NZ Engine

Source: Radio New Zealand

Many rural communities are clearing away fallen trees, debris and repairing fences in wind battered regions, following yesterday’s storm.

Katie Wyeth, a Federated Farmers spokesperson for Wairarapa, said many farmers hadn’t even had time to clean up the damage from wind and rain earlier in the week, before yesterday’s extreme weather.

Follow updates with RNZ’s blog

Wyeth said the conditions created havoc.

“We lost I think at least five, and these are big old man poplar trees, big trees that came down, and one in particular that’s blocked off our main track accessway to one side of the farm, pulled up half the track and blocked a culvert,” she said.

“And then the main damage after that is just falling branches and things onto all our fence lines, particularly the waterways.

“A tree came down over a power line to our pump shed, so we’ve got no power or water to one side of that farm.”

Wyeth said falling trees killed several of their sheep.

Despite the damage and livestock deaths, she said most farmers will just roll up their sleeves and do what needs to be done.

“Probably be clearing trees, I imagine. There’ll be a lot of chainsaws running red hot over the next few days, week or so,” she said.

“There might be people having to get diggers and stuff in to clean up some damage.

“Generally, most of the people, farmers I’ve spoke to, it’s fairly typical, they’ll say, oh, … we’re not too bad compared to some people, but everyone says that, right? And they just get on with starting to get it cleared up.”

Wyeth said it was one extreme to the other for different parts of the Wairarapa region – with some farmers sloshing around in mud, while others needed more rain.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

South Island farmers are working to keep farms running amid power outages, road closures and damaging winds – with all eyes on rising rivers.

Follow updates on RNZ’s blog

Severe gale northwesterlies are lashing parts of the east coast on Thursday, particularly Canterbury, while MetService has issued heavy rain warnings for already-sodden areas Fiorldland and Westland.

Slips and surface flooding have hit the roading network, with multiple road closures across the West Coast and inland into upper South Island state highways including SH6 and SH8.

State-owned farming enterprise Pāmu Farms has 130 staff working in 24 largely dairy farms in the upper South Island across Canterbury, West Coast and Marlborough.

The area’s general manager, Cam Walker said teams had been busy preparing for today’s weather by moving stock out of high risk areas in advance and giving them extra feed.

He said fortunately they were still able to get milk tankers in, despite many road closures.

“It’s definitely a wild ol’ spring at the moment,” he said.

“Luckily yeah there have been some road closures, but there has been a path to get through to all the farms, so there have been a few detours in place and things, but luckily no disruptions to milk.

“We have had a few power outages, but the team’s done a good job preparing for that with generators and things to keep milking going.”

All eyes on rising rivers

Walker said staff were watching rising rivers closely, particularly in Canterbury and Marlborough.

“Well, everyone’s got concerns at the moment. Definitely the gale force winds across the Canterbury region’s a big focus for us today. The rivers are up through there with the West Coast rain spilling into the headwaters,” he said.

“Teams are managing infrastructure like pivots downwind… and watch out for any flying debris and stay away from trees and all of that sort of stuff.”

He said Molesworth Station got 40 millimetres of rainfall yesterday with more forecast, and the area’s rivers were very high.

“They’re keeping a close eye on [river] levels up there. Hanmer, the Waiau is bank to bank, so flood protection is doing a good job across our farms there, but there is a little bit spilling over into paddocks there, nothing too major.

“It’s sort of everywhere at the moment to be honest in our region.”

‘Trying’ conditions on the wet West Coast

Walker, based on the West Coast, said it was a wet spring there already, ahead of today’s forecast rain.

“It’s been a wet ol’ time across the coast over spring, and we’ve had 500-odd millimetres over the last month already, and with more rain over the last 24 hours and obviously more on the forecast, it’s been pretty trying conditions,” he said.

“But the team’s doing a good job and the focus is obviously on safety first for our people and they’re out there looking after the animals at the moment.”

Bad weather came at an already busy time for the dairy farms in the midst of mating.

Walker said mating was in full swing, so farmers were ensuring stock were well fed after a tough few weeks from the rain.

“I guess it’s just around making good decisions around what jobs can wait for better weather conditions, but things like mating are absolutely still happening and the teams are just making sure cows are in sheltered paddocks and feeding a little bit more feed just to get the cows through.

“But luckily it’s a norwest flow with this rain so it is relatively warm out there, but certainly the animals are feeling it from a month of pretty wet conditions across the coast, that’s for sure.”

Walker said fortunately feed levels were good due to the warm weather that had come with the storms.

Pāmu Farms has hundreds of farms scattered across Aotearoa.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Environmental lawyers say they remain concerned about the risks posed by glyphosate-based products, the most commonly used herbicide in Aotearoa, despite a rejection in the High Court.

Last week, the High Court dismissed the Environmental Law Initiative’s (ELI) challenge of the Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) decision not to reassess glyphosate, the main ingredient in weedkillers like Roundup.

The court found the EPA was lawful in its decision, following ELI’s request for a reassessment of the chemical in September 2023.

The herbicidal ingredient was first introduced into Aotearoa in the 1970s, and has been commonly used by councils and others for weed management ever since, featuring in dozens of products sold in stores.

The ELI cited reports in its call for reassessment that showed negative effects of the chemical’s use on human health, including “probable” carcinogenic qualities, and to the environment.

It would be reviewing the judgement that was made on 17 October.

Director of legal and research Dr Matt Hall said it was not seeking a ban, but a full risk reassessment to ensure the proper precautions could be taken to protect people and the environment.

He said the group was still concerned that it had never undergone a comprehensive risk assessment.

“While we didn’t receive the key outcome we sought, we remain concerned that glyphosate and glyphosate-containing herbicides have never undergone a comprehensive risk assessment in Aotearoa New Zealand,” he said.

“Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the country, and we are amongst the most permissive regulators of it globally.”

However, the EPA’s manager of hazardous substances re-assessments, Dr Shaun Presow said glyphosate was probably one of the world’s most studied chemicals, but not all pieces of research were up to international standards of reliability and trust.

“Glyphosate is a very old chemical, so it’s not been reassessed under the current legislation, the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms or HSNO [Act],” he said.

“There hasn’t been any need to do a reassessment because we haven’t seen that new compelling information come through that would require us to have a look at those controls and to change them.”

Read more:

No fines or recalls for food with illegal levels of potentially harmful agrichemicals in last five years

Environmental group at odds with regulator over herbicide Roundup

Japan warns it will block NZ honey shipments if glyphosate limits breached

‘Safe to use’

He said the EPA considered glyphosate-based products safe to use, as long as people followed instructions to their use.

“We consider it safe to use as long as people read the label, follow the instructions, that’s the most important thing.

“And if anything new does come down the pipeline, then we’ll act as necessary.”

Since 1990, ACC accepted 395 claims for injuries involving Roundup, paying out $875,000, and a further 20 claims for glyphosate, paying a further $6241, RNZ reported in January.

It was banned in countries like Vietnam or heavily restricted in others, such as the European Union where it was prohibited on crops pre-harvest and banned for consumer use in Germany and France.

A reassessment was carried out in the European Union between 2019-2023, which found there was no scientific or legal justification for a ban.

However, the European Commission wanted more detailed data from authors of a report that suggested carcinogenicity of the chemical in its 2023 decision.

Presow said the EPA did not believe a consumer ban was warranted with the information available on it at this time.

“The finding of the court, the decision that was made stands, and so there’s no plan to look at glyphosate in the near future.”

Presow said users must read the label, wear personal protective gear like gloves and goggles and use it only during calm, dry weather.

EPA guidelines also urged users to keep the chemical away from streams, lakes, ponds, and far away from children and pets when it was being sprayed.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

MPs deliberating controversial changes to pig welfare rules will have less time to scrutinise new rules.

The Animal Welfare Amendment (Regulations of Management of Pigs) Bill proposed to keep farrow crates, but gave pig farmers 10 years to adapt to slightly tougher restrictions.

The bill passed its first reading in the house with the two-week submission process closing at 5pm Thursday.

Farrowing crates -which were used to prevent a sow crushing her piglets, but were so small a sow cannot turn around -were due to be banned from December 18 under changes brought in by the previous Labour government.

The Primary Production Select Committee had originally planned to report back on the bill in February, but had now brought this forward to November 20.

In a statement, the committee said it had decided “by majority” to shorten the process to prevent a “legislative gap” when current regulations expire on December 18.

After this date the pork industry would have been at risk of prosecution if it used farrowing crates.

The Labour Party and Green Party both voted against shortening the time frame.

Greens animal welfare spokesperson Steve Abel, a committee member, said it was likely the bill would have to be passed under urgency.

“This is totally avoidable. This is an example of a minister who has delayed and delayed and delayed, and now is doing the bidding of the pork industry.”

Labour Animal Welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack also had concerns about the truncated process.

“Labour consulted on changes to pig animal welfare rules in 2022 and had put in place a transition process to end the use of farrowing crates in December this year. Instead of supporting the transition process and improved animal welfare for pigs, the Minister has chosen to delay changes to standards for a further 10 years, and then, only make minor improvements to welfare standards.

“Given the significant change in approach to pig welfare from this government and the high public interest, Labour believes the Bill should go through a full select committee process to ensure proper scrutiny before final decisions are made.”

The SPCA, which had said it was left “blindsided” by the reforms after not being consulted, was also unhappy.

“There was only a two week consultation process which is incredibly short for a select committee, so we have grave concerns about this just being rushed through and purely being a tick box exercise,” SPCA chief scientific sdvisor Arnja Dale said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Ingka Investments, the parent company of furniture giant Ikea, has bought 10,000 hectares of production forestry in Northland from Greenheart Group.

It takes the company’s investment in the country’s forestland to nearly 30,000 hectares, worth about $616 million. This includes nine existing forestry blocks planted in mostly pinus radiata, and an additional 3000ha of indigenous forest, most of which will be dedicated to biodiversity conservation and other environmental purposes.

It comes as Ikea plans to open its first New Zealand store in Auckland in December.

Forestland acquisition manager Simon Honour said its main focus was production forestry as opposed to carbon farming, and had hopes of using the timber for Ikea products.

“Obviously wood is an essential part of the Ikea identity and our ultimate goal is to get that wood into the Ikea supply chain.”

He said it would focus on domestic processing and was working to develop relationships with local sawmills and traders, though he did not rule out looking to develop their own further down the track.

Honour said most of the forestland was not eligible for carbon units.

Where blocks are registered under the Emissions Trading Scheme, or ETS, he said this helped quantify how many units are being sequestered and the carbon units are not traded.

“We have no focus on carbon whatsoever, and we have a pure timber focus.”

Overseas Investment Office figures from last year show Ingka Investments had bought about 19,200ha of farmland to turn into rotational pine forests.

Some of the more prominent sales included Huiarua Station and Matanui Station in the Gisborne region, with a combined area of just over 6000ha.

Honour acknowledged much of the land purchased by Ingka Investments since 2021 was farmland converted to forestry.

“Even from the start, if we could buy forests we would have. Unfortunately they don’t come up for sale that often.

“We wanted to get established in New Zealand and at that time, back in 2021, acquiring farms was a way to do that.”

He said there were “pros and cons” to establishing new forestry blocks.

“Creating forests from the start where you can set your riparian zones, your set back from waterways right from the start does have some benefits.”

He would not rule out purchasing future farms for conversion, but said it was not Ingka’s focus for now.

“We would much rather procure existing forests because it just fits with our values better.”

He said the strategic acquisition underscored Ingka Investments’ long-term commitment to responsible forest management, sustainable land stewardship and regional economic development.

Addressing farmer concerns about the risk of fire and pests on forestland, Honour said management plans were in place for both.

Planned restoration projects focused on indigenous reforestation, and enhancement of existing native vegetation will be complemented by ongoing pest-control programs designed to safeguard biodiversity, improve forest health, and support the long-term success of restoration efforts.

While pinus radiata will remain the dominant commercial species due to its proven performance, future replanting cycles will selectively introduce alternative species where appropriate.

This diversification strategy will strengthen ecosystem resilience, support biodiversity, and improve overall forest health.

The Northland forests were certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and would remain so.

Honour said a commercial production forest contributed to regional employment and he hoped to grow the number of Northland jobs.

Local forestry company, Northland Forest Managers, would continue daily operations. Manager Neil Geerkens said he looked forward to the partnership.

“Together, we will maintain sustainable harvesting practices, enhance biodiversity conservation and ensure continued community access, delivering enduring environmental, social, and economic benefits for the region.”

The acquisition was subject to OIO approval, and shareholder and regulatory approvals by Greenheart Group.

Kelvin Meredith, Ingka Investments’ forestland country manager New Zealand, said it was committed to responsible forest management, including restoring natural landscapes, supporting biodiversity and collaborating with local communities to create meaningful, lasting impact.

“People value recreational access to these forests, and we’re committed to ensuring these opportunities continue.”

The Kauri Coast Mountain Bike Park, located at Baylys Forest and operated by the Kaipara Cycling Club, will continue to be free to access by the public, subject to seasonal safety restrictions.

Seasonal beehives located on parts of the estate, operated in consultation with the landowner, will also remain in place to support local apiarists and contribute to biodiversity across the forest landscape.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Alliance Group farmer-shareholders have voted in favour of a proposed $270 million investment from Irish meat processor Dawn Meats.

Under the agreement, Dawn Meats will acquire a 65 percent stake in Alliance Group, with farmer-shareholders retaining 35 percent ownership.

More than 2600 shareholders took part in the vote, representing 92.5 million shares – more than 88 percent of all shares on issue.

Of those, more than 87 percent supported the proposal.

Alliance chair Mark Wynne said the result showed strong confidence from the company’s farmer-owners in its direction and leadership.

“Our farmer-shareholders have given a clear mandate for Alliance to move forward in partnership with Dawn Meats. This is a vote of trust in our people, our operations and our vision.”

Wynne said the partnership followed a two-year process to reset and recapitalise the business after challenging years for the meat sector.

“The Board explored every option to secure Alliance’s future. The Dawn Meats proposal stood out as the best strategic and financial path forward, a view confirmed by independent adviser Northington Partners.”

He said the investment would strengthen Alliance’s balance sheet, reduce debt, and enable greater capital investment in technology and efficiency.

Wynne had previously said the bank had made it clear the company’s $188 million in debt had to be paid back in full by the end of the year.

Around $200 million from the investment will be used to reduce the company’s short-term working capital facility, with the rest directed toward strategic projects.

Alliance planned to distribute up to $20 million in both the 2026 and 2027 financial years to farmer and shareholders through a mix of dividends and supply-based rebates, alongside a further $25 million dividend from the joint venture’s stronger-than-expected performance.

Dawn Meats chief executive Niall Browne said the Irish company was “pleased and excited” by the vote outcome.

“We look forward to maximising the potential of the new opportunities this strategic partnership will unlock,” he said.

“Having the ability to now grow in partnership with some of New Zealand’s leading farmers, and create a year-round supply for our customers between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, is a fantastic opportunity – and one our customers are already responding to.”

Alliance is New Zealand’s largest processor and exporter of sheep meat and a major producer of grass-fed beef, operating six plants nationwide and exporting to more than 65 countries.

Dawn Meats, established in 1980 in Ireland, is one of Europe’s largest red meat companies, processing about one million cattle and 3.5 million sheep annually through its Irish and UK facilities.

Wynne said the deal marked “a turning point” for the co-operative.

“The future looks much brighter than it did 12 months ago,” he said.

“We’re now well positioned to thrive alongside a complementary partner like Dawn Meats and deliver enduring profitability and greater value for our farmer-shareholders.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A rural land agent has allayed fears a significant Hawke’s Bay farm will be planted in pine trees.

The Riverbank Station owned by former All Blacks captain Sam Whitelock and his wife Hannah is on the market.

The flat, rolling and steep 833 hectare sheep and beef farm at Rissington is northwest of Napier, near the rural village of Puketapu.

The sale has attracted plenty of attention with many on social media raising concerns it may be targeted as a forestry conversion for carbon credits.

Bayleys agent Tony Rasmussen said it was likely rising red meat returns will keep the property in productive farmland.

“Largely, the numbers should stack up better for sheep and beef farming with the current returns we’re getting,” Rasmussen said.

The government has introduced legislation to restrict farms going to forestry.

The recent Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) amendment bill restricts large-scale conversions of high and medium rated productive farmland (Land Use Capability classes 1-6) to exotic forestry.

“The carbon price has been the main driver of farm conversions,” Rasmussen said.

“Now effectively the party can only get 25 percent of the land area registered in the ETS and that changes the equation significantly.”

Rasmussen isn’t expecting an international buyer to take the Whitelocks’ farm out of New Zealand hands either.

“It’s received a good level of interest, not necessarily from the overseas space.

“It’s highly likely it will be a New Zealand purchaser.”

Enquiries have been been strong from local buyers and from outside the region.

“It’s 27km from the Napier Airport with a lovely easy contour and the nice climate we have here in Hawke’s Bay,” Rasmussen said.

“This is truly a trophy farm that has seen significant capital investment.”

Tenders close on 12 November. The farm on five titles was purchased for $8.5 million eight years ago. It has an RV of $15.3m.

The property includes three dwellings and shearers’ quarters with over 40km of new fencing, steel cattle yards and new sheep yards.

It’s bound by the Mangaone River which is known for its excellent trout fishing.

Whitelock who was capped in more than 150 test matches is returning to his farming roots in Manawatū.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

There have been calls for a review of the warnings issued ahead of last week’s weather event which brought down hundreds of slips, closed dozens of central North Island roads, inundated farms and flooded homes.

An orange warning was issued, but the mayor of the Waitomo District and the Minister for Rural Communities are questioning whether that should have been upgraded.

Marokopa sheep and beef farmer Chris Lovell was docking lambs with his family and trying to get on with life when RNZ visited after near record rains swamped his property, leaving its best paddocks caked with suffocating silt.

“The river just came over the banks and just kept coming up and we were in the house which is on a hill and had to watch in dismay as it started to go over everything, over fences, over gateways.

“We’d moved the stock to safety the night before because we’re sort of used to heavy rain on the west coast but this was exceptional. It’s muddy water, it’s not nice, there’s lot’s of debris and as the water recedes it just gets worse and worse as you see the damage.”

He was afraid to leave the house to check on his stock at the height of the storm.

“I thought I should be doing something but I couldn’t get out. I wanted to check, you know like, the sheep. I wanted to check there was nothing stuck on islands, but I couldn’t get out myself.

“Several times I started to wade out to see in the driveway and I decided it would be silly to even try.”

Minister concerned

Minister for Rural Communities Mark Patterson was visiting the Waitomo District with mayor John Roberston and Taranaki-King Country MP Barbara Kuriger.

He wanted to gauge the scale of the damage caused by a weather event he believed had flown under the radar.

“What’s happened is there’s widespread isolated pockets where it’s really badly impacted and I think where we are here you can see some fairly widespread damage, $50,000 to $60,000 worth according to the farmers, and if you replicate that around the rest of the province it mounts up.”

Patterson said he would be reporting to his colleagues in Wellington about whether a Mayoral Relief Fund was necessary and he was expecting NZ Transport Agency to step up in terms of repairing the ruined roads.

A farmer himself, the minister was not convinced farmers had enough warning about how severe the weather was likely to be.

“There will be some questions asked of MetService. How they missed this 50mm to 70mm forecast over 200mm delivered in some places, so we’re going to have a pretty thorough review about why they missed this.

“You know, is it a systematic problem, do we need better rain radars like we have invested in Tasman subsequently, so those questions need to be asked.”

It should have been red – mayor

Waitomo mayor John Robertson was on the same page as the Minister.

“Yes, so it was an orange warning and it should’ve been a red warning. Clearly they were severe storms. When we get 150mm in 24 hours of rain, for this district that is huge, that is a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.”

Chris Lovell was a bit more forgiving.

“The warning system was on yellow, which is just a warning, and it wasn’t raised to orange until the morning when we already had water going over our fences by then, but the radar and the forecast, the three-day forecast, didn’t look good and living here we like to sleep at night, so we take our stock off the flats if there’s a chance.”

He said as long as the three-day forecast map was available and the rain radar was working farmers could see if they were going to be in the red zone.

MetService chief meteorologist Chris Noble said it was was standard practice for all severe weather warnings it issued to be recorded and reviewed through an internal post-event verification process.

“This process includes an assessment of the model forecasts that were available prior to the event (that informed the pre-event warnings), reviews the Watches and Warnings that were issued, and assesses the rainfall that occurred against what was forecast (timings, amounts etc.).

“Where relevant it also includes working with affected councils and/or Civil Defence groups.”

Noble said the review would take time to complete, “but any lessons learned would contribute to, and improve where relevant, MetService’s processes and the severe weather warning system and its outputs”.

Meanwhile, the rural community was rallying around helping farmers get back on their feet.

Adrian Marsh was with a group of shearers clearing fences on the Marokopa to Awakino road.

“Well, we’ve got the fence line for the farms, for their paddocks and it’s covered in, you know, logs, sticks, grass, you name it, and we’ve just come out to clean up and tidy it up a bit.”

He said it was a quiet time for shearers so he and his mates were happy to help out the farmers with the unexpected and unwanted extra work.

Beyond the fence line the paddock was caked in mud and silt.

‘Pretty scary’

Barbara Kuriger, also a farmer, knew that was bad news for Lovell and his neighbours.

“The grass just rots, so you can see that’s setting and it’s going to go completely hard and it’s going to need to be reploughed up and planted again because that’s never going to grow again. It won’t come through the silt, weeds might, but the grass is going to need resowing.

“There were lots of slips along the road but out here you can see it’s taken the brunt of it. When you look at what’s been pulled off the fences here you can just imagine how high that water was. It would’ve been pretty scary the other day.”

She would be working with Robertson and Patterson to see what help they could get the farmers.

Robertson said, while here had been a lot of focus on the five state highways closed during the weather event and its aftermath, 30 local Waitomo roads had been closed at one stage and were severely damaged.

He was hoping for a helping had from NZTA to repair those including the Marokopa to Awakino road which had been reduced to rubble in places.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

This story has been updated to clarify the blueberries will not be genetically modified

The world’s largest variety of blueberry will soon be grown and sold in New Zealand.

Described as “up to the size of a ping-pong ball”, the blueberries are being planted in the Kerikeri and Waikato regions.

The Fresh Berry Company, which grows and markets berries, said it had partnered with international berry producer Driscoll’s.

General manager Simon Tallon said one of the monster Eterna variety berries, that was grown in Australia, is offically the largest blueberry in the world.

Tallon described the Eterna berry that made it into the Guiness Book of World Records as a good large blueberry that weighed 20.4 grams.

He said the imported blueberry stock was tested for pests and diseases by the Ministry for Primary Industries before being released to growers.

“Those then get taken through to tissue culture and our commercial nurseries where we grow them into commercial plants for our farms and external growers. The big push is always how do you get better berries, firmer berries, better shelf life and ultimately they have to be good tasting fruit.”

Simon Tallon expected a limited number of the monster-sized blueberies to be on some supermarket shelves later next year .

Meanwhile, he said The Fresh Berry Company was also starting its first berry farm in the South Island next year, in Nelson.

“All of our production is covered – in plastic tunnel houses apart from some of the blueberries that are exported.”

Tallon said there was likely to be a bumper crop of strawberries leading up to Christmas from its growers and farms in Hawke’s Bay, Waikato and Northland.

“We are expecting to have a pretty good volume this year so consumers can enjoy strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.”

He said $120 million of berries were sold in the country last year.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Tens of millions of dollars worth of irrigation equipment is thought to have been damaged by strong winds in North Canterbury.

Thursday’s gales tossed and twisted hundreds of massive pivot irrigators, leaving Amuri Basin farmers with weeks or months-long waits for replacement parts from overseas.

Federated Farmers North Canterbury president Bex Green said she understood more than 700 pivot spans had been damaged in the region.

“At $30,000 a span, that’s quite a lot of money, as you can imagine – over $20 million – getting parts could take a lengthy amount of time. I’ve heard November at the earliest, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re waiting until next year,” she said.

“Our big pivot is 13 spans, our first seven are fine then we have three down after that. The final three are fine but we can’t use those, so we’ve essentially lost half of our pivot and could be waiting ages to water that part of the farm.”

Some of the costly equipment would be uninsured, Green said.

“Some people actually can’t get insurance, they’ve had their pivots turn over too many times and companies won’t insure them anymore.”

Green said there were no alternatives for watering in most cases, and the situation was particularly grave heading into the dry season.

“For us, that’s 80 to 100 hectares that won’t get watered and won’t grow any grass. We’ll have no option but to bring in bought feed.

“It’s a huge concern coming into the summer period when it gets really dry up here and obviously with the winds that we get, it dries out really fast.”

She said some farmers had lost 10 span pivots, affecting huge areas, and farmers were facing difficult choices that were complicated by uncertainties about repair timeframes.

“Do you reduce your cows, send them off to another farm that can feed them and compromise your production? Or do you try and put other feed in so they can do somewhat better, and put them on once-a-day [milking]?” she said.

“We’re all trying to figure it out, but don’t have a timespan for when those pivots are going to get here. We’re all just waiting for information.”

Green had heard from a lot of stressed, exhausted farmers and expected there would be a significant impact on production, with some already going to once a day milking, which would normally start in the new year.

“Farmers are going to be quite stressed worrying about feed input then not being able to water those parts of the farm. It’s going to be a long summer,” she said.

Other priorities were ensuring farms were stockproofed, getting stock water, clearing trees from fences and getting reliable power back on.

Insurance claims from last week’s wild weather had already topped $10 million and were expected to climb even further.

FMG, the country’s largest rural insurer, had received more than 900 weather-related claims by the weekend, half of which were from Southland and Otago.

Spokesperson Jacqui McIntosh said farmers had made claims for damaged roofs, farm buildings, fencing and irrigators.

“We’re still in the early days of this and expect those numbers to rise once the state of emergencies lift and utilities are restored,” she said.

McIntosh said the company was working closely with irrigation repair companies and expected a fairly lengthy repair and recovery process.

“Obviously it’s been a large event from an irrigator perspective, so there will be a tail on the time it will take to get those up and running again,” she said.

Federated Farmers was working with the Rural Support Trust, Irrigation NZ, Dairy NZ, Fonterra, and the Ministry for Primary Industries as part of the Canterbury Rural Advisory Group, which was sharing information from the ground and providing updates Green could take back to farmers.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand