Flood-hit farmers need our help

Flood-hit farmers need our help

Federated Farmers is calling on Kiwis to get in behind flood-affected farming families at the top of the South Island, as recovery efforts ramp up and the scale of the damage becomes clearer.

President Wayne Langford visited the area on Monday July 7 and says the destruction in parts of Nelson and Tasman is extensive, with some farms totally unrecognisable.

"I drove back up through the Motueka River and you can just see where it's come through and swallowed everything in its path. It's total devastation," he says.

"One farm I visited had about 50 hectares taken out. The river changed course and just chewed right through it. Orchards nearby got absolutely smoked as well."

Fences and a lot of other infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed by the July flooding at the top of the South Island. Photo: Beef+Lamb NZ

Langford says it's clear some properties have been hit far worse than others - and that those farmers urgently need our support.

"The damage can really vary. Some places have just lost boundary fences, but others have lost entire blocks. I met a guy who has lost a quarter of his farm.

"It's heartbreaking to see, and the real kicker is that the worst of the damage is to farms right by the river - which are also some of our most productive."

He says it's now time for the rest of the farming community to do what we do best in times of adversity - to get in behind these families and show them some support.

"We know what to do in these situations. The Rural Support Trust is doing good work on the ground, and local volunteers are already rolling up their sleeves.

"For people who really want to help, the best thing they can do is donate to the Farmers Adverse Events Trust. That's the best way to get the support to where it's needed most."

The trust is designed to get funding directly to farmers who have suffered extraordinary loss - not just business-as-usual setbacks, Langford says.

"This isn't about helping people who've had a fence or two knocked down. It's for when something big has happened that puts a farmer's viability at risk. That's when we step in.

"We really want to give these farmers a hand. Not just a few rolls of wire and fence posts, but maybe also a post driver or a bit of digger work to help them get back on their feet.

"That's the level of support that's needed, so that's what we're aiming for - but it comes real money to do it."

Langford says the first round of support payments from the trust will go out on Monday July 14, but the scale and speed of the response depends entirely on donations.

"In the past, we've raised millions, like after Cyclone Gabrielle. But this time around, we need people to dig deep again. Whether it's $20 or $20,000, it all helps.

"The sooner we can raise the money, the sooner we can get support on the ground and the help these people need."

Kerry Irvine, Nelson Federated Farmers president, says the damage in the Motueka Catchment is the worst he's ever seen.

"By a country mile, it's the worst flooding event I've experienced.

"Some farms are just a mess. One guy's river-edge block has completely gone. Another farm had stock relocated because they've only got two standing fences left."

Some farmers are still in shock in the wake of the flooding, others are powering into repair mode, Federated Farmers Nelson president Kerry Irvine says.

Paddocks as far as 800 metres from the river have been swamped, roads are still under water, culverts have been washed out, and in some cases, access tracks need to be rebuilt entirely.

And while feed levels are good, it's infrastructure that farmers desperately need.

"The feedback I'm getting is clear: fencing gear, gates, culverts, posts, netting, and machinery like diggers to clear gravel off paddocks," Irvine says.

"That's the stuff that's going to make the difference right now."

Irvine says the mental load of the disaster is heavy.

"Some farmers are still in shock, while others are powering into repair mode.

"Everyone's got a story and while some are worse off than others, there's hardly a farm in the region that hasn't copped some kind of damage."

How you can help:
Federated Farmers is urging people to donate to the Farmers Adverse Events Trust to support flood-hit farmers in the Nelson-Tasman region.
To donate, visit farmersadverseevents.co.nz/donate
The Trust is a registered charity, so to ensure your donation is tax-deductible, email [email protected] to request your receipt.