Federated Farmers president Geoff Kane feeds out hay to his heifers. He is encouraging farmers to seek help if they need it, with parts of New Zealand in drought.
Federated Farmers president Geoff Kane feeds out hay to his heifers. He is encouraging farmers to seek help if they need it, with parts of New Zealand in drought.
A dry Horowhenua summer is forcing farmers to dig into winter supplies and buy supplementary feed for their animals.
The region is now in a medium-scale drought with half the average amount of rainfall recorded so far this year.
Horowhenua had a total of 95.8 millilitres of rain during January, February and March. The historical average rainfall for that period is 183.2ml, according to MetService records.
The last rain of any note in Horowhenua was 21ml, which fell in one night a month ago.
That saw the region included when the Government expanded a medium-scale adverse event classification last week, which now covers parts of the South Island, Northland, Taranaki, Manawatū-Whanganui, Horowhenua, Wairarapa and parts of the Wellington region.
Federated Farmers president Geoff Kane, who farms near Levin, said dairy herds in Horowhenua were being dried off months earlier than usual and farmers were starting to eat into winter feed stocks.
Levin Riding For The Disabled committee members Carolyn Cordery, Joan Sim and Barbara Magee are feeding their horses hard feed and hay as grass dries up.
Any tradable surplus stock was being sold. One silver lining was that store market prices were stable and there was no backlog at the freezing works, he said.
“The extra feed comes at a cost and using winter feed comes at a cost. If it carries on until early May, it could affect early spring production.”
The drought came as farm expenses were increasing, the dollar was low and interest were high, hitting those farmers who had recently bought into farms particularly hard. “Farming costs have risen 16 per cent last year,” he said.
“We need rain to drop. We need interest rates to drop.”
While beef prices were holding up, sheep farmers had seen prices drop dramatically this year. Mutton that sold for $130 last year was currently fetching between $50-$60.
There were pockets of farms faring worse than others. The prevailing westerly wind meant coastal farms had seen even less rain than those nearer to the Tararua Range.
Kane encouraged farmers to ask agencies for support if necessary and to keep talking with their neighbours.
“Farmers care about their stock.
“It’s just about creating an awareness that it’s not rosy out there and there is support. It’s important to have that conversation and to have that support and to help each other out.”
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson were visiting affected regions to meet farmers, growers and sector groups.
McClay said the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) would continue to work closely with rural advisory groups, drought committees and Rural Support Trusts to determine if additional support was needed.
“Extremely dry and difficult conditions are affecting communities across the North Island, and conditions are not expected to improve in the short term.
“Up to $80,000 will be provided to Rural Support Trusts covering the Northland, Taranaki, Manawatū-Rangitīkei, Tararua, Horowhenua and Wairarapa areas.
“The classification unlocks further support for farmers and growers, including tax relief, and it enables MSD to consider Rural Assistance Payments.
“It comes on top of the $90,000 allocated to Rural Support Trusts in the South Island to ensure extra support was available.”
Meteorologist Chris Brandolino, of the National Institute of Weather and Atmospheric Research (Niwa), said its website provided a seasonal climate outlook for the next three months that was regularly updated.
While it showed near-normal rainfall predictions for the next three months, it was impossible to gauge exactly which when that rain would fall.
“It’s a bit like a diet. You might have a really big breakfast with a bit more for lunch and then nothing for tea, but your calorie intake for the day is the same,” he said.
