Government Launches $500,000 Support Package for Flood-Impacted Farmers in Tasman

The New Zealand government has unveiled a $500,000 support package aimed at helping farmers, growers, and foresters in Tasman recover from the recent back-to-back floods that have wreaked havoc on the region. The funding, announced by Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Todd McClay, is part of a broader relief effort as local communities continue to clean up and brace for further heavy rain in the coming weeks.

During his visit to the affected areas, McClay emphasized the scale of the damage, noting that over 200 landowners have already applied for assistance. However, he warned that the number of farms and orchards impacted is likely to be much higher, as assessments by the Ministry of Primary Industries are still ongoing.

"There will be a range of effects, from areas with localised and moderate damage to others where some farms won't be able to go back into production any time soon if at all," McClay said.

The floods have had a particularly devastating impact on the Eighty Eight Valley, where farmer Ian Parkes estimates the damage to his property alone could cost around $200,000. Parkes, a fifth-generation farmer, described the floods as the worst he has ever seen, surpassing even the damage caused by the 1983 flood.

"Every flood gate has gone, we have 25 and they have all gone... there are certain areas of the farm there is no stock movement and the problem with no stock movement is we lose our feed, we can't control it," Parkes said.

Further down the valley, sheep and beef farmer Donald Ladley is also struggling to recover. He described the silt and debris left behind by the floods as a major obstacle, with some areas of his land now unusable and the possibility of having to sell livestock looming.

"After the last rain, we can't get tractors and vehicles around on hillsides, it's not safe to take even an ATV on the hillside where the sheep mobbed. We've probably lost around 10 hectares of ground," Ladley explained.

The government's relief efforts have also included a $300,000 contribution to the mayoral relief fund, with an additional $50,000 each from Horticulture New Zealand and Federated Farmers for the horticulture and pastoral sectors, respectively.

Tasman Mayor Tim King has warned that more bad weather is expected and that the region is still in a vulnerable state. He emphasized the need for continued focus on repairing roads, access to properties, and the river network, especially in the face of the upcoming heavy rain forecast.

"We're locked in a weather pattern that's been repeating for the best part of two months. We've had two very significant events during that period and dodged one in the middle. I'm concerned given the compromised nature of our roading network and our rivers network, and the sodden nature of most of the region," King said.

As the government and local communities continue their recovery efforts, the focus remains on restoring infrastructure, protecting farmland, and ensuring the long-term resilience of the region's agricultural sector.