The fund was set up by the mayors of Central Hawke’s Bay, Hastings, Napier and Wairoa and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council to help drought-hit farmers.
The regional and Hastings councils have each pledged $200,000 with Central Hawke’s Bay and electricity lines company Centralines giving $50,000 each. The Government has put in $500,000.
The Napier and Wairoa councils are yet decide.
Regional council chairman Rex Graham says farming is a mainstay of the Hawke’s Bay economy and it is time for the wider community to help farmers get through a very difficult time.
“I see this as an investment in our economy. We are going to need these farmers more than ever as the economic downturn really bites into 2021.”
The aim is to create a $2 million relief fund using the central and local government funding and other options.
The money will be held by the Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Trust.
