Federated Farmers asks for adverse event declaration
Released 22 Sep 2010
The spring storm of 2010 in Southland looks set to surpass the economic loss caused to agriculture by the Canterbury earthquake. Federated Farmers is now working with the Minister of Agriculture on a medium scale adverse event declaration.
"Sheep and beef farmers have spent the last 360 days preparing to have their stock in the best possible condition to lamb, only for all that effort to be undone by five days of sustained storms," says David Rose, Federated Farmers Adverse Events spokesperson and a Southland sheep and beef farmer.
"I realise there are some people in town who don't understand that sheep and cattle live outdoors. Farmers pushed back lambing into spring to reduce risk, so we find this incredibly upsetting and distressing because every stock death like this gets to us.
"Economically, we're also seeing a massive loss of our 2010/11 crop and on the worst affected farms, valuable breeding ewes as well. You simply cannot make up these losses.
"The spring storm of 2010 is frankly the worst in a generation with farmers going back over 50 years for anything this bad.
"The last big dump of snow we had was fourteen years ago in the winter of 1996, while the last time we had anything this severe was 38 years ago, in 1972.
"Farmers are doing their utmost to keep stock alive but these weather systems have been unrelenting. It's a combination of oscillating driving wind, snow and rain that is doing the most damage to stock as well as sapping energy from farmers.
"It's important for urban residents to know that an adverse event declaration does not trigger cash hand-outs, as some may think. The losses we are suffering come directly off our bottom line and this is creating a lot of added stress on top of fatigue.
"This is why Federated Farmers is working with the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon David Carter, on a medium scale adverse event declaration. I estimate half the farms in Southland could be affected - around 800 - but that's a guess because farmers right now are just trying to get by.
"I welcome Minister Carter coming to Southland tomorrow where he is visiting the farm of Federated Farmers President, Don Nicolson and other affected farmers.
"At 12.30pm, both Minister Carter and Don Nicolson will be joined by Federated Farmers Southland provincial president, Rod Pemberton. The biggest thing an adverse event declaration gives us is access to advice from the Rural Support Trust and recognition, this event is one out of the box," Mr Rose concluded.
For further comment:
David Rose, Federated Farmers Adverse Events spokesperson, 027 414 2573, 03 235 2619
Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers animal welfare spokesperson, 06 834 9704, 027 234 1516
Don Nicolson, Federated Farmers President, 027 226 6331, 03 216 7405
Rod Pemberton, Federated Farmers Southland provincial president, 027 295 5129, 03 446 6666
Medium-scale event recovery measures (with Federated Farmers observations):
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Initial clean-up |
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Enhanced Task Force Green |
This is an "enhanced" labour assistance scheme that provides assistance for clean up and repairs. The enhancements may include assistance for personal safety equipment and machinery.
As the event and the damage caused becomes clearer, such a scheme may assist farmers in recovery. |
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Individual and family support |
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Rural Assistance Payments |
Payments to families affected by specific events when their farm/orchard business cannot meet essential living needs. These payments are set at 100 percent of the unemployment benefit level.
This component requires Cabinet approval but even if granted, very few, if any farmers would qualify in Federated Farmers view as it is subject to means testing. |
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New Start Grant |
A one-off grant for families to permanently leave commercial farming activities where the farm is no longer viable. Strict criteria are needed to be met to qualify.
In Federated Farmers view, this would not apply in Southland. |
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Psychological and social recovery |
Psychological and social support such as counselling can be made available.
Federated Farmers believes this would provide immediate benefit to affected farm families. |
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Civil Defence Payments |
If emergency procedures (e.g. activate operations centre or activate adverse events plan in a non declared event) are activated by Civil Defence, evacuees can receive assistance for food, temporary accommodation, clothing and loss of livelihood.
As this is not a Civil Defence declaration, in Federated Farmers view, it would not apply in Southland |
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Local recovery assistance |
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Grants to Rural Support Trusts (RSTs) |
Grants to help RSTs provide support such as financial advice and welfare support to primary producers.
Federated Farmers believes financial advice services, via the RST, would provide immediate benefit to farmers, given the impact of this event at a critical time. Any welfare support is subject to means-testing meaning that few, if any farmers would actually qualify. |
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Technology Transfer Grants |
Grants to provide assistance for education and technical advice on recovery options relating to financial and contingency planning, including animal welfare. The grants can be used for activities including workshops, meetings and brochures.
Federated Farmers believes this may be of benefit to help recovery. |
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Agricultural Recovery Facilitator |
The Government may appoint an Agricultural Recovery Facilitator. The facilitator's main role is to co-ordinate the response and recovery initiatives.
As this event is unfolding, a facilitator may be needed to coordinate once the scale is set. |
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Volunteer costs |
Costs are met for travel and accommodation for volunteers coming from outside the affected region.
Federated Farmers, as with the Canterbury earthquake, is preparing to activate its 0800 FARMING line. The first step is to assess the level of need jointly with MAF and the Rural Support Trust. We have received offers of assistance that would provide relief to affected farmers. |
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Media communications |
Costs are met to enable dissemination of key information to the media for publication/broadcast.
Federated Farmers will work with MAF in the interests of all farmers. |
