April 23, 2026 • 4 mins
Rabobank’s GM of Country Banking says farm worker pay growth has levelled off in the last few years, after a post-pandemic period of rapid growth. The 2026 Federated Farmers-Rabobank Farm Remuneration Report, released today, shows the average salary for a farm worker increased by $1,367 to $72,778, or a weighted average rise of 3% across 13 job positions.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Looking for a change in employment, Well, maybe you want
to think about working on a farm, because I tell
you what. The Federated Farmer's Rabobank Farm Remuneration Report has
just come out and the number is seventy two thousand,
seven hundred and seventy eight dollars per annum. But that's
not including some of the on farm benefits. You can
(00:20):
get to tell us a wee bit more about it.
The GM of Country Banking for Rabobank, Bruce Ware and
Bruce I've often said on this show that some people
who are struggling with three jobs in the cities should
go to the country and milk cows or be a
shepherd or something like that. Once they've learned their trade,
send the kids to a local primary school, live the
good life. What do you reckon?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Absolutely, Jamie me a strong, strong, headlined number. Again, A
salary has risen about three percent of the past two years,
with total numeration package up around five percent. And I
think their moderation or that three percent is a bit
of context too, because celery jumped about thirteen percent between
twenty two and twenty five.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Yes, there was a big jump post COVID When we
look at the total package value. The acronym is the TPV. There, Bruce,
We've got things like vehicle usage. It might be of
use of the farm ute, bit of meat, bit of firewood, phone,
perhaps power allowance is a bit of milk if you're
on a dairy farm.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
It all adds up, yes, certainly does Jamie. And when
you look at that total package value, those extra benefits
equate to a minimum about four thousand dollars. But also
I love to think about too, that recreational value for many,
particularly in the sheep and bef sector, you know, the
whole copri collectivities that they can do or farm on
(01:40):
the weekends.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Okay, well, let's crunch some of the numbers in these sectors.
Dairy positions are. The total package value that we talked about,
including the benefits was up five percent to over seventy
seven thousand dollars. Sheep and beef total package value sitting
at over seventy six thousand dollars, And as you pointed out, Bruce,
that is above the average wage which sits it was
(02:04):
nearly a Freudian slip, wasn't it, which sits at you know,
high sixty seventy thousand dollars or something across the country,
but the cost of living, obviously in a city is
far greater than the country.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah. Absolutely, those are very strong numbers, and I certainly
like to think get given the sort of buoyant times,
a bit more positive times in the border AIG economy
at the moment, I think you there is probably more
upward pressure on those prices as well as farmers adopt
bit more tech, a bit more precision to their farming businesses.
(02:37):
You know, we just need to attract your high skill people.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
A bit of an aberration in these numbers was wages
for an arable farm machinery operator jumped a massive wait
for it, thirty percent to eighty two thousand, six hundred
and fifty one dollars. But I think these are the
guys and girls who are getting into some of this
highly technical equipment. They may be huge harvesters or whatever,
and you just can't walk off the street and jump
(03:02):
into one of those and drive them.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah. Absolutely, probably reflects all even a skill shortage in
that area, but like you say, it reflects that more
advance of machinery, the tech inside some of these harvests
and things. And when I was sitting one the other
day Jamie. It looks like you'll probably need a degree
to operate them. So I wouldn't know where to start.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
I used to be a farmer and I drove lots
of tractors. But I went out to do a promotional
video for Norwood a few years ago out at Tirie
then and I jumped in the track that they said
started up and lift the bucket up. I couldn't even
figure out how to start it up. They're quite complex.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I'm with you, totally with you.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Hey, just before I go and your youth talking about farming,
didn't you work at Glenary Station?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah? I did a summer their best time in my
life to be fair A great place for a young
want to be shepherd lot myself to spend a summer.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Well, that's where the Federated Farmer's High Country Field Day was.
What a magnificent farm.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, it's a beautiful farm, Jamie. It truly is, and
it's great to see. It's still fairly keeping to its
traditional roots, I guess, but bit evolving where it needs to.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yeah. Well they've got a bit of halter on the
flat there are doing intensive beef stuff plus all the
stuff that's happening on the hill. Magnificent farm, Magnificent day out.
Bruce Ware, GM of Country Banking for Rabobank, Thanks for
your time and thanks for crunching the numbers and the
Fed Farmer's Rabobank Farm Remuneration Report out today.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Thanks Jamie. Great to chat
Looking for a change in employment, Well, maybe you want
to think about working on a farm, because I tell
you what. The Federated Farmer's Rabobank Farm Remuneration Report has
just come out and the number is seventy two thousand,
seven hundred and seventy eight dollars per annum. But that's
not including some of the on farm benefits. You can
(00:20):
get to tell us a wee bit more about it.
The GM of Country Banking for Rabobank, Bruce Ware and
Bruce I've often said on this show that some people
who are struggling with three jobs in the cities should
go to the country and milk cows or be a
shepherd or something like that. Once they've learned their trade,
send the kids to a local primary school, live the
good life. What do you reckon?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Absolutely, Jamie me a strong, strong, headlined number. Again, A
salary has risen about three percent of the past two years,
with total numeration package up around five percent. And I
think their moderation or that three percent is a bit
of context too, because celery jumped about thirteen percent between
twenty two and twenty five.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Yes, there was a big jump post COVID When we
look at the total package value. The acronym is the TPV. There, Bruce,
We've got things like vehicle usage. It might be of
use of the farm ute, bit of meat, bit of firewood, phone,
perhaps power allowance is a bit of milk if you're
on a dairy farm.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
It all adds up, yes, certainly does Jamie. And when
you look at that total package value, those extra benefits
equate to a minimum about four thousand dollars. But also
I love to think about too, that recreational value for many,
particularly in the sheep and bef sector, you know, the
whole copri collectivities that they can do or farm on
(01:40):
the weekends.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Okay, well, let's crunch some of the numbers in these sectors.
Dairy positions are. The total package value that we talked about,
including the benefits was up five percent to over seventy
seven thousand dollars. Sheep and beef total package value sitting
at over seventy six thousand dollars, And as you pointed out, Bruce,
that is above the average wage which sits it was
(02:04):
nearly a Freudian slip, wasn't it, which sits at you know,
high sixty seventy thousand dollars or something across the country,
but the cost of living, obviously in a city is
far greater than the country.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah. Absolutely, those are very strong numbers, and I certainly
like to think get given the sort of buoyant times,
a bit more positive times in the border AIG economy
at the moment, I think you there is probably more
upward pressure on those prices as well as farmers adopt
bit more tech, a bit more precision to their farming businesses.
(02:37):
You know, we just need to attract your high skill people.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
A bit of an aberration in these numbers was wages
for an arable farm machinery operator jumped a massive wait
for it, thirty percent to eighty two thousand, six hundred
and fifty one dollars. But I think these are the
guys and girls who are getting into some of this
highly technical equipment. They may be huge harvesters or whatever,
and you just can't walk off the street and jump
(03:02):
into one of those and drive them.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah. Absolutely, probably reflects all even a skill shortage in
that area, but like you say, it reflects that more
advance of machinery, the tech inside some of these harvests
and things. And when I was sitting one the other
day Jamie. It looks like you'll probably need a degree
to operate them. So I wouldn't know where to start.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
I used to be a farmer and I drove lots
of tractors. But I went out to do a promotional
video for Norwood a few years ago out at Tirie
then and I jumped in the track that they said
started up and lift the bucket up. I couldn't even
figure out how to start it up. They're quite complex.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I'm with you, totally with you.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Hey, just before I go and your youth talking about farming,
didn't you work at Glenary Station?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Yeah? I did a summer their best time in my
life to be fair A great place for a young
want to be shepherd lot myself to spend a summer.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Well, that's where the Federated Farmer's High Country Field Day was.
What a magnificent farm.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, it's a beautiful farm, Jamie. It truly is, and
it's great to see. It's still fairly keeping to its
traditional roots, I guess, but bit evolving where it needs to.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yeah. Well they've got a bit of halter on the
flat there are doing intensive beef stuff plus all the
stuff that's happening on the hill. Magnificent farm, Magnificent day out.
Bruce Ware, GM of Country Banking for Rabobank, Thanks for
your time and thanks for crunching the numbers and the
Fed Farmer's Rabobank Farm Remuneration Report out today.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Thanks Jamie. Great to chat
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