Thursday, 21 March 2024 09:25

Drought support for Canterbury and Otago

Written by  Staff Reporters
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay. Agriculture Minister Todd McClay.

The Government has expanded the medium-scale adverse event classification to cover the Canterbury and Otago regions.

Last week, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced the medium-scale adverse event would cover the Marlborough, Nelson, and Tasman districts.

With today’s announcement comes further support for farmers and growers, including tax relief. It also enables the Ministry for Social Development (MSD) to consider Rural Assistance Payments.

“I have made this decision to unlock additional support for farmers and growers across the Canterbury and Otago regions as the intense dry spell persists and looks unlikely to improve in the short-term,” McClay says.

Earlier this week, McClay met with farmers in South Marlborough to see conditions on the ground first-hand.

“They told me the classification makes a difference, enabling them to access further support,” he says.

The extension unlocks up to $70,000 for Rural Support Trusts in North, Mid, and South Canterbury and Otago to facilitate community and one-on-one support for affected farmers and growers.

This is on top of $20,000 allocated to the Top of the South Rural Support Trust last month in an effort to ensure early support was available.

Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson has also visited the affected regions recently, meeting with farmers, growers, and sector groups to discuss the challenging weather conditions.

“The dry conditions have affected some fodder crop yields and farmers have already been feeding out winter supplementary feed to livestock,” Patterson says.

He says rain over the weekend in parts of Canterbury and Otago did not deliver any significant relief to parched soils.

“The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has been working with sector groups, regional bodies, and farmers to prepare for El Niño since its arrival last year; and continue to monitor the situation to determine where additional support is needed,” Patterson says.

Farmers and growers who require support are encouraged to contact their local Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254.

More like this

$2b boost in NZ exports to EU

New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.

NZ seeks certainty on US tariff, says McClay

Trade Minister Todd McClay says his officials plan to meet their US counterparts every month from now on to better understand how the 15% tariff issue there will play out, and try and get some certainty there for our exporters about the future.

Featured

$2b boost in NZ exports to EU

New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.

US tariffs hit European ag machinery markets

The climate of uncertainty and market fragmentation that currently characterises the global economy suggests that many of the European agricultural machinery manufacturers will be looking for new markets.

Tributes paid to Jim Bolger

Dignitaries from  all walks of life – the governor general,  politicians past and present, Maoridom- including the Maori Queen, church leaders, the primary sector and family and  friends packed Our Lady of Kapiti’s Catholic church in Paraparaumu on Thursday October 23 to pay tribute to former prime Minister, Jim Bolger who died last week.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Red faced

OPINION: The Greens have taken the high moral ground on the Palestine issue and been leading political agitators in related…

Cold comfort

One of the most galling aspects of the tariffs whacked on our farm exports to the US is the fact…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter