The rural workforce has bucked the trend in the latest unemployment figures announced by the Government this week.

Rural unemployment has fallen, despite overall unemployment for the June quarter jumping from 6% up to 6.8%.

Federated Farmers employment spokesman David Rose says the increase is a welcome one, but there’s still plenty of uncertainty in the labour market.

"Our numbers have actually slightly increased in the year to June 2010.

"They’re still well down on employment in June 2008 but to be fair, we’ve weathered the recession quite well.

"I don’t think they are too much to worry about.”