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Harvest trail employment service expanded to meet labour shortfall
Elizabeth Gracie
The Federal Government has expanded the Harvest Trail employment service to 16 new horticulture regions in an effort to stem the agricultural labour shortage that COVID - 19 has created.
Starting in July 2020, the newly expanded service will allow labour-hire organisations to claim 4, 12 and 26-week outcomes for supporting Australian job seekers into harvest jobs.
Minister for Employment, Skills and Family Business, Senator Michaelia Cash said that the expansion would ensure major horticultural regions would receive access to the workers they need.
“Harvest Trail Services plays a critical role ensuring Australian growers are able to access the labour supply they need to meet spikes in seasonal demand,” said Cash.
National Farmers Federation (NFF) CEO Tony Mahar said that restrictions on backpacker numbers and the movement of international workers were creating angst for farmers ahead of this year’s harvest season.
“This year farmers are particularly concerned about a reduction in backpacker numbers, however, they also see the opportunity for recently unemployed Australians to help fill the gap”.
The NFF has welcomed the expansion of the service and believes it will be able to provide farmers with the crucial labour they need for harvest time, as well as providing employment to Australians who have lost their source of income as a result of COVID - 19.
In the 2019 - 2020 season alone, the service facilitated 23,000 individual farm work placements.
The NFF hopes that the move is a step in the right direction to help increase Australia’s available agriculture workforce by 25% by 2030.
“The expansion of Harvest Trail, an established and highly successful platform is one important pathway to achieving this target,” said Mahar.
David Littleproud, Minister for Agriculture said that the expansion of the service was crucial in supporting Australian farmers to meet seasonal labour demand and keep the Australian agriculture sector thriving.
“Maintaining domestically grown food supplies is essential to Australian families and to our economy,” said Littleproud.
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