Use of robots in freezing works on the increase

Use of robots in freezing works on the increase.

Many of the jobs undertaken in Freezing works are both unpleasant and relatively dangerous, however mechanization may soon reduce the number of hands on tasks workers need to perform.

According to an article in Christchurch’s Press (“Scott keen to grow use of meat-chain robots,” May 5), NZ company Scott Technology plans to increase its development of robotic lamb cutting systems. The robotic cutting arms being developed as a joint venture between Scott and the country’s biggest met processor, PPCS.

A “first stage” robotic boning arm is already in use at PPCS’s Silverstream meat processing plant, near Dunedin. The machine allows for the splitting of a carcass into three sections, while further stages are being developed to allow them to be cut into smaller cuts for export.

US biosecurity and homeland security

Reading through a US story about federal farm programmes, (hat tip: Parapundit) I came across the following comment on biosecurity issues from democrat politician Dennis Cardoza:

After the Sept. 11 attacks, screening duties were taken away from the Department of Agriculture and given to the new Department of Homeland Security.

But Rep. Dennis Cardoza, a California Democrat, says Homeland Security inspectors weren’t really focused on things like infiltrating insect species.

“The transfer to Homeland Security was a disaster,” he says. “Homeland Security was only looking for two-legged terrorists, not six-legged terrorists. The management of the program under the new department has been abysmal.”

This farm bill would give inspection duties back to USDA.

Here in New Zealand, there are also concerns that due to underfunding, Biosecurity NZ is not being pro-active enough in containing introduced pests such as Didymo algae and the Varroa bea mite.

Biosecurity issues are a major concern from a labour conservation perspective, because the containment or illumination of introduced pests and diseases absorbs considerable amounts of government resources that could be spent in other areas like promoting labour saving technology or improving transport infrastructure.

Robots at the pump

Filling your own tank at the petrol station, is not usually a big issue, but it can be a real pain if you spill fuel over your best suit or dress on the way to a pressing engagement.

However, a group in inventors in the Netherlands has come with a design for a robotic service pump, that saves you the trouble of getting your hands dirty.

The idea for the design apparently came from seeing robots used in robotic milking systems. The Netherlands is incidently, is one of the world’s biggest users of robotic milking technology.

Bio-fuel possibilities for New Zealand

State science company Scion is currently researching the possibility that radiata pines be used as a bio-ethanol crop.

If feasible, this would be great news for both the New Zealand economy and the developing world.

One of the big criticisms of bio-ethanol as an alternative fuel source is that bio-fuel crops, such as corn and rapeseed, use up good quality arable land that could be used for growing essential food crops.

For example, corn prices are increasing in central American markets due to the conversion of arable land for growing bio-fuel crops.

Radiata pines however, do not need good arable land and can be grown in poor coastal and hill country soils.

In many cases they provide an important environmental function in terms of helping reduce erosion in step hill country with erratic rainfall levels.

As a country which does not produce any of its own petroleum, and which has to import most of its fuel needs from the distant suppliers in the Middle East, it would be both environmentally and economically preferable for New Zealand to supply some of its own fuel requirements.

Dealing with seasonal labour shortages

Although guest worker programmes, for better or worse, may provide temporary relief for New Zealand’s seasonal labour shortages, they are not a realistic long-term solution. The country needs to take a serious look at how it can increase productivity and encourage more locals to do seasonal work.

Firstly, treat farmer’s complaints about labour shortages with a pinch of salt.

Apparently, Australia has a major shortage of seasonal labour but it also has some very inefficient farms.

I once picked pears on a farm in Victoria which were destined for the SPC canary. Since the pears were picked before they were ripe they could have picked with a cherry picker. Instead, we walked around in 40 degree heat using heavy steel ladders and so took four times as long as we should have – not surprisingly, by Australian standards (and even New Zealand standards for that matter) the wages were very poor. The blunt reality is that if small time farms can’t invest in suitable equipment, they should sell out to bigger farms with bigger pockets.

Admittedly, some crops bruise easily and it is necessary to carefully hand pick them, and this is certainly the case with apples. Interestingly, pay rates for apple picking are not that bad, the problem is that not that many people are available to harvest them in the autumn.

One thing that could be done is to change the holiday times for Polytechnics in horticultural regions like Nelson and Hawke’s Bay. If students had their holidays in the autumn it would make it much easier for farmers to find labour at harvest time.

Although NZ has a much lower unemployment rate than Australia, it has a much stingier visa scheme for young workers from Europe and North America.

For example, while New Zealanders on two year working visas make a significant contribution to the UK economy, British, Irish and Continental European backpackers on six-month visas simply don’t have enough time to make much of a contribution.

If you want to get young backpackers to work you have to give them enough time to use up their savings, and pounds and euros go a long way in New Zealand. The reason that kiwis in the UK have a reputation as good workers is because they are usually desperate for money after a few weeks of arriving in rip-off London.

If labour shortages are as bad as the Government says we should start a new scheme for one-two year visas for European and American travellers under 40 with good English skills.

However, people on visas don’t vote, and at present New Zealand’s two main political parties appear more interested in importing voters and wealthy house hunters than in directly addressing labour needs.

 

The rationale behind this blog

Although most western countries are faced with an aging population, it seems strange that there appears to be relatively little interest in new technologies designed to save labour.

For example, how many websites, blogs and newspaper articles (other than highly technical sites on industrial automation) are devoted to this supposedly pressing issue?

And why isn’t the government doing more to come up with ways of promoting such technology?

Admittedly, the Australian government has a department focused on improving productivity in the Australian economy, but as far as I know, the New Zealand government is doing almost nothing in regard to improving the countries conspicuously low productivity rate.

Either the problem is exaggerated, or since its full impact has not yet been felt, we are unwilling to seriously address it.

Hence my interest in writing posts about this issue, which has major ramifications for the economy, our society, and the way we live on a day to day level.

I don’t claim to be an expert in the area of labour saving technology, but because those who are experts in this area are doing so little in the public sphere (underfunding?) it’s up to curious amateurs like myself to step in and generate some debate.

Since information on this topic is often difficult to find, I would very greatful if readers let me know about any interesting sources and news articles about labour saving technology and related issues.

Hat tip to tecnhnology and politics blogger Randall Parker for pointing me in the direction of some interesting material to help get the ball rolling.