Building trust
OPINION: The war of words between Southland farmers and Environment Southland over winter grazing inspections reflects a deep lack of trust among farmers for the regional council.
He says despite dealing with the third season of a lower payout, farmers have cut costs and developed good relationship with their banks.
“There are one or two under stress, but by and large dairy farmers are finding their way through the situation. The rise in the payout and increase in the auction price has given us a bit of hope,” Wills says.
In his district around Reporoa some farmers have heaps of grass and others appear short of feed, perhaps because of management.
Wills notes high empty rates in some Friesian cows.
“It’s associated with Holsteins and is known as Friesian disease. A lot of the North American and European Friesian semen was brought into NZ and people are paying the price for that.”
Meanwhile, Wills says the situation on most farms near Rangitaiki, on the Napier /Taupo road, following the severe snowstorm, is just about back to normal, although many homes will not be hooked up to the national grid until electricity infrastructure is replaced.
The area is ‘semi alpine’ and extreme adverse events such as the snow storm do happen. Just after the storm Fed Farmers organised supplements for farmers who needed them and appealed for casual labour.
Some calves were lost during and immediately after the storm, Wills says.
‘A young calf born in a metre of snow has little chance of surviving. A few adult livestock were also lost. One big farmer says he’d lost four out of 1000 cows – which isn’t many.”
