During COVID-19, the ongoing closure of state and international borders caused a significant reduction in the availability of farm labour, especially skilled workers able to operate heavy machinery on grain farms. In particular, the loss of experienced workers entering Australia from northern hemisphere countries on the Working Holiday Maker visa was estimated by the Department of Home Affairs to have dropped by 100,677 (-73.2pc), from March 2020 to June 2021.
These chronic worker shortages were felt across the major grain growing regions of Australia, but experienced most acutely by GPA’s grower members in Western Australia. The subsequent social and economic impacts of these shortages highlighted the need to do more and find solutions to improve local labour supply and overseas options.
GPA responded to this serious workforce challenge by developing and advocating a national policy plan with our State Members. Released in August 2021, it highlighted these issues and called for support in a number of areas to find solutions, in the face of another looming record harvest. Whilst a record national crop valued at about $28 billion was returned in 2021-22, workforce issues continue to present ongoing challenges for growers and industry. It remains one of the major policy challenges faced by our members and complacency is not an option. That’s why GPA continues to advocate across government and industry to progress changes and outcomes.
Operation Grain Harvest Assist
In addition to the various support requests submitted in GPA’s national policy and advocacy plan, Operation Grain Harvest Assist was implemented in 2021. GPA and our State Farming Members collaborated with former ADF members on this self-help initiative. Retired Lt Col Garry Spencer, AM, led the coordination of volunteers and connected former veterans directly with farms via social media, to support farmers with harvest workers who had complementary skills and personal capabilities.
There are two Facebook groups: one for Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, and one for Western Australia and South Australia. An estimated 200-300 veterans answered the call to assist grain producers throughout Australia in 2021 and many will return for Harvest 2022. This complemented GPA’s work in collaboration with companies such as Qantas, to facilitate pilots and others to work on grain farms during periods when airlines were at a standstill. Pilots also had complementary skills and experience and were given specific training to help them handle the technical requirements of large broadacre harvest machinery.
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