increase font size
OPINION: Our hearts go out to the farmers and rural communities in Southland and Otago who are battling an onslaught of adverse weather.
Otago farmers were amid a drought a few weeks ago with the region being declared an adverse event for this reason. Then almost overnight, the region has been swamped by rain. What can one say?
In the case of Southland, it’s been wet and cold for months now and the new rains have just made the problem worse, and looking ahead, the weather forecasts don’t offer any respite.
The result is feed shortages for animals and, in the case of Otago, potential delays in getting crops in the ground with pastures inundated and potentially damaged. As we go to press, the full extent of the damage in Otago is still unknown as farmers are too busy trying to get basic infrastructure back in operation – for example, milking sheds – and haven’t had time to stop and properly assess the damage to their farms.
In Southland the misery continues. There are now concerns for the mental health of farming families and Federated Farmers is doing a significant publicity awareness programme to tell farmers where to go to get help; also urging them to look after themselves, get some rest, and rightly pointing out that decisions made when people are tired may not always be the best ones.
All this comes at a time when the farming sector continues to face pressure in multiple directions: lower prices for lamb, still-high interest rates and land use change which poses a serious threat to our livestock sector and the NZ economy.
Sadly, it seems adverse events are now almost a way of life. The effects of Cyclone Gabrielle and other adverse weather events along the east coast of the North Island are still being felt, with some farmers there still without proper access to their farms.
It’s said that farmers and rural communities are resilient and come together in a crisis, but this is surely being tested now on an ongoing basis.
The recent East Coast Farming Expo, held over two days at Wairoa, offered an insight into the current state of agriculture on the east of the North Island, at a time when the locals are remembering the second anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle.
OPINION: As of last Thursday, five regions – Taranaki, Northland, Waikato, Horizons and Marlborough-Tasman – had been declared medium-scale adverse events.
OPINION: Federated Farmers' latest farmer confidence survey results won’t surprise too many people.
OPINION: Submissions on the Government's contentious Gene Technology Bill have closed.
Many companies are financially mortally wounded by the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle and may have to sell up because of their high debt levels.
Rural retailer Farmlands has launched a new casual clothing range available across 42 stores nationwide and through its online store.
Federated Farmers says the health and safety changes announced this week by the Government represent the start of overdue reforms.
The Government is calling on rural New Zealanders to share their views on proposed regulations designed to improve the management of farm plastic waste.
For many urban New Zealanders, stepping into Pāmu’s Pinta dairy farm near Taupo last month was the first time they had had the chance to experience farm life up close.
After tasting 240 New Zealand made cheeses, judges have bestowed medals upon 199 of the entries.
Bay of Plenty’s top share farmers Andre and Natalie Meier are no strangers to the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards winning circle.
OPINION: Is it the beginning of the end for Greenpeace?
OPINION: The good times felt across the dairy sector weren't lost at last week's Beef + Lamb NZ annual meeting.
