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Zespri plans aggressive marketing. PAGE 17
Mesh covers a possible answer to potato pest. PAGE 23
Frustrated farmers just “want to get on with it”. PAGE 6
TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS APRIL 18, 2017: ISSUE 628
www.ruralnews.co.nz
Floods hit hard PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
SOME DAIRY farmers in flood-hit Edgecumbe face hefty financial pressure as the impact of the floods is realised. Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty president Darryl Jensen, who is helping coordinate the recovery operation in rural areas, says if cows need to be dried off those farmers will lose about eight weeks of production. “On top of this, many will have to spend money getting their farms up and running.” Last week, the Government classified the flooding from Cyclone Debbie as a medium-scale adverse event. This provides for extra recovery assistance
including recovery coordination, more support from Enhanced Task Force Green teams and the Bay of Plenty Rural Support Trust, and tax flexibility. Jensen says about two dozen dairy farmers in the flood-hit Edgecumbe area have had to send their stock away because of the damage to their properties. “About half the farms were totally underwater and had to get all their stock away,” he says. “Farms close to Edgecumbe tended to be inundated
with water, while those further out near Taneatua tended to be affected by silt.” Jensen says some kiwifruit orchards in the area have been affected and maize crops damaged. Some farmhouses have had water through them, but many houses and dairy sheds built on higher ground are not so badly affected. Jensen says Urban Search and Rescue and the Rural Support Trust have been out check-
Tearful stuff THE WORST onion season for 70 years is how Horowhenua grower Chris Pescini (pictured) describes the year from hell that has struck his operation this season. Other growers nationwide are suffering similar problems – too much rain and too little sun. Pescini, a fourth-generation onion grower, and his family, have worked the land in Horowhenua, growing mainly onions and potatoes since 1946. They grow about 75ha of onions and a similar area of potatoes. He told Rural News that in the past 12 months the rainfall has been 1450ml – 40% up on a normal season. His father, who still works on the property, says he can’t recall such a cold wet season since he began in the district. – More page 5
ing on the needs of farmers and Fonterra has brought in its emergency recovery unit to help farmers clean out their dairy sheds and where possible get the farms up and running. “The silt that came down has gone into water troughs and they need to be cleaned up; depending on the size of farm hundreds of troughs could need cleaning out.” Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy visited the region last week and TO PAGE 4
GOVT COOL WITH BILL THE GOVERNMENT is now backing a Green Party bill requiring country of origin labelling (CoOL) on single ingredient food such as fruit and meat. Prime Minister Bill English says the change of heart is prompted by consumer preference as roundly dis- Bill English cussed in National’s caucus. “It’s reflecting pretty strong consumer preferences.” The Consumers’ Right to Know (Country of Origin of Food) Bill will have its first reading in parliament soon and will go to select committee after National agreed to support it. It will require mandatory CoOL for fresh single ingredient foods such as meat, fruit, vegetables, nuts oils and flour. English says National will decide after the select committee process whether to continue to support it into law. Horticulture New Zealand has congratulated the government on backing the bill. “Given that our recent survey showed more than 70% of NZers want mandatory CoOL for fresh fruit and vegetables, it is great to see the government listened to that,” Horticulture NZ chief executive Mike Chapman says.
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22/02/17 10:54 AM