New app aims to tackle labour shortages in agriculture

A new purpose-built app, called AG-HAND, designed to connect agricultural businesses with individuals seeking work across all corners of the industry has been launched.

The app is designed to connect agricultural employers with job seekers across the UK, New Zealand, and Australia.

It supports a range of employment types including seasonal, part-time and full-time roles, and caters to all sectors from arable and dairy to sheep, beef, and mixed enterprises.

Developed from on-the-ground experience

The idea behind AG-HAND came from first-hand experience working in farming both in the UK and in New Zealand.

With many experiencing an ongoing challenge of matching skilled, motivated workers with genuine opportunities across agriculture, a centralised platform didn’t exist.

AG-HAND is here to fill that gap by offering a centralised space for hiring managers and job seekers to connect directly, with the goal of reducing time and effort spent on recruitment.

“I’ve used Ag-Hand numerous times to find seasonal jobs in the UK and NZ. The variety and quality of jobs are great and finding work is so easy”, says operator Sam Bagshaw.

Designed for practical use

AG-HAND includes features to help job seekers refine their job ad searches based on sector, location, and pay.

Employers can build specific job ads detailing a job description, duties and required skills. In addition, their farm profile showcases their set-up, scale and machinery used. 

The platform is geared towards practicality, with job posting fees and subscription models intended to encourage genuine listings and applications.

Simon Budden, arable farmer from Hampshire, said it “successfully filled my harvest positions using Ag-Hand. Very clear and simple to use.” 

Built for the industry

To ensure reach and relevance, AG-HAND is proactively partnering with farming bodies, agricultural colleges, universities, and Young Farmers clubs to spread awareness throughout the industry to encourage early adoption from both employers and job seekers.

Job posting fees and subscriptions are designed to filter out time-wasters while reinvesting in app development and advertising to ensure app growth and improvement with the goal of making it the most possible accessible and efficient for all users.

A sector-wide issue

AG-HAND exists to become the go-to platform for agricultural hiring, solving a longstanding industry challenge by providing a direct, easy-to-use connection between agricultural businesses and workers.

Phil, from May Bros Contracting, NZ, said “one of the best apps in agriculture, very effective and so simple to use. We’ve filled all overseas positions so easily. 100% recommend.”

If you’re looking to hire good people, or you’re looking for work, whether domestic or overseas, seasonal or permanent, AG-HAND is where you will find your match.