Support for drought-stricken farmers
East Coast Rural Support Trustee and local Dannevirke farmer Tony Rhodes welcomed the recent official recognition of drought conditions in the district announced by Minister Damien O’Connor.
“We welcome the acknowledgement of the seriousness of the conditions. The key driver is the availability of water for both stock and domestic consumption. This is an issue across the whole of the district and we have to acknowledge this from a feed point of view.”
He said the north and east of Tararua was particularly affected with rainfall just 30 per cent of what is normal over January and February and virtually none so far in March. It particularly affects farms dependent for water on river flows and dams which are rapidly drying up.
Even around the Pahiatua basin area from Woodville to Mount Bruce and back to the Tararuas it was quite green but despite that water availability was still very limited.“
Horizons Regional Council has been supportive of farmers accessing river water for livestock but water is a bigger issue than feed. There is still some baleage and supplementary feed available in Manawatu¯ , but it’s the water supply that is the concern,” Rhodes said.
Concentrating stock into paddocks with best shelter and water supply is a good option saving the rest so they can respond to rain when it does come. In terms of feeding stock he says some farmers have been feeding willows to supplement cattle feed and a significant number of sheep farmers have been feeding out maize or barley grain to hold condition in breeding ewes.
“A number of dairy herds have now dried off completely, two months earlier than normal. Reducing the demand on water and making available other supplements like palm kernel.”
“What’s important is that people seek advice and discuss their financial situation with their accountant and their banker and talk with their neighbours to discuss their options,” he said.
“The declaration of drought is important because it provides support measures for farmers to plan income equalisation deposits with Inland Revenue.
“This is particularly so for sharemilkers and contract milkers where income has ceased because cows have been dried off.”
“It also allowed application to be made to Work and Income for rural assistance payments to meet essential living costs. In addition some banks have announced discontinued interest costs and fee rebates on drought assistance loans and seasonal finance.
“The Rural Support Trust continued to provide support and assistance to the rural community especially as the $150,000 in drought relief will be distributed through the trusts.”
Rhodes said it was important that farmers continue to take action to deal with the on-going dry period and try and set up systems to maximise recovery when the drought breaking rain does come.