The New Zealand Herald

Big MPI support for farmers & growers

New service to be showcased at this year’s Fieldays.

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The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) will showcase its new service for farmers and growers, On Farm Support, at Fieldays this year.

On Farm Support helps them access the support, informatio­n and advice they need to continue to be successful in a world with changing consumer and regulatory requiremen­ts.

It’s a free service and takes a region-by-region approach having establishe­d teams across New Zealand – now available in Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti, Taranaki, lower North Island, Top of the South Island and West Coast, Canterbury, Otago and Southland.

On Farm Support teams have local knowledge and expertise to provide tailored on-the-ground assistance. This year, On Farm Support joined MPI’s wider effort to assist farmers, growers and their communitie­s in the emergency response to Cyclone Gabrielle.

The team has also been building strong relationsh­ips in the primary sector, participat­ing in a range of events including the FMG Young

Farmer of the Year competitio­n and Ballance Farm Environmen­t Awards.

Some of the services which On Farm Support offers are Farm Planning Support – which helps farmers and growers gain access to integrated farm planning support and advice. Then there’s Access to Existing Services, which make it easier for farmers and growers to find and apply available advice and guidance.

Funding and Support gives farmers and growers clear understand­ing of available funding and support options and Innovation, while Tools helps support innovative farming through access to all the tools and resources available.

Applying farmer insights gathers informatio­n and insights from farmers and growers in different regions to inform MPI’s wider organisati­on, advice and operations.

The On Farm Support team is looking forward to meeting farmers and growers at Fieldays to discuss how they can be of assistance. Meet the team at the MPI stand on site PD25 or go to www.mpi.govt.nz/on-farmsuppor­t

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