Fonterra, New Zealand’s dairy cooperative, has stated that it will provide “appropriate compensation” to farmers who have been forced to dump milk or dry off cows as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle’s impact.
The New Zealand government has declared a state of emergency in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Tairwhiti, the Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, and the Tararua District until February 27.
According to Fonterra, the cyclone has had a significant impact on many of its farmers in New Zealand’s North Island.
Following the devastation, milk tankers have been unable to reach some farmers, and many farms have also experienced major power outages.
“Supporting our farmer shareholders is a top priority,” a Fonterra spokesperson said.
“Our focus is on establishing lines of communication with our farmer shareholders in the hardest-hit areas so that we can stay connected, understand what they need and help coordinate recovery efforts.
“We have been accessing cut-off areas via helicopter over the past week, which has enabled us to assess the damage, understand farmers’ needs and provide provisional supplies and veterinary support.
“We are coordinating support on the ground with local industry bodies and representatives, as we always do when weather events like this affect our farmers.”
Nick Story, director of rural communities and farming support for New Zealand’s ministry for primary industries (MPI), which is in charge of agriculture, said veterinary supplies had also been flown to dairy farmers who had been forced to dry off their cows early.
Farmers who had to dump milk or who were unable to access their properties will be financially supported, according to Fonterra.
“Our terms of supply lay out the rules for paying our farmers for their milk.
“As a result of a force majeure event, and in accordance with the terms of supply, where the co-op is unable to access milk for collection, which may result in a farmer disposing of milk or drying off,” the co-spokesperson op’s said.
The MPI has also put together a series of online resources for dairy farmers to emphasise that if cows have been exposed to flood waters or silt, there may be an increase in mastitis or different mastitis than usual.
The ministry has also warned that after a flood event, animals are vulnerable to many diseases, and lameness can worsen within one to three weeks.
It has also established a national feed coordination service to assist farmers in collaboration with the rural advocacy organisation Federated Farmers.
“Widespread flooding and winds from Cyclone Gabrielle have damaged pastures and crops and swept away feed bales,” Federated Farmers CEO Terry Copeland said.
The “unprecedented scale” of the cyclone “means there is a need for coordinated support at the national level to help match farmers with the supplementary feed or grazing they may need for their livestock,” according to MPI’s director of rural communities and farming support.
“MPI has staff in the regions helping with the cyclone response, but this is just another important and practical way we can support farmers to get back on their feet.
“We expect demand for the service to increase further in the coming months,” Story added. “It’s likely that the worst flood-affected paddocks will be unusable for some time,” Story added.
