Priority 1 - Protecting and nurturing the environment, building competitive and resilient farm businesses, and improving public perception
What does good look like?
By 2020
- Plan Change 5 of the Canterbury Land & Water Plan is successfully implemented and farmers are making the required changes to meet environmental limits while thriving through profitable and resilient businesses
- Farmers are confident in their options to meet future environmental challenges while continuing to thrive through profitable, resilient businesses
By 2030
- Farmers in Canterbury have a positive reputation for caring for their animals and the environment
- Farm businesses are thriving while meeting environmental limits
- Water quality is meeting community expectations
- Farm businesses are competitive and resilient through the application of innovative systems and technologies on farm, and alternative value chain opportunities.
Outcome areas
Priority 2 - Attracting and maintaining a skilled workforce
What does good look like?
Short term
- The industry retains access to migrant labour for genuine skills gaps for a period of five years, and is on a pathway to reduce reliance on migrant labour.
- New systems are designed to increase the competitiveness of dairy farms as an attractive place to work, relative to other industries.
- 50% of farmers are getting to great in the Workplace Action Plan
- There are good professional development opportunities and a good career pathway to progress, either as a farm employee or as a business owner.
- The standard of leadership and management on farm is lifted through its recognition as a key driver of success
Long term
- There is widespread adoption of new systems to increase the competitiveness of dairy farms as an attractive place to work
- Statistics show significant improvement in working conditions e.g. hours of work, days off, health and safety, wages.
- The dairy industry is seen by everyone as a great place to work, to the extent that it is competitive enough in the labour market to reduce the reliance on migrant labour.
- The dairy industry works constructively with Government to implement incentive based policy which encourage better employment practices similar to the RSE scheme in horticulture.
- Career changers are shown the potential when working within the dairy industry.