At present we recognise dire dry conditions are impacting some regions, in particular around the King Country and its surrounding areas. I want to reassure suppliers that while processing space is tight and getting tighter, we are prioritising areas where animal welfare is at risk. 

To minimise issues that are likely to arise as processing space gets tighter we are now regularly publishing our estimated processing wait times for the North and South Island. You can find these at any time at the top of the Silver Fern Farmer app and website newsfeed, or by clicking here. 

In this week’s report we go into detail about some of the constraints we are currently operating in and which will only be exacerbated due to Omicron. While we have a body of work underway to manage these risks as best possible, all suppliers are likely to be impacted and we encourage you to read this Report to understand any implications for you.

This week’s announcement on the border reopening was a mixed bag. On one hand, many will celebrate being able to meet their loved ones again, and our sales team are planning their next trips into our markets to have those critical face-to-face interactions with our customers. 

On the other hand, the timeline for allowing overseas workers across the border here appears too late to have an impact for us this peak season. Nevertheless, we are working hard behind the scenes to see if we can get earlier access to overseas labour, and will continue working with Government as they announce their ‘Immigration Rebalance’ which will have implications for our workforce going forward into future seasons. 

Elsewhere in this week’s report, we cover a change to our livestock collection process if you or someone on your farm contracts Covid-19, our preparations for a longer season amid Omicron disruption, an update on the He Waka Eke Noa pricing options, and the latest from the markets. 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE MARKET REPORT

Wishing you an enjoyable Waitangi weekend.

Ngā mihi,

Simon Limmer

CHIEF EXECUTIVE