It’s official: we’re not just dry we’re suffering from drought and the government has recognised that by extending drought relief to the Bay of Plenty, Taranaki and parts of South Canterbury and Otago.
Agriculture Minister David Carter said:
“As soil temperatures fall, rain will come too late for some, forcing the sell-off of capital stock. As a farmer who has weathered difficult droughts, I know how demoralising this is for farmers and rural communities” says Mr Carter.
“The measures approved today will mobilise local Rural Support Trusts to provide support for farmers coping with financial, social or farm management concerns.”
The declaration of a medium-level drought triggers an assistance package that covers farm management advice, welfare support and funding for Rural Support Trusts. In addition Inland Revenue will offer some flexibility within its Income Equalisation Scheme.
Mr Carter says that good planning is critical for farmers heading into winter.
“Experience of previous droughts shows that farmers who have contingency plans in place and make timely decisions are the ones who get through in the best shape.”
We’re experiencing unusually warm weather so still getting growth where there’s water.
Last week’s rain freshened irrigated pastures but it did little more than lay the dust on dry land.
It’s been a long time since it’s been this dry for this long in North Otago. But we remember what we learned from previous droughts and the Minister’s advice is right - have a plan and make decisions.
Now that drought’s official, Rural Support Trusts will be available for advice and practical assistance.
What about Wanganui? We are as dry as all the other areas – just because we don’t have as many dairy farmers as other regions doesn’t mean we aren’t impacted by lack of rain!
Pretty well fits with possibly the best single piece of advice I ever received in my farming career. It was at a YFC meeting in Rotherham around 1960 and came from Mr Smith head of advisory service at Rangiora. His topic was facing management challenges and the advice that stayed with me for my 40 odd years of farming was “always Make a decision, preferably early rather than late”.
He also forcfully stated “it is better to make a decision that turns out to be wrong in the light of developing circumstances than fail to take necessary action that deepens a crisis or leads to a position that is hard or impossible to recover from.
The worst state one could get to is procrastinating and be overwhelmed by developements.
He was a Grandfather figure but his sound advice seemed to be well received by most if not all of the young future farmers at that meeting, and I often reflect how as a bullet proof young man, his words of wisdom actually stuck.
Ah the arrogance of youth.