Government helps as farms run short of feed

Jim Anderton

Canterbury farmers risk running out of winter feed within weeks and significant intervention will be needed to get them through to spring without heavy stock losses, the Government says.

Announcing an initial $160,000 assistance package yesterday, Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton said further snow and storms were predicted in the region until mid to late September, and there was now only enough feed to last another three to four weeks.

"This is by definition only a one-in-60-year event."

Mr Anderton has asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) for a report on the feed situation by tomorrow, although it might take until the end of the week.

"But it is anticipated that many farmers will need to destock or acquire extra supplementary feed to get through to lambing and calving without heavy stock losses."

Most farms had enough winter feed before the snow hit, but it had damaged 50 to 60 per cent of forage crops and supplementary feed was being fed out at two to three times the normal rate.

"The feed situation is a three month deficit - it will be early October before pasture feed supply meets feeding demand," said Mr Anderton.

Any significant loss of animal condition would mean loss of production, economic value and performance, as well as stock deaths.

Even if MAF was able to prepare a report by tomorrow, said Mr Anderton, there was "a high degree of uncertainty about the actual feed situation."

The assessment would look at feed requirements, options for moving stock and indications of the feed supply in other regions such as Taranaki and Southland.

The ability of farmers to buy feed and/or move stock would be assessed, as would the possible financial role the Government might play.

The $160,000 from MAF's Adverse Events Contingency budget was an initial expenditure, but more money might be sought, Mr Anderton said.

Four rural support officers and accompanying facilitators were being established in the meantime to help Canterbury's rural communities with welfare assistance and information, and with feed planning advice and financial planning.

Volunteers were being sought to assist the officers to visit homes and offer practical advice.

MAF would set up the support services with the help of other agencies and district councils.

Prime Minister Helen Clark visited the region with Mr Anderton on Friday and said yesterday that they had come away "very heartened by the civil defence response, by the rapid response with the restoration of roading.

"The power supply has been reconnected as fast I think as is humanly possible in the circumstances."