The rain just didn’t seem to want to fall on north Canterbury and the battle was on to find winter grazing for stock, Rural Livestock agent Kevin Rowe said.
“This time last year I had 10,000 sheep away at grazing, anywhere from five minutes to five hours away.
“Who would have thought we would be doing the same again.
“But this year while we are hearing there is feed around farmers are just not coming forward. It’s frustrating and meantime stock are waiting at the gate to go,” Rowe said.
He urged farmers able to take on grazing to come forward.
“Most of my fellas would be pretty happy to get hoggets out on a per head per week option – we are desperate for grazing right now,” he said.
Other options could be negotiated including share-farming and liveweight gain arrangements.
While in-lamb sheep were top of the list, grazing was also sought for replacement heifers and beef cows.
“It’s unbelievable,” rural support trust co-ordinator Doug Archbold said.
“While there was a spattering of rain across the region, in some parts good rain, but where rain is most needed there was just 10-20mm and now the cold blast has put snow on the hills so it’s situation no-change,” he said.
“Stock is still going out and feed is still coming in. There is a lot of frustration.”
Discussion on extending the drought declaration was in progress with the Ministry for Primary Industries and the drought committee had been assured there would be an announcement about the situation before the declaration expired on June 30.
“This year while we are hearing there is feed around farmers are just not coming forward. It’s frustrating and meantime stock are waiting at the gate to go.”
Kevin Rowe.
Rural Livestock
Meanwhile, farmers were looking forward to packing their bags for some reprieve at the Mystery Creek Field Days.
The venture north was initiated by Omihi sheep and beef farmer Nick Hamilton.
“All my stock has gone away so I had time to think about what could be done to help lift morale in the region,” he said.
With Federated Farmers north Canterbury meat and fibre chairman Dan Hodgen he mustered $65,000 in sponsorship to get 100 farmers to the event.
The sponsorship, from national entities, regional and local businesses, would cover airfares, accommodation, food and beverages for the two days at a cost of $200 a farmer.
“There has been huge support for sponsorship and 100% farmer uptake so it’s going to be a trip that will at least lift the spirits off farm,” Hamilton said.
The legacy of two years of less than half the normal rainfall was now deeply affecting the whole community, Hurunui mayor Winton Dalley said.
The drought had caused great stress and huge financial cost.
“Recovery from this event, which is not yet over, will take some time,” Dalley said.
Rain in Wairarapa, while not a drought-breaker, had filled water tanks and got farmers smiling, Federated Farmers provincial chairman Jamie Falloon said.
“Most definitely a welcome rain. It hasn’t got streams flowing but it’s filled water tanks and lifted spirits,” he said.
“It doesn’t mean everything is solved. We are still dealing with the dry conditions. We are a long way off from being out of the woods but certainly a good start to kick things off,” Falloon said.
In south Canterbury resilience had become a focus.
“The dictionary describes resilience as the ability to recover quickly from unpleasant and damaging events,” provincial president Mark Adams said.
“We are hearing this word a lot lately as business commentators encourage us to build buffers into our farm systems so that we can better survive when times are tough.
“All good advice but hugely annoying when you haven’t had time in the game to achieve a strong foundation or climate, weak pricing and variables outside of your control continue to undermine your own financial position.
“It appears to me that business resilience is largely a product of age and experience and something we are all aiming for.
“The top 20% are showing us that by refocusing we can begin to grow our own personal resilience,” Adams said.
