Hon Louise Upston
Associate Minister for Primary Industries
18 May 2017 Media Statement
Primary industry workforce growing - report
Support service roles are helping to increase employment opportunities in primary sector industries, a new report shows.
Overall, employment in primary sector industries increased by 5400 between 2012 and 2014, according to the Ministry for
Primary Industries (MPI) reportHuman Capabilities in the Primary Industries.
“The majority of these new jobs were support service roles, which includes scientists, accountants, engineers and
agricultural technicians,” Associate Primary Industries Minister Louise Upston says.
“These new roles are being driven by factors such as more sophisticated technologies, growing Asian markets and areas
such as food safety, biosecurity and animal welfare.”
The report provides an overview of employment and qualification trends in the primary industry sector between 2002 and
2014.
“This analysis and previous forecasting suggest the trends identified in this report will continue to shape employment
needs into the future,” Ms Upston says.
“The expansion of the horticulture and dairy sectors will continue to have an effect, as well as businesses adding value
to our primary production. This increasing sophistication and the greater need for professional support will create many
new specialist roles. The Government is working with the primary industry on a number of initiatives to build capability
across the sector so that we can meet current and future needs.”
The Human Capabilities in the Primary Industries report can be found here: