increase font size
About 100 farmers in the Whanganui area are facing production losses this season of up to $100,000 as a result of the recent floods.
That’s the view of Whanganui Federated Farmers provincial president Brian Doughty, a key man in assessing damage and co-ordinating help. Last week he stayed in Whanganui doing this rather than attending the Feds annual conference.
Doughty says in the worst cases up to 25% of the land has been damaged and many hit badly in the 2004 floods have been hit again.
“The loss of production, plus some re-instatement, is a substantial loss for those farmers,” he told Rural News. “If you take the whole Whanganui area it amounts to over $1 million and probably more like $2.5m if you include the Waitotara Valley area.”
Doughty says some farmers want the event declared ‘major’, which would trigger more cash from the Government. But MPI and Minister Nathan Guy say it is a ‘medium scale’ event and that farmers are resilient and will help each other.
“I told the minister ‘that’s true, but farmers holding hands won’t grow any grass’. I left it at that.”
Doughty says from what he’s heard farmers don’t necessarily want a lot of money, but rather to be recognised for their plight.
OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.
OPINION: Environment Canterbury's (ECan) decision recently to declare a so-called “nitrate emergency” is laughable.
A shameless political stunt is how Federated Farmers is describing the Canterbury Regional Council decision to declare “a nitrate emergency” on the back of its latest annual groundwater quality survey.
Federated Farmers say Environment Canterbury's decision to declare a 'nitrate emergency' is a shameless political stunt that won't help anyone.
Farmers want the Government to scrap controversial freshwater rules that "put river spirits and ideology ahead of practical water use", says Federated Farmers board member Mark Hooper.
Many farmers around the country are taking advantage of the high dairy payout to get maximum production out of their cows.
In 2015, the signing of a joint venture between St Peter's School, Cambridge, and Lincoln University saw the start of an exciting new chapter for Owl Farm as the first demonstration dairy farm in the North Island. Ten years on, the joint venture is still going strong.
Sheep milk processor Maui Milk is on track to record average ewe production of 500 litres by 2030, says outgoing chief executive Greg Hamill.
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton is calling for cross-party consensus on the country's overarching environmental goals.
Changes to New Zealand’s postal service has left rural communities disappointed.
Alliance is urging its farmer-shareholders to have their say on the proposed $250 million strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats Group.
OPINION: Ageing lefty Chris Trotter reckons that the decision to delay recognition of Palestinian statehood is more than just a fit…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly recently met someone at a BBQ who works at a big consulting firm who spent…
