Last year new regulations for young calves were introduced and took effect from 1 August 2016.

On 1 February, a new regulation came into force; bobby calves are to be fed at least once in the 24 hours before slaughter (a reduction from 30 hours).

Further regulations are to take effect this year including:

• Proposed 1 August 2017: Suitable shelter will have to be provided for young calves before and during transportation, and at points of sale or slaughter, and

• Proposed 1 August 2017: Loading and unloading facilities will have to be provided and used when young calves are transported for sale and slaughter. The facilities must be designed so that a calf is able to walk on or off the transport.

Infringement fees and fees of varying levels may apply to those who do not follow these regulations.

Who is liable for the damage?

The recent fires in the Port Hills above Christchurch are a timely reminder of the risks of fire to our communities. Every year the New Zealand Fire Service and National Rural Fire Authority battle fires all over New Zealand, which begs the question – Who pays for this? Read more…

Give it some thought when buying or selling

Agreements for the sale and purchase of rural land generally contain a 'good husbandry' clause. This clause is often inserted into the agreement as a 'boiler plate' or standard clause by real estate agents when preparing contracts. We discuss why it's better to tailor-make this clause to suit each transaction. Read more…

What does this mean for farmers?

The government recently announced its Clean Water Package. The release has caused considerable controversy, largely around the proposed target of 90% of rivers and lakes being 'swimmable' by 2040 and, in particular, the E.coli guidelines for swimmable rivers being 540 E.coli per 100mls. Read more…

The government reviews the minimum wage each year. On 1 April 2017 the adult minimum wage increased from $15.25 per hour to $15.75 per hour. The starting out and training minimum wage increased from $12.20 per hour to $12.60 per hour.

We recommend you review all wage and salary structures to ensure your employees are paid at least the minimum wage at all times for hours worked.

It is well known that work required on the farm fluctuates throughout the year. You must ensure that your employees are receiving at least the applicable minimum wage rate for any hours worked at all times. This is the case even when your employees are paid a salary.

This may mean your employees' pay needs to be topped up at certain times of the year to ensure they are paid at least the applicable minimum wage for the hours worked.

Keeping and maintaining accurate time and wage records is vitally important and a legal requirement of employers.

In a recent High Court case¹ the New Zealand Fire Service Commission sued landowners for the cost of extinguishing a fire that spread from their property through a number of other properties in Canterbury. The High Court found in favour of the New Zealand Fire Service Commission for the total cost of $217,118.

At issue in the case was also whether any of the insurance policies held by Mr & Mrs Legg or their company included an obligation to indemnify Mr & Mrs Legg against the (successful) claim made by the fire service. The court found the Leggs (and their company) were entitled to be indemnified by their respective insurance companies for the amount which they were required to pay.

It is important that not only you manage the risks associated with fires, but also that you examine your insurance policies carefully.

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1    New Zealand Fire Service Commission v Legg [2016] NZHC1492