A Smarter Way to Find Relief Workers

Casual staff shortages and labour gaps during seasonal peaks are ongoing challenges across New Zealand’s farming sector. For Blake and Selene Harvie, who run a sharemilking operation in Dunsandel, finding reliable help was once a struggle — until they discovered Ag Assist.

“When you’re running a small team and one staff member requests annual leave on another person’s rostered day off, it can be hard to approve the leave,” says Blake. Through Ag Assist’s marketplace, Blake and Selene found relief milkers and casual workers who fit their schedule and filled the gaps in their team when they needed them most.

Flexible Labour Solutions for Farming Businesses

The reality for many farmers is that a full-time hire (around 2,200 hours annually) isn’t always needed. Instead, flexible support of 500 to 1,000 hours can make all the difference. Ag Assist allows businesses to post jobs and connect with casual workers and independent contractors who are looking for short-term or seasonal work.

“I used to find it difficult to source casual or part-time help when and where I needed,” Blake explains. “Now, I can easily find someone to slot in and help cover peak times.”

Finding the Right Person for the Job

From yard hands to relief milkers and more skilled roles, Ag Assist’s worker profiles and rating system make it easy for businesses to view workers' experience and performance from previous jobs. This helps farmers match workers to specific tasks, ensuring they get the right person for the job. “The last job I advertised on Farm Source had 120 applicants,” says Selene. “Half were overseas and not even eligible. With Ag Assist, the people you see are already in New Zealand, and you can filter by location, skill level, and availability — saving a lot of time and hassle.”

Smoothing Out Labour Supply and Demand

“The goal is to smooth out the supply and demand curve for farm labour,” says Tony Dodunski, CEO of Ag Assist.

Workers can create profiles, list their skills, and browse available jobs. Businesses can post jobs, filter by skill and location, and message workers directly through the platform. And thanks to Ag Assist’s two-way rating system, both businesses and workers can leave comments and feedback, helping others make more informed decisions.

Find Your Next Relief Worker with Ag Assist

If you’re running a farming business and need seasonal support or relief workers, or if you’re a rural professional looking to pick up extra work, Ag Assist can help. Log in or sign up now to connect with the people you need — and #makeadifference to your team, just like Blake and Selene did.