rural contractor utes
The Government is being urged to introduce a variable regime on higher emitting vehicles so rural contractors - who have no current choice but to run them - are not penalised. Rural Contractors NZ Chief Executive Andrew Olsen says the fact his members now face $3000...
RCNZ membership brings death cover benefits
All members of Rural Contractors NZ are now covered by a $1,500 Accidental Death & Dismemberment Benefit provided through American Income Life Insurance Company. This is an automatic membership benefit of belonging to Rural Contractors NZ. Members also have the...
Andrew Olsen, new CEO Rural Contractors NZ
Andrew Olsen has been appointed as the new CEO of Rural Contractors NZ which represents 600 contractors in the $1.5b industry. RCNZ vice president Helen Slattery says the former Chief Executive of the Travel Agents Association NZ stood out to the selection panel in a...
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