Heavy rain and snow put farmers on alert
Tom Slee crowned FMG Young Farmer of the Year in New Plymouth
Red meat sector urges trade focus ahead of November election
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Heavy rain and snow put farmers on alert
Farmers across Otago are being urged to put safety first as heavy rain, strong winds and snow lash the region, with weather warnings in place and difficult conditions expected to continue.
The wild weather comes as the Government continues supporting farmers in the Wairarapa following last week's flooding, which damaged roads and bridges and caused significant erosion on hillside farms.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says Ministry for Primary Industries staff remain in regular contact with the local Rural Support Trust to assess the full extent of the damage and determine whether a formal adverse event classification is warranted.
McClay is also working with Associate Agriculture Minister Mike Butterick, a Wairarapa farmer himself, to ensure the region is prepared for further heavy rain forecast this week.
Farmers in all affected regions are being encouraged to move stock to safer ground where necessary, review feed and supply plans, and prioritise animal welfare during what the Minister describes as a particularly challenging stretch of winter.
Farmers needing support can contact the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254, while animal welfare advice is available through MPI on 0800 00 83 33.
Tom Slee crowned FMG Young Farmer of the Year in New Plymouth
Otago Southland dairy farmer Tom Slee has been crowned the Season 58 FMG Young Farmer of the Year, claiming New Zealand's most prestigious farming title at the Grand Final in New Plymouth on Saturday night.
The twenty-nine-year-old mounted a dramatic comeback in the final Agri-Knowledge buzzer round, surging from third place to claim the title by ten points over runner-up Jack Taggart from Aorangi, with Cam Clayton from Waikato Bay of Plenty finishing third.
Slee becomes the fourteenth winner from Otago Southland and the third member of his family to take the title — following his father Richard Slee in 1999 and uncle Simon Hopcroft in 2004. In a fitting echo of history, his father also staged a late comeback during his own winning campaign.
Slee's prize haul exceeded ninety-thousand dollars, including top honours in Agri-business and the Agri-Knowledge challenge.
Red meat sector urges trade focus ahead of November election
New Zealand's red meat sector is calling on all parties to make trade a priority heading into November's election, with non-tariff barriers still estimated to cost the sector one-point-five billion dollars annually.
MIA independent chair Nathan Guy says the sector is forecast to generate fourteen-point-one billion dollars in export revenue this year and reaches more than a hundred markets worldwide.
Beef and Lamb New Zealand chair Kate Acland says the sector contributes seventeen-point-five billion dollars to GDP and supports more than a hundred-and-twenty-thousand jobs — with one-hundred-and-thirty-three million dollars flowing through the New Zealand economy every day.
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