Crazy
OPINION: Your canine crusader was truly impressed by the almost unanimous support given by politicians of all stripes in Parliament to the recent passing of legislation for the NZ/EU free trade deal.
Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor has classified severe weather that left a trail of damage across the North Island as a medium-scale adverse event.
“We’re making $200,000 available for local Rural Support Trusts and Mayoral Relief Funds to use to help recovery efforts in Taranaki, Wairarapa, and the Waitomo district,” O’Connor says.
“The Ministry for Primary Industries is working closely with sector groups and other agencies to continue assessing the extent of storm damage and shift towards recovery efforts.”
O’Connor says the funding will help farmers and growers facing a huge clean-up effort after ex-tropical Cyclone Dovi passed through.
"In Taranaki, where storms struck twice within a week, bridges and more than 100 culverts have been damaged, which will require heavy diggers to repair.
"In the Waitomo District floodwaters swept through two valleys, damaging fences and depositing silt over farms. In the Wairarapa, as many as 30 arable farms have been affected by flooding, damaging barley, wheat, peas, squash, and maize crops.”
The funding is designed to help speed the recovery of farming businesses, and includes wellbeing support and specialist technical advice.
It also enables the use of Enhanced Taskforce Green workers, should they be required.
“We will continue to assess whether further support is needed as the full extent of the storm damage becomes more apparent over the coming weeks,” O’Connor says.
Farmers needing help to manage feed shortages are encouraged to contact their levy body, such as DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand, or Federated Farmers. Horticulture NZ, and the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) are on hand to provide support to impacted growers.
Support for North Island farmers follows classification of severe flooding on the West Coast and Top of the South as a medium-scale event, unlocking $200,000 of Government support for farmers and growers there.
In a win for rural advocacy groups, New Zealand’s five largest banks have agreed to keep regional branches open for three more years.
It’s World Milk Day today (June 1), a time to celebrate the vital role that milk, and dairy products play in our lives and acknowledge the tremendous contributions of the New Zealand dairy sector.
A Waikato accountant says dairy farmers putting together their budget for 2025 won’t have much to cheer for even with an $8/kgMS forecast milk price.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says the Coalition Government’s first budget unveiled yesterday has no frills or surprises.
In the rural landscapes of New Zealand and Ireland, a shared agricultural heritage thrives, built on a strong mixture of tradition and innovation, with mirror image climates earning both countries global acclaim for their food quality and sustainable agriculture.
The National Fieldays brings together farmers, innovators, industry leaders, and rural enthusiasts.
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