Wednesday, 23 October 2024 07:55

Help available for flood-hit farmers

Written by  Peter Burke
MPI is doing a needs assessment, but the Rural Support Trust, along with other agencies, is using its respective networks to double check that all those who need help will get it. MPI is doing a needs assessment, but the Rural Support Trust, along with other agencies, is using its respective networks to double check that all those who need help will get it.

The chair of the Otago Rural Support Trust, Tom Pinckney, says he believes that they will be especially busy in the coming months as the enormity of the floods hit home.

He says the goal of the trust right now is to ensure that no farmers in need are overlooked.

He says MPI is doing a needs assessment, but the trust, along with other agencies is using its respective networks to double check that all those who need help will get it.

"The trust has had some but not a lot of, direct requests for help, but this isn't surprising, with farmers focused on their immediate need to clear and repair fences and in some cases tracks on their properties," he says.

Pinckney says farmers will also have to re-grass damaged pastures and assess stock losses.

He says some farmers in the worst hit areas may have lost between 10-15% of their lambs.


 Read More


He says once farmers get their places back to normal and have time to assess what they are faced with, the issue of mental health will start to come to the fore.

He says that's why the trust is expecting the impacts of the floods to play out for some time with all sorts of pressures going on farmers.

More like this

Getting Onside

Time matters in a biosecurity response, says Ryan Higgs, Chief Executive of biosecurity technology company Onside.

Support welcomed for southern farmers

Federated Farmers says it welcomes the announcement of extra Government support for farmers and growers in Southland and parts of Otago after the region was hit by severe wet weather.

Featured

National

Coming to a beach near you!

The popular Surfing for Farmers programme, which gives farmers a well-earned break from life on the farm, starts its eighth…

Machinery & Products

Landpower increases its offering

Landpower and the Claas Harvest Centre network will launch the Claas Scorpion and Torion material handling solutions to the market…

New F5 balers from McHale

Irish grassland machinery manufacturer McHale has unveiled the new four-model range of F5 fixed chamber balers.

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

'Mea culpa'

OPINION: The Reserve Bank’s rate cut is great news, albeit a bit late, but your old mate agrees with Act…

Fast tracked

OPINION: While the Government’s Fast Track bill is copping it from all the usual suspects – opposition parties, greenies, unions…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter