Federated Farmers is hoping see some action in its long-running efforts to get dairy farm workers placed on the priority list for immigration.
The rapid expansion of the dairy industry has created big gaps in staffing on dairy farms.
Farmers have been unable to fill those gaps from local labour sources, but have found too many obstacles in existing procedures for bringing in dairy workers from overseas.
After pushing for two years to get some priority for dairy workers, Federated Farmers' vice president Frank Brenmuhl is hoping a meeting with the new immigration minister Jonathan Coleman last week, will to move the process along.
He says the problem mostly stems from dairy farm workers not being on the immediate skills shortage list.
Mr Brenmuhl says to get immigrants in from overseas to fill dairy farm positions farmers must first show that they have advertised and had no response.
He says a request for workers must then be made to Work and Income and if the department says it has potential workers farmers will lose their case to bring someone in.
Mr Brenmuhl says that's even if the people who are on the dole don't apply for the job and farmers aren't informed there are people available who could possibly work.
He says the minister has agreed to speak to immigration officials about the issues he's raised.
