Dairy farmers slam omissions from flood relief package

1.00pm

Hundreds of thousands of dollars paid by flooded Horowhenua farmers to truck stock away, buy feed and pay for grazing elsewhere will not be reimbursed by the Government's flood relief package.

Dairy farmers will not be covered for lost feed crops like maize but crop growers can claim 90 per cent of the costs of re-establishing destroyed crops.

Horowhenua sharemilker Dean Bailey said the most disappointing thing was that the Government hadn't considered trucking costs.

Horowhenua farmers had to contend with drought last year and a flood this year.

"It is stressful as it is and the cost of trucking in the flood emergency is huge.

"The cost of trucking should have been a priority," he said.

Grazing could cost $15 a head each week.

"If you have 1000 cows, add that up," he said.

Feed had been donated which had been fantastic but it covered only a month and there were five more winter months before new grass growth started, he said.

At Moutoa 7000 bales of hay, 800 tonnes of silage and 200 tonnes of dry matter were lost in the flood. Each cow ate 10kg of feed a day.

While crop farmers could claim 90 per cent for re-establishment of crops damaged by water or silt, crops used for feed on dairy farms would not be eligible and it was not unusual to find maize crops on them.

Sharemilkers had got nothing, Mr Bailey said.

"We grow maize crops for our cows which in return is turned into milk which is a cash crop. When you consider how big a player dairying is in the industry it's disappointing to see nothing considered in there.

Mr Bailey said farmers were up to their eyeballs in paperwork and it was getting depressing.

"We think bringing our cows back should be part of re-establishing the farm.

"We're not asking for income but in terms of getting back on our feet the cost of trucking and grazing is over and above the cost of starting again."

Government appointed agricultural recovery facilitator Bruce Withell said farmers would have to look to funding agencies for help.

"People can go to welfare and hardship funds to help them."

Mr Withell said the Government made a conscious decision to exclude transport and feed.

Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton's press secretary Cathie Bell said there was a limit to how much the Government could do.

Freight was not one of the topics of discussion and she was unaware of it ever being raised.

Manawatu-Rangitikei Federated Farmers president Shelley Dew-Hopkins said "I want to see if we can get funds for farm owners and I personally think there is an issue with freight costs.

"There is an anomaly in the system and we are trying to look into getting it adjusted," she said.