Increasing calls for support from drought-affected farmers
More than 2,000 farmers in drought-stricken areas of the country are now seeking support from the Rural Support Trust (RST).
The Rural Support Trust offers one to one support to those struggling with the pressures of life on the farm. As such, they are a vital safety net in the rural community, and their team of local experienced people will be relied on as the sector confronts tough economic conditions.
To provide support when and where it is needed, resourcing is critical, and while partially funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Trust relies on additional charitable donations. Recognising this and valuing the Trust’s support around the impact of its disease management programmes, OSPRI recently committed to annual donations over the next three years.
"The impact of disease on farmers’ wellbeing is well documented, and we experience first-hand the stress that comes to bear on farming families when their livestock become infected with TB or M.bovis" says Helen Thoday, OSPRI’s North Island general manager for service delivery.
"So having a partner like The Rural Support Trust, often involving someone who’s been through it too, to help, is an important part of recovery".
As a not for profit itself, OSPRI understands just how important financial assurance is.
"We’ve worked with the Rural Support Trusts previously, providing funding to ensure they could meet community needs during the Hawkes Bay TB outbreak. When taking on the surveillance of M.bovis last year, we also continued the funding, started by MPI, to support those farmers impacted by the disease. So, it’s gratifying to make a commitment of ongoing donations to support farmers dealing with infected herds, or any personal difficulty really,” says Thoday.
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Amanda Jordan, the chair of Taranaki Rural Support has also been a long-time defender of biosecurity and continues this work with one of OSPRI’s farmer committees. As a 5th generation jersey cow farmer, Amanda and her family have battled through plenty of challenges, and she still remembers the impact of TB - at one stage managing three of the seven herds infected in Taranaki. Between that experience and calling on the Trust herself, Amanda was determined to do more for her industry and talks warmly about a network of locals.
"We’ve an amazing coordinator, and an important part of her work is listening to the caller carefully, and then finding the right willing person in the community. If we’re concerned about welfare, we’ll find support quickly and close by, but often it’s about someone with the right experiences or background for a situation".
Fourteen Rural Support Trusts operate across regions throughout New Zealand, and then there is a national office providing coordination to ensure ground support remains widely accessible to those who need it.
"I’m hugely proud of each Trusts’ efforts, there’s real comfort in having someone to walk with you during tough times - so providing those rural connections is such an important part of it" says Maria Shanks, general manager of New Zealand Rural Support Trust.
"We’re lucky to have a collection of principle sponsors and partners and pleased to have OSPRI’s support as they also work amongst our communities.”
