Wednesday, 23 October 2024 07:55

Help available for flood-hit farmers

Written by  Peter Burke
MPI is doing a needs assessment, but the Rural Support Trust, along with other agencies, is using its respective networks to double check that all those who need help will get it. MPI is doing a needs assessment, but the Rural Support Trust, along with other agencies, is using its respective networks to double check that all those who need help will get it.

The chair of the Otago Rural Support Trust, Tom Pinckney, says he believes that they will be especially busy in the coming months as the enormity of the floods hit home.

He says the goal of the trust right now is to ensure that no farmers in need are overlooked.

He says MPI is doing a needs assessment, but the trust, along with other agencies is using its respective networks to double check that all those who need help will get it.

"The trust has had some but not a lot of, direct requests for help, but this isn't surprising, with farmers focused on their immediate need to clear and repair fences and in some cases tracks on their properties," he says.

Pinckney says farmers will also have to re-grass damaged pastures and assess stock losses.

He says some farmers in the worst hit areas may have lost between 10-15% of their lambs.


 Read More


He says once farmers get their places back to normal and have time to assess what they are faced with, the issue of mental health will start to come to the fore.

He says that's why the trust is expecting the impacts of the floods to play out for some time with all sorts of pressures going on farmers.

More like this

Helping our youth to be resilient

OPINION: The Rural Support Trust ran a dinner and debate at the National Fieldays last month. In tables of 10, over 540 people were wined and dined, including the Prime Minister, supported by ministers from around the country.

Flood-hit Tasman farms begin long recovery

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.

Featured

New methane targets here to stay?

A drop in methane targets announced by the Government this month has pleased farmers but there are concerns that without cross-party support, the targets would change once a Labour-led Government is voted into office.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Peasants' revolt

OPINION: Media luvvies at Stuff, the Spinoff and the Granny Herald are spending more time than ever navel-gazing about why…

Why so slow?

OPINION: Why does it take Treasury so long to turn around its figures on how the economy is tracking?

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter