The case in summary: The sheep farmer, Irene Amundgård, finds it demanding to take a holiday. A survey carried out by AgriAnalyse shows that over 20 per cent of farmers take less than 5 days’ holiday a year. Leader of the Lesja and Dovre replacement team, Mona Solli explains that it is difficult to get enough replacements for the holidays. The leader of Innladet Farmelag, Elisabeth Gjems, believes that more replacements are important so that farmers can take more holidays. Irene Amundsgård believes that it is important that the farmers’ opportunity to take a holiday is crucial for future generations to choose to become farmers. Agriculture and Food Minister, Geir Pollestad (Sp) says that farmers’ welfare is a high focus for the government. At this year’s agricultural settlement, it was decided that the replacement subsidy will be increased by 6 per cent next year. Nevertheless, the farmers believe that it is challenging to find someone who can substitute, while you take a holiday. – If you don’t have friends and family who can stand up, then you really struggle. That’s what Irene Amundgård tells. She is a sheep farmer in Lesja. She herself very rarely takes a holiday from the farm. – In the summer we never have time off, because then there is so much to be done on the farm. Amundgård estimates that she is away from the farm for a total of two weeks a year, but never more than 3-4 days in a row. – It is difficult to find opportunities to take a longer holiday, she says. – Worst for the children Irene Amundgård says that the very worst thing about not having the opportunity to take a holiday is that it limits the possibility of taking the children on trips. – The worst part of it all is that the children have to stay at home in the summer. When school starts again, many of the other children have been on more trips than our children, explains the sheep farmer. Although Irene Amundgård’s sheep are out grazing in the summer, the lambs are in the barn and need care. Photo: Mathilde Solbakken Stenberg / news Irene Amundgård is not alone in taking a short holiday. A survey carried out by Agrianalyse for Landkreditt earlier this year shows that 22 per cent of the farmers in the survey take less than five days off a year. 23 per cent of the farmers who took part in the survey took between five and ten days’ holiday a year. 18 per cent answered that the holiday amounts to between 11 and 15 days. Only three out of ten farmers stated that the holiday is longer than 15 days. Could you have a job where you risked not getting a holiday? Yes, as long as the work is meaningful enough for me👨🌾. I have a job with very little vacation now. No, I would never have managed without the annual holiday😎! Show result In the survey, a total of 1,005 farmers were asked. news has also been in contact with several animal producers who say that it is difficult to get the opportunity to take a holiday. Lack of replacements At the replacement team in Lesja and Dovre, Mona Solli says that it is difficult to get replacements. – We manage to meet the needs of farmers in case of acute illness, but it is worse to find replacements for animal producers who want time off, says Solli. Mona Solli believes that the solution to making the replacement profession more attractive is to increase the replacement allowance. Photo: Mathilde Solbakken Stenberg / news She justifies this by saying that a good understanding of the language and a high level of competence are required to work in a barn. – We are not only struggling in this region. It is a challenge across the country to obtain qualified people, says Solli. Mona Solli is clear about what is needed to strengthen recruitment to the replacement profession. – The replacement grant must be increased so that farmers can pay their replacements better, she believes. What is the replacement grant? It is a grant that farmers receive to cover expenses for replacements in the event of illness, birth and vacation and other situations. How is it decided how much the farmer will receive? The replacement grant is calculated based on the number of animals and which type(s) of animal the farmer has. How much money can an individual farmer receive? The minimum payment is NOK 5,000 and the maximum replacement grant a farmer can receive is NOK 134,175 per year. When do farmers receive the replacement grant? It is paid in arrears, normally in February. – The farmers must plan Leader of the Inland Farmers’ Association, Elisabeth Gjems, has a clear idea of what is needed for more farmers to take more holidays on the same lines as many other professions. – Firstly, the farmer must decide to take some time off, if it is single days, and make a plan to carry it out. In addition, she also points out that access to replacements is a key factor. – Getting hold of a replacement is crucial for the livestock farmer to be able to take time off. All in all, it is an important security that there is someone who knows the barn and can step in even if the farmer falls ill. She believes the current system for the replacement grant is not good enough. – We have arrangements for relief during holidays and free time, but the pot is small, and the money has to be paid up front. When the economy is poor, it is difficult to get things going, she elaborates. Gjems believes it is important that farmers are given the opportunity to take some time off during the summer. – There is a lot of responsibility and heavy work associated with being a farmer, so it is important that you get the opportunity to get away and lower your shoulders a little. Leader of Innlandet Farmers’ Association, Elisabeth Gjems, says that more replacements are essential for farmers to take more time off. Photo: Jenny Marie Sveen / news Subsidies have increased Agriculture and Food Minister Geir Pollestad (Sp) says that farmers’ welfare is a high focus for the government. – Development of better welfare schemes for Norwegian farmers is an important point in the Hurdal platform, which forms the basis of the government’s work. The welfare schemes have therefore been prioritized in the agricultural settlements by this government. He writes that in an e-mail to news. Geir Pollestad points out that the replacement grant has been increased in recent years. Photo: Philip Kollstrøm / news ROGALAND Pollestad points out that the government has increased the rates for the replacement subsidy in recent years. – The rates for grants for relief for holidays and free time have been increased by 22 per cent from 2022 to 2025, while the rates for relief in the event of illness and childbirth have been increased by 56 per cent in the same period, says the Minister of Agriculture. – In the same period, the maximum grant for replacement per farm has increased by 53 per cent to NOK 134,175, he says. Thinks it goes beyond recruitment Sheep farmer Irene Amundgård believes that it is important for future generations of farmers to have the opportunity to take holidays on an equal basis with other professions. – I think the opportunity to take a holiday has a lot to say about whether young people choose to go into agriculture or not, says Amundgård. She receives support from the leader of Innlandet Bondelag, Elisabeth Gjems. – In today’s society where being able to take a week off sometimes is so common, I think it is very important to have good solutions to be able to take a holiday, she says. – It is important that the farmers make a plan and can afford to carry it out, Gjems adds. Pollestad also recognizes the importance of good access to replacements to secure farmers in the future. – Holidays, free time, safety in the event of illness are important for recruitment into agriculture and contribute to maintaining good animal welfare. Published 17.07.2024, at 13.11
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Farmers struggle to take holidays – call for an increase in replacement allowance – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
