Monday, 20 February 2023 09:45

National feed scheme launched for farmers

Written by 

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Federated Farmers have restarted the national Feed Coordination Service to help farmers recovering from Cyclone Gabrielle.



The service is being operated by Federated Farmers, with funding support from MPI to assist farmers to source supplementary feed or grazing.

“Widespread flooding and winds from Cyclone Gabrielle have damaged pastures and crops, or swept away bales of feed,” Federated Farmers chief executive Terry Copeland says.

“It is a tough time for many farmers, especially those in Northland, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay, and this is a practical way to provide support.

“The damage and destruction caused by Cyclone Gabrielle comes on the back of what has been a challenging, wet season for parts of the North Island.

“We know there are farmers across the country eager to provide any help they can.

“Having a national Feed Coordination Service has proved valuable in the past, including during the widespread drought in 2020 and the Canterbury floods in 2021, and we encourage farmers to use it.”

MPI said the service is up and running and ready to help.

“The unprecedented scale of these events means there is a need for coordinated support at national level to help match farmers with the supplementary feed or grazing they may need for their livestock,” MPI’s director of rural communities and farming support Nick Story says.

“MPI has staff in the regions helping with the cyclone response, but this is just another important and practical way we can support farmers to get back on their feet.

“It’s likely the worst flood-affected paddocks will be unusable for some time, so we expect demand for the service will increase further in the coming months.”

The national Feed Coordination Service helps match people with grazing or supplementary feed for sale to those who need it.

The service is also available to farmers in Otago and Southland experiencing extremely dry conditions.

Requests to list or seek grazing or feed can be made online or by phoning 0800 FARMING (0800 327 646).

Feed Coordination Service details:

Phone: 0800 FARMING (0800 327 646)
Or register online:
Grazing needed https://arcg.is/0eTPSK0
Grazing available https://arcg.is/OWneD
Feed needed https://arcg.is/11z9mz0
Feed available https://arcg.is/1azj0n

 

More like this

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

Boost for hort exports

The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.

National

Winter grazing warning

Every time people from overseas see photographs of cows up to their hocks in mud it's bad for New Zealand.

ANZ defends farm lending rates

The country's largest lender to the agriculture sector says it's not favouring home loans over farm and business lending.

Machinery & Products

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo…

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Review SOEs!

OPINION: NIWA has long weathered complaints about alleged stifling of competition in forecasting, and more recently, claims of lack of…

Bank reset

OPINION: Adding to calls to get banks to 'back off', NZ Agri Brokers director Andrew Laming has revealed that the…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter