Tasman farmers and orchardists struggling with flood recovery and mental health pressures
The strain and pressure of weeks of repairing their flood-damaged properties is starting to tell on farmers and orchardists in the Tasman district.
Dairy rubberware supplier Skellerup is giving its support to I Am Hope, a community group.
It will donate $20,000 to the group and for every pair of Red Band gumboots it sells between March 25 and Gumboot Friday on April 5, it will donate $2.
Gumboot Friday is a new project of I Am Hope, run by The Key to Life Charitable Trust founded by Mike King.
For the past three years, Key to Life has campaigned to change the language about and attitudes to mental problems while raising funds for Kiwi children who need mental health counselling.
“For generations, New Zealanders have trusted our company and products. As a Kiwi icon, it’s important for Skellerup to support Kiwis enduring tough times,” says David Mair, Skellerup’s chief executive.
Skellerup, a NZX-listed company, employs 800 people, about half of them in NZ. Its Red Bands have been part of the farming scene for 60 years.
“Many of us have family, friends or colleagues who have battled or continue to battle mental health issues.
“To start the conversation that ‘it’s OK to not be OK’ and to seek help about it is an excellent initiative by I Am Hope and one we are proud to support,” says Mair.
Mike King applauded so many businesses mucking in to support Gumboot Friday.
An independent report, prepared for Alliance farmer shareholders is backing the proposed $250 million joint venture investment by Irish company Dawn Meats Group.
Whangarei field service technician, Bryce Dickson has cemented his place in John Deere’s history, becoming the first ever person to win an award for the third time at the annual Australian and New Zealand Technician of the Year Awards, announced at a gala dinner in Brisbane last night.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
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