Southland and South Otago farmers - help is on the way

Federated Farmers is working with the Government and the Rural Support Trusts to help farmers. Please forward this advisory onto your neighbours, your contacts and any farmer in need.

What do you really need?

As this storm is completely unprecedented in severity and length, Federated Farmers wishes to ask you what is needed no matter how big or small. Please call that into Federated Farmers on 0800 327 646.

Feed is available

As feed is becoming critical, Federated Farmers wishes to aggregate demand and has supplies on offer. To do that we need to know where demand is located, what quantity is required and when. If your stock need feed then we may be able to help you out, so please call that into Federated Farmers on 0800 327 646.

Helping you out on-farm

As this event has run on for days and lambing is fatiguing, Federated Farmers will quickly build a pool of labour with volunteers and kindred organisations. It may be from helping around the house, fencing repairs to full relief. Whatever your needs are, we wish to help if we can, so please phone in your needs to Federated Farmers on 0800 327 646.

Thank you to Alliance Group, FMG and Ballance Agri-Nutrients

Alliance Group Ltd has initiated the establishment of a relief fund for farmers affected by the severe weather events which have occurred over the past week, especially in the south. The company is donating $500,000 into the fund and is working with Federated Farmers, who will administer the fund. While farmers in the south were extremely resilient, the storm which had lasted for a week had taken its toll. It is important that badly affected farmers received support from the rural business community to help them back on their feet.

Farmers Mutual Group insurance (FMG) company has immediately donated $100,000 to the Adverse Events Trust on hearing of the relief fund. FMG has a long-standing relationship with Federated Farmers and they have been working very closely in helping farmers in the Canterbury area recover from the earthquake. As a New Zealand-owned insurance company FMG is NZ’s largest rural insurer and can be contacted on 0800 366 466.

Ballance Agri-Nutrients has also announced a contribution of $40,000 to the Federated Farmers Adverse Events Trust. Any farmer affected is encouraged to give their local technical sales representative a call on 0800 222 090 to work out a plan that meets their needs. Reps are showing their support by doing whatever is needed on the day to help out on-farm.

A committee has been formed under the Federated Farmers Adverse Events Trust to liaise with affected farmers and get resources to them as fast as possible. Alliance Group, FMG and Ballance Agri-Nutrients hopes other agri-businesses will also join with them and contribute.

Medium-scale event recovery measures (with Federated Farmers observations):

Initial clean-up
Enhanced Task Force Green	This is an “enhanced” labour assistance scheme that provides assistance for clean up and repairs. The enhancements may include assistance for personal safety equipment and machinery. As the event and the damage caused becomes clearer, such a scheme may assist farmers in recovery.
Business assistance
Late election of provisional tax estimates	Inland Revenue (IRD) accepts late estimates of provisional tax from those significantly affected by an adverse event.
Adverse Events Income Equalisation Scheme	Enables individuals who have money deposited in the income equalisation scheme to make an early withdrawal or deposit funds arising from forced sale of livestock.
Additional flexible tax provisions	IRD can also look at late payment and late filing of tax and tax outstanding.
Individual and family support
Rural Assistance Payments	Payments to families affected by specific events when their farm/orchard business cannot meet essential living needs. These payments are set at 100 percent of the unemployment benefit level. This component requires Cabinet approval but even if granted, very few, if any farmers would qualify in Federated Farmers view, as it is subject to means testing.
New Start Grant	A one-off grant for families to permanently leave commercial farming activities where the farm is no longer viable. Strict criteria are needed to be met to qualify. In Federated Farmers view, this will not apply.
Psychological and social recovery	Psychological and social support such as counselling can be made available. Federated Farmers believes this would provide immediate benefit to affected farm families.
Civil Defence Payments	If emergency procedures (e.g. activate operations centre or activate adverse events plan in a non declared event) are activated by Civil Defence, evacuees can receive assistance for food, temporary accommodation, clothing and loss of livelihood. As this is not a Civil Defence declaration, in Federated Farmers view, it will not apply
Local recovery assistance
Grants to Rural Support Trusts (RSTs)	Grants to help RSTs provide support such as financial advice and welfare support to primary producers. Federated Farmers believes financial advice services, via the RST’s, will provide immediate benefit to farmers, given the impact of this event at a critical time. Any welfare support is subject to means-testing meaning that few, if any farmers would qualify.
Technology Transfer Grants	Grants to provide assistance for education and technical advice on recovery options relating to financial and contingency planning, including animal welfare. The grants can be used for activities including workshops, meetings and brochures. Federated Farmers believes this may be of benefit to help recovery.
Agricultural Recovery Facilitator	The Government may appoint an Agricultural Recovery Facilitator. The facilitator’s main role is to co-ordinate the response and recovery initiatives. As this event is unfolding, a facilitator may be needed to coordinate once the scale is established.
Volunteer costs	Costs are met for travel and accommodation for volunteers coming from outside the affected region. Federated Farmers, as with the Canterbury earthquake, has activated 0800 FARMING line. One of the first steps is to assess the level of need and feed that into MAF and the Rural Support Trusts. We have received offers of assistance that will provide relief to affected farmers.
Media communications	Costs are met to enable dissemination of key information to the media for publication/broadcast. Federated Farmers will work with MAF and the RST’s in the interests of all farmers.