Tuesday, 13 October 2020 12:08

Events roll out to support Otago and Southland farmers

Written by  Staff Reporters
Loshni Manikam. Loshni Manikam.

Rural groups are banding together to support farmers dealing with challenging weather conditions in Otago and Southland.

Parts of Southland received almost triple their normal September rainfall, a heavy dumping of snow, and a further 70 millimetres of rain last week.

The Southland Rural Support Trust is coordinating a range of initiatives to help boost farmer morale.

"The challenging weather has occurred during a busy time of the year and is taking a physical and mental toll," says Trust chair Cathie Cotter.

"We're encouraging farmers to get off-farm for a couple of hours to take a breath and reflect on how well they have coped."

"These events will help farmers realise they are not alone and are all facing the same challenges," she says.

The Southland Rural Support Trust, with the support of other organisations, is holding seven brunches between 13 and 22 October.

Free workshops, co-funded by the Ministry of Health and Rural Women NZ, are also being held across Otago and Southland from 9 to 13 November to help rural women prioritise their wellbeing and thrive.

They're being facilitated by Southland dairy farmer and former Dairy Woman of the Year Loshni Manikam and will offer practical tips and advice.

"I know how hard it is to prioritise looking after your wellbeing, especially when constant rain and snow create extra work on-farm," says Manikam.

"Women are central to the success of many farming businesses and families, and you can't run on an empty tank."

Thriving Southland, funded through the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), is hosting a free event in Invercargill on 22 October featuring guest speaker Melissa Clarke-Reynolds.

It will focus on helping farmers achieve positive outcomes through connecting with others and being innovative during periods of change.

Motivational speaker Tony Christiansen is also fronting a series of events in Oamaru, Balclutha, Gore and Winton between 3 and 5 November.

More like this

Fiancé finalists to square off

Steph Le Brocq and Sam Allen, a bride and groom-to-be, are among those set to face off in regional finals across New Zealand in the hopes of being named the Young Farmer of the Year.

Scaled-back show meets targets

Organisers of the Christchurch A&P show say they are happy with this year’s event despite a rushed turnaround that left agricultural industry support thin on the ground.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

Featured

DairyNZ seeks more cash

For the first time in 17 years, DairyNZ wants farmers to contribute more cash to run the industry-good organisation.

EPA's plan 'not good enough'

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is bolstering its frontline applications teams in a bid to reduce the timeframe for new product applications, but agri chemical producers say that it isn't good enough.

Fonterra urged to seek extension to GMO bill consultation

With less than a week to go before submissions close on the Government’s controversial Gene Technology Bill, two agribusiness executives - John Greenberg and Michael Henne - are calling on Fonterra to demand an extension to the submission period.

National

Good season for apples

Brydon Nisbet, the president of Hawke's Bay Fruit Growers Federation, says the mood of growers in Hawke's Bay is quite…

Machinery & Products

Loosening soil without fuss

Distributed in New Zealand by Carrfields, Grange Farm Machinery is based in the Holderness region of East Yorkshire – an…

JCB unveils new models

The first of the UK’s agricultural trade shows was recently held at the NEC Centre in Birmingham.

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Who's the glutton?

OPINION: We are told there is a wine glut - production outstripping demand worldwide - and the words 'wine lakes'…

Colonial science?

OPINION: Science funding for the bulwark of the nation, agriculture, is in a parlous state and less taxpayer money is…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter