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.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
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