What's new?

Changes to pay rates 1 July 2010

From the first full pay period after 1 July 2010 there are two main changes to pay rates under the Pastoral Award 2010. 

1. The transitional provisions which are a part of the award begin to apply to phase in pay rates, loadings and penalty rates over the next 5 years.
2. The minimum wage for each classification in the Pastoral Award 2010 will increase by $26.00 per week.
   Note: if you are already paying more than $26.00 per week above the award rate for the particular classification, you do not have to pay the increase.

Go to the Pastoral Award 2010 for the transitional pay rates for 2010-2011 that apply to the people employed in your business.

PeopleGPS

PeopleGPS is a four-day course developed by The People in Dairy and the National Centre for Dairy Education Australia (NCDEA). It is for anyone who manages people working on a dairy farm.

The course explores issues around recruitment, safety, industrial relations laws and awards, performance appraisals, termination, working with people and planning for the future.

Farmers who participate in the course will develop a plan for managing people issues on their own farm and learn how to use the online resources to help put their plan into action.

For more information go to the projects page.

Large Herds Business Retreat

Large dairy herds (over 800 cows) face particular challenges because of the larger scale of operations and greater number of people working on the farm.

The People in Dairy is offering a program specifically tailored to these farms: a live-in retreat held over a day and a half that covers business strategies, people economics, analysis of farm systems and the people.

If you own, manage or advise a large herd and are interested in participating in a retreat please email Pauline Brightling.

People Basics

Farmers thinking about employing people often ask us "where do we start and what do we have to do?". People Basics is a new tool that quickly directs you to the "must have" online resources and templates on The People in Dairy website.

Understanding dairy share farming

Share dairy farming is the term used within the dairy industry to describe the arrangement where two parties, the farm owner and a ‘share farmer’, operate a dairy farm business together.

There are many very successful share farming arrangements that suit both parties. There is no such thing as a standard share farming agreement and there are lots of things to think about when putting together an agreement.

The new share dairy farming agreement checklist can be used to make sure you have covered everything.