Harvest workers: Facebook group connects pilots and grain growers

A new Facebook group is connecting unemployed pilots with grain growers in need of workers at harvest. Here’s why.

Pilots on board with harvest: Pilots4harvest group has 500 members from across the country, made up of both farmers seeking workers and pilots.

AN innovative Facebook group is connecting pilots who have been left unemployed by the coronavirus pandemic with grain growers in search of workers this harvest.

Pilots4harvest group creator and Warren, NSW grain grower Amanda Thomas, said the group now had 500 members from across the country, made up of both farmers seeking workers and pilots.

The Weekly Times previously reported the industry’s hopes of unemployed pilots filling the void the pandemic would leave grain growers at harvest time.

“We typically use about two to three backpackers at harvest time,” Ms Thomas said.

But due to the pandemic restricting travel, Ms Thomas said she was left without her typical workers.

“I thought it would be a good idea to get a group up, and it was a hassle free way to put farmers and industry in touch with pilots,” she said.

“Pilots already have a good skill set and they will slot in quite easily,” Ms Thomas said.

And securing workers on her and her husband’s cropping farm in Warren was more important than ever this season, with this crop the first they will have in three years.

“It’s never been more important to get crops off,” Ms Thomas said.

“It is the first crop that has been worth anything for the last three seasons.

“These past few seasons have been soul destroying – with weekly dust storms and then being hit with coronavirus pandemic –this is one positive out of it all for growers.”

Another Warren grower James Meers, has already secured two Jetstar pilots for his harvest this season and said they were ideal candidates to operate headers.

“We usually get Danish and German backpackers, but that’s not possible this year,” Mr Meers said.

“I talked to a family friend who knew of a Jetstar pilot out of work and 10 years ago he did harvest for his family – he was more than happy to do it,” he said.

The second pilot set to work on his farm is also from Jetstar and was originally from a wheat farm.

“Pilots are used to remembering key elements and a lot are happy to have a job at the moment,” Mr Meers said.

“It is also a challenge for them so they are excited about that .

“They will have to learn a few things but we have the faith in them to do that.”

Mr Meers said the pilots will work for him for about three weeks to a month on the property in about November, depending on “how kind spring is”.

“We are looking like we will have the biggest crops we have ever had.”

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