Dairy farmers in some of the worst hit areas of New Zealand following Cyclone Gabrielle have had to dump milk because tankers have been unable to access their properties.
According to New Zealand’s ministry for primary industries (MPI), which has responsibility for agriculture, dairy processors are working directly with farmers regarding milk losses.
The New Zealand government has declared a national state of emergency and announced an $11.5 million community support package to assist in the response to Cyclone Gabrielle.
MPI’s director of rural communities and farming support Nick Story said the ministry is meeting regularly with primary sector groups to focus on the support required for farmers, growers, Māori agribusinesses and others.
“We know that if milking is an issue, cows can tolerate delays of a few days and can return to production with careful handling.
“Veterinary supplies have been flown to heavily impacted areas for dairy farmers who may be forced to dry their cows off early,” the director told Agriland.
He said “recovery of pastures and cropped areas” will be discussed with the relevant sector groups once the situation is clearer.
“In terms of an overview, conditions in affected regions remain extremely challenging and our focus continues to be on people’s safety and wellbeing,” he added.
Support for farmers
The New Zealand government is specifically providing $4 million to help farmers, growers, whenua Māori owners and rural communities mobilise and co-ordinate recovery efforts following the devastating impact of the cyclone.
According to MPI it expects this finance will be used to:
- help get generators to isolated rural areas without electricity
- help re-establish vital lines of communication
- support the immediate response and get in behind local initiatives
- conduct aerial assessments
Story said that the ministry has people on the ground in affected regions helping local response and recovery efforts.
“While the picture of the full impact continues to emerge, we expect to get a fuller picture of crop damage, livestock losses, and infrastructure damage over the coming days and weeks.
“The level of impact varies from region to region, but we know there are reports of significant stock loss and damage to maize and stock feed crops, vineyards, avocado crops, kumara, potatoes, and other vegetables, melons and kiwifruit,” he added.
Fonterra
Meanwhile Fonterra, the dairy co-operative owned by 9,000 farmers and their families, said for many of its farmers and communities in the North Island of New Zealand, the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle “has been significant and widespread”.
The co-op said its teams on the ground had “been flat out getting in touch with farmers through any means possible to provide support”.
Its key areas of focus have been “re-establishing access to farms that have been cut off and helping to get generators and other supplies” to those in need.
Fonterra’s group director of farm source, Anne Douglas, said:
“We’ve heard so many stories of farmers helping other farmers, and whole communities pulling together.
“Some farms are working together to share generator equipment and utilise their milking sheds and infrastructure to help each other out.”
She said farmers across the Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne regions in New Zealand were among the hardest hit.
“Our people have recently been able to access some of these cut-off areas by helicopter to provide provisional supplies, assess the damage and understand the immediate needs of these farmers,” Douglas added.