A prediction has been made that by the year 2005, we are going to need another 5000 people in the dairy industry. We are currently struggling to attract enough of the right people. I am concerned about where these people are going to come from and how we are going to attract them. I believe that school age is the right place to begin the promotion. Schoolleavers will not be the only available staff market but I had to start somewhere and limited my survey to that group. With high unemployment figures, we must be able to find some common ground to have a full quota of staff available to the industry in the future.

The New Zealand Kellogg Rural Leaders Programme develops emerging agribusiness leaders to help shape the future of New Zealand agribusiness and rural affairs. Lincoln University has been involved with this leaders programme since 1979 when it was launched with a grant from the Kellogg Foundation, USA.