STRUGGLING ON
A tough year for farmers
The Manawatu¯ /Rangitı¯kei Rural Support Trust says farmers are dealing with one of the toughest years and stress levels have risen.
A wet winter and spring turned to super dry weather through early summer to put pressure on sheep and beef farmers, as well as dairy farmers.
Trust chairwoman Dame Margaret Millard said the lack of feed had resulted in some farmers getting rid of stock and milking was reduced for most dairy farmers.
She said it had been a hard season and farmer incomes would be reduced.
‘‘It went from one extreme to the other and crops went in late, fertiliser went on late. People are finding this season really difficult.’’
Millard said dairy farmers had suffered low milk payouts for several years, and they had hoped to pay back debt to the banks.
‘‘But it has not been a good production season. And most people won’t be able to manage to pay money back. As well as poor production, farmers haven’t had good publicity over the environment and they are feeling put upon.
‘‘And people who wanted to get stock into the meat plants earlier, found they couldn’t take stock, they were so busy. That was another stress. At least rain when it came took the pressure off.
‘‘When things aren’t good, often farmers have to work harder for less money. That is where they are different from urban people.’’
Millard said the trust was dealing with mainly dairy farmers, but had been contacted by a few sheep and beef farmers.
She said farmers expected dry
But it has not been a good production season. And most people won't be able to manage to pay money back. Dame Margaret Millard
weather, and could usually cope with it, if it came in February, but dry weather in November and December had been trying for a lot of farmers.
Many dairy farmers dried some cows off early and put the others on once-a-day milking far earlier than usual and that meant lower milk production and lower payouts as well as higher feed costs.
‘‘No one likes to see their stock suffer. Some palm kernel has been bought in, and thankfully Hawke’s Bay and Taihape had rain and had some spare feed.
‘‘So we were able to get some from them. But the drought has been widespread and there wasn’t the feed available.
‘‘Farmers who have been around for a while said they had never seen seasons like this. There was no spring, then [we went] from constant rain, to summer dry.’’
She said supplementary feed was expensive and money was tight for most dairy farmers.
Millard said the season had been a strain, something which many young farmers had not experienced in their few years.
‘‘We have a generation of younger people who have never been tested in this way. I don’t know if they are as resilient.’’
The hard season has taken its toll, she said.
‘‘I think people are flat this season. In general, there are higher levels of stress, as people lacking in feed, are hunting for it all the time. You are thinking what paddock can the cows go into in a few days. When you worry about that, it is stressful.’’