Northland to benefit from $17m resilient pastures initiative
A $17 million investment into New Zealand's agricultural future has been unveiled, with Northland one of two key regions to benefit from the Resilient Pastures programme.
Announced by Agriculture Minister Todd McClay at the national Fieldays, the seven-year initiative aims to tackle pasture persistence – a challenge that threatens the
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RNZ News
5 days ago
- RNZ News
Government launches $500k support package for flood-hit farmers in Tasman
Minister Todd McClay on the Parkes Eighty Eight Valley Farm. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ The government has announced a half-million-dollar support package for [ flood-hit farmers, growers and foresters, with Tasman's mayor warning the total repair bill from the back-to-back floods is likely to exceed $100 million. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Todd McClay visited forestry representatives, farmers and growers across the battered district on Tuesday, after announcing another $300,000 for the mayoral relief fund tagged to the rural sector, with it also matching $50,000 contributions from Horticulture New Zealand and Federated Farmers for the horticulture and pastoral sectors respectively. The funding comes as the district-wide clean up continues - alongside a warning more heavy rain is expected in the weeks ahead. McClay said about 200 landowners had come forward looking for support so far but the number of farms and orchards affected would be greater than that, as assessments by Ministry of Primary Industries staff continued. A bridge over the Quail Valley Stream that was overtopped in the June flood. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ He said there would be a range of effects, from areas where there was localised and moderate damage to other areas "where some farms won't be able to go back into production any time soon if at all". Eighty Eight Valley farmer Ian Parkes estimated the damage to his property alone would cost around $200,000. Both the Eighty Eight Valley stream and Quail Valley stream run through the Parkes' farm, with around 13 kilometres of land bordering both waterways. "Every flood gate has gone, we have 25 and they have all are certain areas of the farm there is no stock movement and the problem with no stock movement is we lose our feed, we can't control it." Around 60 tonnes of rock was put in parts of the river to protect farm sheds and a bridge over the Quail Valley stream, but at least half of it was washed away in the floods. During the first deluge, the rising water overtopped the bridge and left Parkes stuck on one side for several hours with his wife on the other, only able to cross once the waters had receded. Eighty Eight Valley farmer Ian Parkes. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ A fifth-generation farmer in the valley, Parkes said it was the worst flood he'd seen, causing more damage than the last big flood in 1983. When it began raining again last Friday, he called it a day much earlier than he usually would. "I just thought, bugger, I just had a shower, went to bed because I was buggered... you couldn't take any more." He's made the decision to slaughter and sell some stock, anticipating feed pressure in the coming months. "We've actually got stock going away today, trading stock, lambs that were bought from Southland and are going to Hawke's Bay this afternoon so they have had a good stopover, it was quite frustrating we weren't able to capitalise on the opportunity." Further down the valley, sheep and beef farmer Donald Ladley is also busy cleaning up after the back-to-back floods. "After the last rain we can't get tractors and vehicles around on hillsides, it's not safe to take even an ATV on the hillside where the sheep mobbed, we've probably lost around 10 hectares of ground." Eighty Eight Valley farmer Donald Ladley. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ In one block, silt had covered eight paddocks, with two left and Ladley said he could be faced with having to sell stock. It had taken two years to reinstate fences on another part of his property damaged by previous floods, with the river washing away the land several times. "A bulldozer just turned up at lunchtime to start working to try and push some gravel back to secure some banks so we might be able to put some fences back up, or it'll have to be temporary fences, but temporary fences and ewes and lambs aren't very good. "It makes you wonder what the summer's going to bring forth when we've had so much already rain." Federated Farmers national president Wayne Langford said the successive floods in the last three weeks caused significant damage, with farmers in a race against time to clean up before spring. "Farmers are used to dealing with weather events, as you can imagine, but this one was extraordinary in a number of cases of schools, extraordinary damage. We're a month away from the busiest time of year on farm with calving and lambing and we need to get these properties cleaned up as quick as we can and back into action." HortNZ chief executive Kate Scott said many growers had suffered extensive damage to their orchards, infrastructure and access. The Quail Valley River has scoured out land either side of it, taking some of the road with it. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ "Growers are resilient and used to challenges, but this recent weather has been particularly challenging due to the number of events in close proximity to each other." Tasman Mayor Tim King has warned more bad weather is on the cards and people should keep that in mind during the clean-up. "We're locked in a weather pattern that's been repeating for itself for the best part of two months. We've had two very significant events during that period and dodged one in the middle, I'm concerned given the comprised nature of our roading network and our rivers network, and the sodden nature of most of the region." MetService and NIWA confirmed the likelihood of more weather events through the end of July, into August with a large amount of rain. "We're very much hoping that they don't come to the same extent as the ones we've just been through." Tasman Mayor Tim King. Photo: Samantha Gee / RNZ He said the council was focused on repairing roads, access to properties and the river network, especially where stopbanks had been compromised, work which had been made more urgent ahead of heavy rain expected in the extended forecast through the end of July and into August. "But given how wet the region is, how compromised the river network is, even events that don't reach the level of rainfall we've received over the last two or three weeks have the potential to be quite impactful." In the meantime, Civil Defence are still visiting those in cut off areas as more than 40 local roads remain closed and there are around eight properties in the district without power. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
30-06-2025
- RNZ News
More support for flood-affected farmers and growers as Motueka residents pick up the pieces
The government has unlocked extra support for flood-affected farmers and growers in Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough, following last week's deluge. Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said it has been classified as a medium adverse event, as the weather damaged livestock fences, culverts, and tracks, and left pasture and orchards covered in silt and flood debris. The government is making up to $100,000 available to support and coordinate recovery efforts. The classification also unlocked further support like tax relief, and enabled the Ministry of Social Development to consider Rural Assistance Payments and activating Enhanced Taskforce Green. "Last week's deluge damaged infrastructure such as livestock fences, culverts, and tracks, and left pasture and orchards covered in silt and flood debris," McClay said. "The government is making up to $100,000 available to support and coordinate recovery efforts, including up to $20,000 for the Top of the South Rural Support Trust. The remainder of the funding will be made available to other organisations that work with farmers and growers on-the-ground." The funding is on top of $100,000 already contributed by the government to the Mayoral Relief Fund. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii It comes as Motueka Valley residents are clearing up properties, taking stock of damage and getting ready for the potential of another deluge of rain later this week. The area has been one of the hardest hit by flooding after the Motueka River burst its banks. Seventeen homes were deemed uninhabitable following the local state of emergency in Nelson and Tasman. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii Scott Bowler was in his house bus named Tumbleweed near the Motueka River when a landslide came down on it during Friday night's storm. "It was a pretty scary experience actually because I thought my bus, my house and all that was going to be washed into the river," he said. Bowler had a pet goat named "Yeeetus" [spelt with three e's to mimic the sound he made] and a Great Dane named Ares. Yeeetus, caused a stir when the water started coming down. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii "The goat disappeared while we were all moving the cars and I thought oh here we go, the goat's gone," Bowler said. "But once we were all finished the goat came running back to the bus and he was happy as." He planned to move his bus closer to the coast in preparation for rain expected later this week. Ashton Wood owns an apple orchard near the Motueka River and said the water is the most he's seen during the 15-plus years he's been farming there. He called on authorities to bolster flood protection up the Motueka. Wood said that $2.2 million worth of work on the flood banks had been done from Woodmans Corner near the river to the township of Motueka. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii "That probably needs to be done the length of the river," he said. He lost one hectare's worth of apple trees and the water washed away fence posts and hundreds of storage bins. "I have never seen rain like it, in terms of a space of one hour the whole area was running with water," Wood said. He said he'd just have to see what happened with regard to more rain expected in the coming days. When RNZ arrived at Naomi Pickett's lifestyle property she was cleaning up items that had washed onto the land which included dead livestock, an exercise bike and crates. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii Pickett spoke about how she felt when the water started rising on the weekend. "I felt like I was in Waterworld, you know the movie? Just like there above it all. "It was quite daunting really cause we have done this before, and we could see that there was a lot of silt in the water and a lot of stuff and that I was going to be a big clean up." She said the silt made her nervous about the prospect of more water later this week. "We are kind of concerned that because of the silt the water won't go in [to the land] and cause more flooding." Motueka Valley resident Bianca Fraser said the nearby river was loud when the rain was coming down on Friday. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii "It just sounded like the ocean was in our backyard." Fraser said her property was high enough above the river that she did not think she'd be affected by the additional rain forecast for Thursday, but she worried about her neighbours. There have been 373 weather-related insurance claims from Friday onwards across, home, contents, motor and commercial policies, with some claims as far north as Auckland. IAG executive general manager of claims, Stephannie Ferris, said with claims still to come through, she expected more homes would be deemed uninhabitable. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
30-06-2025
- Scoop
Support For Flood Affected Farmers And Growers
Hon Todd McClay Minister of Agriculture Minister for Rural Communities The Government today classified the flooding across the Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough regions as a medium-scale adverse event unlocking extra support for flood-affected farmers and growers Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, and Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson say. 'Last week's deluge damaged infrastructure such as livestock fences, culverts, and tracks, and left pasture and orchards covered in silt and flood debris,' Mr McClay says. 'The Government is making up to $100,000 available to support and coordinate recovery efforts, including up to $20,000 for the Top of the South Rural Support Trust. The remainder of the funding will be made available to other organisations that work with farmers and growers on-the-ground. 'Today's classification unlocks further support for farmers and growers, including tax relief. It also enables MSD to consider Rural Assistance Payments and activating Enhanced Taskforce Green.' This funding is on top of $100,000 already contributed by the Government to the Mayoral Relief Fund. Mr Patterson is encouraging flood-affected farmers and growers to seek support if they need it and to monitor the weather forecast. 'It's important to help those farmers and growers and rural communities now facing a big clean-up effort, such as fixing damaged fences,' Mr Patterson says. 'The government, via Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) On Farm Support will continue to work closely with sector groups and the Rural Support Trust to determine where the need is and how the funding will be allocated. 'Farmers and growers will face many months of work to get back on track. We will continue to assess what further support is needed to assist recovery efforts. 'There is a risk of further rain this week. We are encouraging farmers to stay informed through MetService forecasts and to take necessary precautions, such as moving livestock to higher ground.' Farmers and growers who require support are encouraged to contact their local Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254.
