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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has got into the act over the drought by announcing a major new relief package in Northland.
Last week she visited Northland with ministers to announce a $12 million assistance package.
She says the rural sector across the North Island is currently doing it tough with significant and sustained droughts in many areas. The PM says water is running low across the board – for drinking supplies, the primary sector and firefighting storage – and help is need to get communities through this.
The $12 million package includes $10 million for what the government calls ‘immediate needs’ such as delivering water for consumption, sanitation, wastewater systems, stock welfare and horticulture. It will also include $421,000 to extend the reach of rural assistance payments – which can be used to buy water and $2 million to support farmers and growers in drought hit areas across the North Island, parts of the South Island and the Chatham Islands
It seems this latest package is not only designed to help farmers and horticulturalists but also to ensure that all rural communities have plentiful supplies of water which would be needed in the event of any outbreak of corona virus where personal hygiene would be a key factor.
With adverse weather set to rain down on the Top of the South, the Bay of Plenty and parts of Northland, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says farmers, foresters, and growers need to prepare for possible challenges.
Northlanders scooped the pool at this year's prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy Awards - winning both the main competition and the young Maori farmer award.
The grass may be growing again in the drought-stricken coastal area of Taranaki, but the outlook for many farmers there is far from rosy.
Limping towards the end of the season is how Richard Walker describes the situation he's facing due to prolonged drought in coastal areas of Taranaki.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
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Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.
