It meant the destruction of 950 cows and 222 yearlings but the Morven sharemilkers do not dwell on those dark days.
Instead the Argentinian who arrived in New Zealand in 2005 with $728 to his name focuses on the future and a day in late June when his farm will be declared free of the disease and he can start preparing for the calving of his recently bought 700-cow herd.
That herd has been grazing on a separate property but is an amalgamation of cows bought from four herds along with his 200 heifers that were disease free.
“It’s back to normal for me.”
As someone focused on the future Bensegues speaks only in sweeping reference about the past, conceding that initial contact with the Ministry for Primary Industries was difficult and messy but improved and he worked well with his case manager.
He has received all but $200,000 of his $2 million compensation and expects the balance within the next few weeks.
When the disease was discovered he double fenced his boundary and while it was to no avail he has no interest in how his herd became infected.
Bensegues said he recovered because all parties worked together to clear his property of the disease and to put him in a position where he can start again.
He describes what the family has been through as just another pothole in the road of life, a challenge to overcome like other difficulties such as the season they received a payout of $3.90/kg MS.
“You cannot change the past.
“We have learnt a lot and we have to take it as another learning.”
What he has learnt is the need for all farmers to unite with the ministry to eradicate the disease. It would not be done by farmers acting alone.
There is also a need for honesty, something Bensegues said got them through the past year.
Just as important is the need for sharemilkers to have the support of their farm owners, something Bensegues said he has had from Ian and Jenny Williams.
“It wasn’t easy but having that support from Ian and Jenny was great and what we needed.”
Despite his difficulties he is confident about his future and that of dairy farming.
“I am still enthusiastic about farming in NZ.”
