Time for rural spirit to shine to support farmers
It’s been a grim start to 2018 for dairy farmers in drought-ravaged parts of Taranaki. A lack of feed has forced cows to be dried off early or culled.
James Lawn is one of hundreds of farmers grappling with the dry conditions. He’s in his first season contract milking 420 cows on a
164-hectare farm straddling the Stony River in Okato.
The property is usually still carpeted with green grass at this time of year. But currently, parched paddocks are so bare you could easily spot a stray golf ball. The farm has only had 23mm of rain since October 14. The dire situation has forced James to take drastic steps to ensure the herd he looks after survives until the autumn rains spur his pastures back into life.
James told me that in a normal season his farm milks twice a day until May. But he switched to
16-hour milkings in November and then went once-a-day last month. He dried off 26 per cent of his herd in the week before Christmas. This week he’ll cull some cows. The booking was made a fortnight ago, but the meat works shut for the holidays.
Not long after James dried off more than 100 of his youngest or low-producing cows, he received a welcome visit from the new Minister for Agriculture Damien O’Connor. It was prompted by pleas for assistance from regional leaders, like Taranaki Federated Farmers.
The fast-growing drought in parts of the lower North Island has now been classified as a mediumscale adverse event. The announcement triggers additional Government support for farmers. Damien O’Connor told me he hopes the support measures will help farmers feel like they’re not alone and encourage them to seek help.
The extreme dry has been compounded by a horror winter and spring. Record rainfall resulted in pastures being damaged. Consequently, farmers didn’t harvest as much supplement. In a normal spring, the Lawns would harvest 300 bales of grass silage. This season they only made 69.
Farmers always have a plan to fill their feed pinch points. They contract brought-in feed, harvest surplus grass and turn it into silage or hay, send dry cows out to grazing or plants crops.
But wind and a lack of rain after planting this spring, has meant crop failures are widespread. After visiting James, I drove back to our farm in Kaponga along the coast. I passed paddock after paddock of failed turnip crops around Pungarehu and Rahotu. For those farmers, it’s cheap homegrown feed they’ll have to replace with something significantly more expensive, if they can find it, which is looking increasingly unlikely. Most feed companies have closed the spot market for palm kernel expeller (PKE), to ensure they can fulfil existing contracts.
National’s spokesperson for Rural Communities Barbara Kuriger said ‘‘approximately a third of dairy farms in coastal areas will need to dry-off their whole herds’’ within weeks. Those farmers, especially young selfemployed
... parched paddocks are so bare you could easily spot a stray golf ball.
lower order sharemilkers and contract milkers, are facing the dire prospect of months with no income.
They’re being urged to contact the Ministry of Social Development or the Taranaki Rural Support Trust because they could be eligible for tax flexibility or income assistance to help put food on the table. The most important message is for anyone in drought-stricken parts of the region to seek help. A problem shared is a problem halved.
DairyNZ is using its first round of post-holiday farmer discussion groups this month to ramp up support and advice to farmers. Fun social events and BBQs are planned for Okato, Pungarehu, Opunake, Matapu, Waverley, Patea and Kakaramea, starting next week. Between four to seven workshops where vets, feed and crop experts and bankers will discuss options going forward are also being organised by the Rural Support Trust.
It can be tough getting through a drought. Some farmers forget that they’re not alone. These free events are the perfect opportunity to go and see a neighbour who might be struggling and ensure they get off the farm too.
The rain will return. Now is the time to plan for when it does rain again, and to know that your community is there for you.