Northland drought declared

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy used a visit to Roger and Jane Hutchings’ dry dairy farm near Kerikeri, to declare a ‘‘medium-scale adverse event’’ in Northland.

Dairy production has been hard hit, with collection down 23 per cent on last season from drought.

Roger Hutchings said the farm was looking at lost production of about 25,000 kilograms of milksolids due to having to reduce cows to once-a-day milkings four months earlier than normal.

He said that equated to a loss of about $150,000 with extra costs of feeding estimated at about $50,000. Much of the rainfall the area has received has been lost due to windy conditions.

Guy said extra funding would be available to co-ordinate support through local organisations such as the Rural Support Trusts and payments would be available to farmers in ‘‘severe’’ hardship.

Farmers would also be offered tax relief, with Inland Revenue exercising its income equalisation discretion and the Government was keeping a close eye on many parts of the east coast of the North Island and supporting North Canterbury in its recovery. The announcement follows a request from local groups and advice from the Ministry for Primary Industries which has been closely monitoring conditions.

Federated Farmers Northland president John Blackwell described the announcement as ‘‘good news’’. ‘‘But I don’t think our city friends should get too excited, we’re not subsidised, there won’t be any handouts coming our way, just a bit more support and sympathy.’’ The drought had taken farmers by surprise because there had been a wet spring, followed by a sudden dry spell.