Meanwhile, North Canterbury has not had the autumn rain it needs and feed covers are about 50-60% of normal.
Between 2014-16 North Canterbury farmers bore the brunt of a big dry that lasted almost three years. Staggering under a scarcity of rain, records showed it suffered its second driest period since records began 75 years ago.
Fortunately, this season farmers appear to have learned from that experience, acted early and prepared by buying in feed, destocking and finding grazing. However, Federated Farmers says an extreme event such as a heavy snowstorm also needs to be factored into planning.
Gerard Hutching
Red meat markets jittery
Farmers are being offered more for their beef and lamb but export markets remain shaky as the global restaurant trade makes a slow comeback. Prices have been helped by the low-value dollar but it is creeping back up, eating into profits.
Arable signs biosecurity agreement
The arable sector should be in a better position to deal with imported plant pests and diseases now it has signed a biosecurity partnership with the Government. In recent years growers have had to contend with the invasive weed velvetleaf and the pea weevil.
Red meat sector launches manifesto
A new report shows the red meat sector contributes $12 billion to the economy and employs almost 5% of the full-time workforce. It has been released to coincide with the launch of the sector’s election manifesto.
Drought-prone farmers to pay for feed
Hawke’s Bay farmers who apply to the Mayoral Drought Relief Fund will still have to pay for the cost of the feed itself. Hawke’s Bay Rural Advisory Group co-chairman Lochie MacGillivray says the $1m fund is to cover the costs of transporting feed.
