People Expos to support great dairy workplaces

DairyNZ and Dairy Women’s Network have partnered to deliver four People Expo events in the Canterbury, Southland, Taranaki and Waikato regions during March 2023.

DairyNZ lead advisor for people, Jane Muir, encourages farmers to come along.

“People on-farm is a hot topic right now, with many farms finding it challenging to find and keep the staff they want,” says Ms Muir.

“These events provide the chance for farmers to connect with each other and gather new ideas to improve their workplaces and businesses.”

There are a range of guest speakers to inspire and entertain farmers, including Sense Partners economist Shamubeel Eaqub who will discuss global and regional workforce trends, and people specialist Lee Astridge on what it takes to be a competitive workplace, to attract and retain staff.

Guest speaker, Taranaki dairy farmer Hayden Lawrence, is embracing new processes and technology with his farm team. This includes having 18-month lactations and using a web-based platform to communicate, record events, and provide a database of important farm information in a single digital location.

Hayden will be presenting with DairyNZ senior scientist Dr Callum Eastwood on the science behind ways to change the job and provide real-world application to support farmers, as they consider how to make solutions work on their farm.

“People on-farm are the number one priority for most dairy businesses, and it’s important that we learn, grow and change, both now and into the future, to support our people,” says Hayden.

“I entered dairy farming with a fresh perspective and wanted a different approach for running the farm. I think it is important to keep challenging what we are doing now, and consider what opportunities are available.

“Attending a People Expo event is a great opportunity to engage with other farmers, challenge ideas, and hear about alternative solutions on other farms, to help us all learn and grow.”

The People Expo events are free for dairy farmers, and lunch is provided. For more information and registration visit dairynz.co.nz/peopleexpo

People Expo events information

Canterbury
Tuesday 14 March 2023
9.30am – 3.30pm
Dunsandel Community Centre, Dunsandel 

Southland
Thursday 16 March 2023
9.30am – 3.30pm
Invercargill Workingmen's Club, 154 Esk Street, Invercargill 

Taranaki
Tuesday 21 March 2023
9.30am – 3.30pm
TET Multisport Centre and Stadium, 62 Portia Street, Stratford 

Waikato
Thursday 23 March 2023
9.30am – 3.30pm
Matamata Civic and Memorial Centre, 11 Tainui Street, Matamata 

For more information and registration visit dairynz.co.nz/peopleexpo

Media Contacts
Celine Walters-Gray
Media Specialist
p: 027 247 9876
e: Celine.Walters@dairynz.co.nz

Jules Benton
Dairy Women's Network CEO
p: 021 275 6690
e: jules.benton@dwn.org.nz