Wednesday, 27 September 2023 10:55

Moving into drought mode

Written by  Peter Burke
Justine Kidd Justine Kidd

Beef + Lamb NZ is busy running a series of events and webinars aimed at ensuring farm profitability in the light of the impending drought.

Justine Kidd, B+LNZ's general manager of extension, told Rural News that she's talked with the other primary sector organisations to ensure consistent messaging and avoid duplication of work.

Kidd says they are analysing rural community needs and the challenges they could face in the next six to twelve months to get a handle on what support they need.

She adds that poor fencing allowing stock to wander onto roads and other properties is a problem that could take some time to fix. She says with slips and sediment on farm, feed supplies are low and the cost of getting stock in and out is higher because of the state of the roads.

B+LNZ is running webinars every Monday evening with guest presenters talking about ways to best deal with a drought and with other problems on farm.

Kidd says she's especially concerned about the wellbeing of people given what they have gone through and what they are potentially facing.

"It is very hard to tell this story," she told Rural News. "But it is important to keep it in front of people because of its complexity, and the people who are having to deal with what's going on are very isolated."

More like this

Editorial: Preparing for drought

OPINION: Farmers along the east coast of both islands are being urged to start planning for drought as recent nor'west winds have left soil moisture levels depleted.

Featured

DairyNZ: Waikato Farmers Need Certainty on PC1 Rules

DairyNZ says Waikato farmers need certainty on Plan Change 1, but they say that certainty must be matched with practical, workable rules and a clear transition that doesn't get ahead of the new resource management system currently under review.

Ravensdown Named Naming Rights Sponsor of A&P Show

Farmer owned co-operative Ravensdown has signed a two-year naming rights sponsorship of the Canterbury A&P Show.

Editorial: Wool's Back in the Black

OPINION: Confidence in the wool sector is rebounding as prices hit levels not seen in more than 15 years.

Queenstown to Host Sold-Out New Zealand Apple and Pear Conference

More than 300 growers, exporters, researchers, service providers and industry leaders will descend on Queenstown later this month for EXPO 2026, the annual conference for New Zealand’s apple and pear sector.

National

Machinery & Products

 

 

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Great Idea!

OPINION: Central Hawke's Bay farmer Mark Warren recently told the Hawke's Bay Times it's time for a conversation about allowing…

No Choice

OPINION: A nation that relies as heavily as NZ does on functional global shipping lanes will have to do its…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter