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Slip Site, State Highway 6 Rocks Road. Photo Credit: Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency.
Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) and the Government will provide support to growers in the Nelson-Tasman region as they recover from a second round of severe flooding in two weeks.
The support includes a $100,000 contribution from the Government and HortNZ to assist with immediate recovery and co-ordination efforts.
Kate Scott, HortNZ chief executive, says the funding will help ensure growers receive the support they require quickly, particularly those most impacted and in urgent need of practical help to get back on their feet.
“Many growers have suffered extensive damage to their orchards, infrastructure and access ways, on the back of these weather events," Scott says.
She says that growers are resilient and used to challenges. However, the recent weather has proven particularly challenging because of the number of events in close proximity to each other.
“We’ve seen land slips, flooding, blocked roads and infrastructure damage, all of which affect growers’ operations and income," Scott adds. "This funding is a recognition of the vital role horticulture plays in the regional economy and the need to support growers through these tough times."
“We know recovery will take time, but this is a good start. HortNZ will continue working alongside the Government, councils and growers to ensure support is targeted and effective.”
The Government has also committed $300,000 to the Mayoral Relief Fund, specifically targeted for the rural sector.
In June, $100,000 was committed for rural recovery coordination, including $20,000 for the Top of the South Rural Support Trust.
Growers are encouraged to register with the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254. The Trust can help connect growers with financial and mental health support, as well as local recovery teams.
With adverse weather set to rain down on the Top of the South, the Bay of Plenty and parts of Northland, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says farmers, foresters, and growers need to prepare for possible challenges.
People affected by the recent two severe flood events in the Tasman district are weary and exhausted trying to deal with the devastation on their farms and orchards, according to the head of the Rural Support Trust (RST) in the region.
"The worst of the worst" is how Richard Kempthorne, the chair of the Nelson Tasman Rural Support Trust, describes the cumulative effects of the two storms that have wreaked havoc across the top of the South Island.
HortNZ's CEO, Kate Scott says they are starting to see the substantial cumulative effects on their members of the two disastrous flood events in the Nelson Tasman region.
Following heavy rain which caused flooding in parts of Nelson-Tasman and sewerage overflows in Marlborough, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is urging homeowners and tenants to be cautious when cleaning up and to take the right steps to support claims.
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