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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
Rural contracting a $1.5b industry – Infometrics report 2019
RCNZ commissioned economics consultancy Infometrics to assess the rural contracting industry. We were pleased to see it acknowledge this is now a $1.5b sector, employing more than 22,000 people and enjoying robust economic growth. Here's a snapshot view: Click here...
A win/win with Ireland
By David Kean, RCNZ President As rural contractors we are often reliant on imported skilled operators for the machinery we run, so it was great to hear recently that RCNZ has gained approval to bring in 149 operators for the 2019/0 season. Our CEO Roger Parton spends...
No luck for Irish contractors
Ireland – often the source of skilled farm machinery operators for rural contractors in New Zealand – is facing even worse shortages. FCI Ireland which represents farm and forestry contractors, has recently written to the Irish Government saying some of its members...
Part of the family approach brings benefits
Richard Woodhead is a Wanaka-based board member of Rural Contractors NZ. Recently three of our overseas machinery operators, two Irish, one English lad, headed home. They are all talking of returning to spend another season with us. We normally do have repeats and...
A time to reap and to sow sound practices
With the wine vintage now underway around New Zealand, the organisation representing rural contractors has called on the wine industry to ensure its following sound health and safety practices. Rural Contractors NZ president David Kean says like much other...
Government immigration proposals sound at first glance
The nation's rural contracting organisation has welcomed the Government's proposals to make it easier for regions to get workers. Rural Contractors New Zealand president David Kean says last month's announcement looks like a step if not a leap in the right direction....
The world is your contracting oyster
When someone learns the skills to drive a big, expensive piece of farm machinery, a whole world of opportunity opens up. As but one example, my son is off to Western Australia again shortly, as our workload here in central Southland eases off with the arrival of...
Fatigue is a killer
David Kean Rural Contractors NZ president You may have seen this recent headline story: Tractor driver had worked almost 200 hours in the fortnight leading up to his death and followed a WorkSafe prosecution. A court heard that In October 2016, a worker for a Waikato...
Big benefits from RCNZ
I'm a committed Southlander but even I would accept it takes a bit to pull in 40 people to a meeting on a frosty winter's evening down here. So it was with a recent meeting in Winton of Zone 4 of Rural Contractors NZ. We had 40 members (or staff of members) turn up...
Rural Contractors NZ selects new leaders
New RCNZ president David Kean with deputy Helen Slattery and outgoing president Steve Levet The new presidential team leading Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) says the organisation plays an invaluable role educating and up-skilling contractors and promoting...
Rural Contractors dig deep for Wellington Free Ambulance
New Zealand's agricultural contractors opened their wallets and raised more than $33,000 for Wellington Free Ambulance during their annual conference, which was held in Masterton 26-28 June. Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) is the industry body that represents the...
Rural contractors dig deep again for St John
St John in the Southland/Queenstown Lakes region is more than $35,000 better off – thanks to the generosity of Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) members attending its annual conference held in Queenstown this month. RCNZ president Steve Levet says as part of the...
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