Government to give $500,000 to drought-stricken Hawke's Bay farmers

Dry paddocks in Valley Rd, Hastings, earlier this month. Photo / File

The Government will pledge $500,000 to a drought relief fund to help Hawke's Bay farmers through what leaders say is one of the worst droughts in living memory.

The Mayoral Drought Relief Fund, set up by four Hawke's Bay mayors and the regional council's chairman, will attempt to combat bare paddocks, hungry stock and limited feed.

Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor said he received a letter from Hawke's Bay's Regional Council chairman Rex Graham and mayors from Napier, Hastings, Central Hawke's Bay and Wairoa, asking for a contribution to the Fund.

"Access to feed is the biggest acute issue facing drought-affected farmers right now," he said. "This funding will go towards subsidising the transport costs of getting feed up from the South Island.

"Mayoral Relief Funds help communities to get back on their feet after adverse events, with local communities and councils directing funding to where it's needed most."

Support totalling more than $17m has been made available to drought stricken regions across New Zealand so far this year, through a range of investments including $10m for immediate water needs, $2m for rural assistance payments and more.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the aim was to raise $2m through the relief fund.

"It's wonderful for the minister to come and see the distress and hardship that our farmers are facing," she said.

"Our farming community is hurting and we need to get behind them and support them through a very tough time in the coming months."

Matt Wade, vice-president of Federated Farmers, said any contribution was better than none, but it needed to be spent correctly.

"Everything is welcome at the end of the day," he said.

"But the biggest issue is feed. Farmers don't want free feed, but assistance towards feeding stock is needed.

"Assistance with transport would be good as we're having to bring feed in from the south island and the cost of transport is huge."

Wade added: "In a normal Hawke's Bay drought we'd be able to access feed from Manawatu or Wairarapa, but they were also dry so it exhausted the resources from those regions, so we're having to go far and wide."

Rural Advisory Group chair Lochie MacGillivray said the fund will pay for feed to be shipped from the South Island.

"The farming community is faced with a massive feed deficit that will need substantial funding assistance and co-ordination of key stakeholders to address," he said.

The Hawke's Bay Regional Council and Hastings District Council are also set to consider recommendations to contribute $200,000 to the Mayoral Drought Relief Fund, while Central Hawke's Bay District Council has already contributed $100,000.

Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor said access to feed is the biggest issue facing drought-affected farmers. Photo / Paul Taylor

O'Connor said a total of 44 feed sources were identified and matched with farmers in need by national feed coordinators put in place a fortnight ago by MPI.

"The Rural Advisory Group and Rural Support Trust are closely involved in this work, and other groups and agencies are very willing to add their help," he said.

"The Government knows our farmers, growers and producers will play a critical role in New Zealand's economic recovery from Covid-19, so helping reduce pressure on Hawke's Bay farmers and their families, and drive regional recovery efforts from this drought is a priority for us."

O'Connor said farming, cropping and directly related production is worth $500m annually to Hawke's Bay.

"This is about protecting the productivity of a crucial part of the regional economy."

The Civil Defence Rural Advisory Group, made up of farming leaders, councillors, the East Coast Rural Support Trust, Ministry for Primary Industries, Beef and Lamb, NZ Fire Service, the Hawke's Bay Regional Council, and Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management, will establish criteria and the process for distribution of the funding.

Chair of Hawke's Bay Regional Council Rex Graham said council's objective is to get as many farmers as possible through the drought. Photo / Paul Taylor

Chair of Hawke's Bay Regional Council Rex Graham dismissed the notion that the drought may receive more attention as it takes its toll on Auckland.

"Auckland is Auckland – we do real things here. We produce sheep, lambs, horticulture, squash, apples – we're not all about property prices," he said.

"Regional council's objective is to get as many farmers as possible through this."

While there has been some rain in recent days, not much more is expected in the days to come.

MetService meteorologist Andrew James said the highest rain fall recorded in Napier last week was 5.6mm on Saturday.

"All in all, the last week saw 19.6mm of rain fall in Napier," he said. "Following a cold front and showers on Tuesday, a few showers are expected on Wednesday, especially in the first part of the day.

"But, those showers are expected to clear by the early afternoon. No further significant rain is expected on Thursday or Friday."

The next indications of rain are expected on Saturday.