Displaying items by tag: Rural Support Trust

The weather in the next two months will play a big part in how dairy farmers in Northland cope in the new season. That’s the view of DairyNZ’s regional leader in the province, Chris Neill.

At least 7000 dairy livestock have been affected in the recent storms in Waikato and Bay of Plenty alone and hundreds of hectares of pasture and maize crops have been damaged, DairyNZ reports.

Some dairy farmers in flood-hit Edgecumbe face hefty financial pressure as the impact of the floods is realised.

Northland dairy farmers are still “amazingly upbeat” despite the drought declaration, says Northland Rural Support Trust secretary/coordinator Julie Jonkers.

Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy says several regions -- in addition to Northland – are under close drought watch.

The Rural Support Trust is getting information out early about help available in case the El Nino brings drought, says Northland Rural Support co-ordinator Julie Jonker.

When Lyn Neeson, who farms near Taumaranui, saw the Whanganui and Ohura rivers rise rapidly in June, she figured this spelled trouble for farmers downstream and she was right. 

It is three months since devastating floods hit the lower North Island. While the mess is gone from Whanganui city, and normal life has resumed, in the country it’s a far different story, writes Peter Burke.

THE 100 extra people to be trained to help farming families get support to deal with stress-related issues will mainly work through the Rural Support Trusts.