Wednesday, 25 May 2016 11:55

Dairy farmers: help yourself

Written by  Sudesh Kissun
Ian Greaves (right) talks with DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle. Ian Greaves (right) talks with DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle.

Kiwifruit growers are throwing their support behind dairy farmers suffering from two successive years of low payout.

Farmer support toolkits, prepared for Psa-affected kiwifruit growers, are being used by DairyNZ in a campaign to help dairy farmers.

Kiwifruit grower and Seeka Grower Council chairman Ian Greaves says after the Psa outbreak, the focus was to preserve life. He told the DairyNZ Farmers Forum that there were no grower suicides in the kiwifruit industry, after the outbreak of Psa.

"The rural sector is over-represented by suicides; it is preventable and we all have a role to play in it," he says.

Greaves says the kiwifruit industry is helping dairy farmers navigate through the downturn in prices.

The kiwifruit farmer support tool kits were prepared by the industry and it is not rocket science, he adds.

Greaves urged dairy farmers to look after each other but stressed it was important to look after themselves.

"No one is alone; you are there for your neighbour but first of all, look after yourself.

"Your cows won't be any good without you; your family and your community won't be any good without you."

Greaves says Psa affected 850 orchards, forcing growers to dig out entire orchards.

While capital value of orchards has bounced back, most growers went without income for several years.

"It didn't change to no profit like most dairy farmers are facing this year; we changed to no income and I picked my first crop since Psa last month.

"We had to pull out stumps and put in new plants; it's like forestry, you have to wait a long time.

"There has been no income for years from our orchards; yes, capital value is back and the banks are ready to lend us more money but cash flow and income have been devastated."

More like this

Kiwifruit sector's big night out

The turmoil and challenges faced by the kiwifruit industry in the past 30 years were put to one side but not forgotten at a glitzy night for 400 kiwifruit growers and guests in Mt Maunganui recently.

Musical chairs

OPINION: DairyNZ's director elections has seen scientist Jacqueline Rowarth re-elected for another three-year term.

DairyNZ levy to increase?

Retiring chair Jim van der Poel has used his final AGM to announce the intention to increase the DairyNZ farmer levy for the first time in the industry-good body's 17-year history.

Featured

New ag degrees at Massey

Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.

The show is on!

It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.

National

Food charity to hold online auction

Meat the Need, New Zealand’s dedicated charity delivering locally sourced protein meals to food-insecure communities, is launching an online National…

Machinery & Products

An ideal solution for larger farms

Designed specifically for large farms that want to drill with maximum flexibility, efficiency and power, the new Lemken Solitair ST…

Landpower increases its offering

Landpower and the Claas Harvest Centre network will launch the Claas Scorpion and Torion material handling solutions to the market…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Leaky waka

OPINION: Was the ASB Economic Weekly throwing shade on Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr when reporting on his speech in…

Know-it-alls

OPINION: A reader recently had a shot at the various armchair critics that she judged to be more than a…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter