By Rowena Duncum
It was always going to take an extraordinarily destructive event to oust Cyclone Bola as the reference point against which all weather-related disasters are measured.
But, as the full scale continues to emerge two weeks on, I strongly suspect, “Was it as bad as Bola?” will be replaced with “Was it as bad as Gabrielle?”
A new, devastating benchmark – one none of us ever wanted to witness – has been set. Through it all, one thing has stood out for me.
No matter how badly someone has been impacted (and I’m talking people who’ve lost all their possessions, their crops, their stock, their livelihoods), they’ve all said the same simple thing: “There’ll be someone worse off than us.”
It has been truly humbling and made me extremely proud to be associated with rural New Zealand.
From this point, those who’ve been around the block a few times, will know how this plays out. But there’ll be those new to farming, new to New Zealand or simply new to adversity of this magnitude, experiencing everything for the first time. The shift from response to recovery can be challenging to keep things in perspective and not get overwhelmed.
Since its establishment in 1905, FMG has been going through adverse events – including Bola – alongside Kiwi farmers and growers. Their team shared a few things they’ve picked up along the way, that might help a little.
The first thing they impressed upon me is the importance of acknowledging that this has been a major event in your life. It goes back to my earlier point around using Gabrielle as a reference. For years people talked about ‘Before Bola’ and ‘After Bola.’ The same will be true here. It is a major event in every sense of the world, and it’s okay to recognise this.
For those unsure where to begin – it’s helpful to first establish a good understanding of what is within your control. That way, right from the get-go, your energy is directed toward areas where you can make a difference, and not squandered.
Let’s start with people. Personal safety and that of those around you is as important during the next phase in recovery as it has been over the past 10 days. Have a think about whether you need to tweak any protocols or safety directives on farm to allow for the change in situation?
Do your employees, colleagues, friends or neighbours need extra support? While there are so many options on offer, just reminding them of this may make a big difference. There’s a lot going through people’s minds right now.
When you are safely able to, carry out a stocktake of your animals. Look at stock numbers and classes on-farm for the coming months or season.
Feed situations have been severely impacted, either directly or through generous donations to those worse off. Having an ongoing awareness of your situation will mean you can make informed early decisions – vital heading toward winter.
On the financial and business front, talking to your bank early is critical. Likewise with your processors (dairy/meat) and other key business partners like contractors. They can’t help if they don’t know how you’re placed and what you might need now or down the track.
With such widespread damage, it’s important to assess which buildings and other physical assets can be repaired or replaced now, and which will take more time.
Through all of this, as mentioned, there is so much assistance on offer – people who genuinely want to help.
So, consider connecting with your local Rural Support Trust, MPI, Farmstrong and Federated Farmers for extra support.
For more information: www.fmg.co.nz/ or call 0800 366 466