Displaying items by tag: Drought

Federated Farmers President William Rolleston says the situation of some dairy farmers in drought affected areas of the South Island is becoming desperate.

If it's dry where you are now, you’d be well advised to prepare for drought next spring, says a Marlborough farm and climate consultant.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has met with drought-affected farmers in Cheviot, North Canterbury and says they are still feeling the impacts of drought.

Federated Farmers North Canterbury say farmers affected by the drought are facing a tough year ahead and will be struggling with some tough decisions.

If any year has proved that water storage is necessary for grape growers in Marlborough, 2015’s summer is it.

The drought has gradually broken across most parts of Waikato but many farmers are still in the grips of a ‘green’ drought, with large differences in rainfall and average pasture covers. 

Waipara may have been suffering from one of the worst droughts in two decades, but it didn’t stop a foraging event that highlighted just how versatile the region is. 

Fonterra says milk collection in the South Island in March was 7% below last season.

 Better late than never will likely be some South Island farmers’ response to DairyNZ’s belated drought advice.

Despite dying winter feed crops and increasingly crisp pasture, losses due to the central South Island drought could still be ring-fenced to this season, says a dairy farmer representative in the hard hit region.