Advanced Search | Help
These FAQ are being regularly updated as new information comes to hand.
The long hot summer/autumn seems to be largely over. There has been some good rain in many areas. Soil moisture deficits are reducing. This will enable pasture to start recovering.
This means the beginning of recovery from this event.
It needs to be recognised that this has been a severe event in some areas.
Soil moisture deficits were extremely high and will take some time to replenish.
Also, there has been a significant impact on farming and growing, and there will be impacts for some time – even years.
By contrast, some areas still have not received any significant rain, and the drought is in fact getting worse. These include Hawke's Bay.
What is critical for the remainder of the autumn is good follow-up rain while there are still milder temperatures, to enable pasture recovery and growth.
Daily Climate Maps http://www.niwa.co.nz/climate/daily-climate-maps Seasonal Climate Outlook https://www.niwa.co.nz/climate/sco http://www.metservice.com/national/home http://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/
Several parts of the country have experienced less rainfall and more hot, drying conditions over the past few months.
It is clearly a widespread drought and has progressed rapidly. In some areas it has been particularly dry, according to historical records. This is the first time a drought event has been declared for the entire North Island for at least 30 years (previously there was a different adverse events system). NIWA has confirmed that for parts of southern Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay and the west of the South Island, the 2013 drought is the worst in terms of soil deficit in 40 years or, in some areas, as many as 70 years (in other words, as far back as records go). Over the past 40 years, the only severe drought of similar extent was in 1973 – although affecting different parts of the country (Wairarapa, Tasman, Otago and Southland). There are regions of the North Island where the current drought is likely to be the worst in close to 70 years, but droughts nearly as severe occurred in 2007/08 (Waikato), and 1997/98 (Hawke’s Bay). Extreme drought (worse than the present) occurred in 1997/98 in Marlborough and North Canterbury. What is unusual about this drought is the extent – simultaneously occurring across the entire North Island and parts of the South Island. The weather systems from mid March have delivered rainfall to many areas affected by drought, which was welcome.
What was critical was that more follow-up rains were needed through April to allow grass growth and soils to recharge while it is still warm.
Monthly Climate Summaries https://www.niwa.co.nz/climate/summaries/monthly
On 22 March the Primary Industries Minister extended the existing medium-scale drought event so that it now encompasses the Buller and Grey Districts of the West Coast of the South Island, as well as the entire North Island.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy media statement - Drought declared in Buller and Grey Districts (22 March)
Map of drought declared areas as at 22 March
Previously…
On 15 March the Primary Industries Minister extended the existing drought event so that it encompassed the entire North Island.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy media statement - Drought officially declared throughout North Island (15 March)
On 6 March the Minister added South Auckland (the area south of the Auckland harbour bridge), Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay to the event.
This included rural areas of the following districts: Far North, Whangarei, Kaipara, Rodney, Albany, Waitemata and Gulf, Franklin, Waitakere, Howick, Manukau, Manuera-Papakura, Waikato, Thames-Coromandel, Hauraki, Matamata-Piako, Waipa, Otorohanga, South Waikato, Waitomo, Taupo. Western BOP, Rotorua, Tauranga, Kawerau, Whakatane, Opotiki. Wairoa, Hastings, Central Hawke’s Bay, Napier.
Declaration of an adverse event means two things:
(Other assistance from MSD and IRD is available regardless of declaration.)
Rural Support Trusts make sure the right kinds of assistance are available and help link people up with the right kinds of help. It is a coordination and facilitation role.
The additional funding will enable them to keep doing what they do. As a drought gets bigger or goes on longer, the community comes to the end of its resources. A declaration means that central government funding is available so they can keep going and responding to needs.
For further information on drought, see the MPI Droughts page.
In physical terms:
Farmers will get less income for the 2012/13 season because of lower production, and there will be higher costs associated with supplementary feed. This will flow through to rural service industries.
There will ongoing effects. Farmers are likely to have used feed reserves during autumn that were intended for winter and spring, and will need to buy in more feed than usual.
Also, farmers may have had to destock to the extent that they have reduced capital (breeding) stock numbers and will now need to build those up again through breeding replacements, which takes several seasons.
Lack of rainfall has a direct effect on pasture and crop growth and therefore availability of feed for livestock.
The severe drought conditions in many regions meant that pasture covers became seriously low and there were crop failures.
Keeping tabs on the feed situation is an important aspect of MPI's monitoring. A snapshot of conditions as at 12 April showed that pasture growth was being boosted by rain and could be further boosted by farm management actions such as stock management (i.e. rotational grazing) and applications of nitrogen to boost pasture growth rates. Milder temperatures have enabled faster-than-normal pasture growth for this time of year in many areas, which is helpful.
In more severely affected areas, such as Taihape, some farmers were selling stock to reduce feed demand.
Some farmers will need to buy in extra feed. There was a reasonable amount of supplementary feed available in the form of palm kernel expeller meal (PKE) and maize silage. However, this will only be available on contract until June.
It is a dynamic situation, and MPI will continue to closely monitor the situation and the impacts on farmers.
Feed budgeting. Livestock managers need to make sure they have enough feed to meet stock demands through winter and spring, and be able to act early to address any potential shortfalls.
Drought creates challenges at many levels. In particular, uncertainty creates difficulties.
Farmers need to plan to manage through this - and they may want help with assessing options, making decisions and implementing them - so they may need farm management advice or a sounding board.
Farmers need to run a viable business so they will adjust their financial management. Farmers are advised to speak to their farm accountant. They will be able to advise about special measures or packages that might be available - banking or tax relief, for example.
Also, rural people might appreciate some help with managing stress - which may be in the form of counselling. They need to know they are not alone.
Rural Support Trusts – Rural Support Trusts help people and families in the wider rural community who experience an adverse event like a drought to more effectively meet and overcome the challenge. MPI provides annual funding to Trusts so they can help coordinate support from the early stages. Services are free and confidential. You can contact your local Rural Support Trust representative for any information on the assistance and support available. http://www.rural-support.org.nz/
For Northland and North Auckland - the Northland Rural Support Trust is co-ordinating the support. For South Auckland and Waikato - the Waikato-Hauraki-Coromandel Rural Support Trust For Bay of Plenty - the Bay of Plenty Rural Support Trust For Hawkes Bay - the East Coast Rural Support Trust For West Coast - the West Coast Rural Support Trust MPI – The publication Meeting the Challenges - Key points for getting through droughts contains practical guidance for rural people, based on experience from previous droughts.
Work and Income assistance – The Ministry of Social Development, through Work and Income, can provide a range of standard financial assistance to both farming and non-farming families whose incomes have been affected by drought. http://www.workandincome.govt.nz
Inland Revenue Department –Tax relief and income assistance is available for farmers affected by the drought. Inland Revenue has a range of measures to help, depending on personal circumstances. If you are concerned about tax payments, changes in income or refunds, contact your tax agent or Inland Revenue’s emergency helpline 0800 473 566. http://www.ird.govt.nz/ Statement: Assistance to North Island and West Coast Buller and Grey districts farmers affected by drought
Or contact the DairyNZ Farmer Information Service: 0800 4 DAIRY NZ (0800 4 324 7969)
Beef and Lamb NZ – Dry management toolkit for sheep and beef farmers – provides practical advice and coping strategies for farmers dealing with or facing the possibility of extreme dry conditions.
http://www.beeflambnz.com/farm/tools-resources/dry-management-toolkit/ Facial eczema – Facial eczema occurs in warm and humid conditions, such as can occur when it rains after drought, and is a major threat to animal health and productivity. Information: Facial eczema prevention and management Foundation for Arable Research – FAR can provide technical advice on how best to manage this year's grain, seed and maize crops, and the likely impacts of drought conditions on establishing following crops. FAR has two staff members based in the North Island (Diana Mathers in Hawkes Bay, and Mike Parker in the Waikato).
http://www.far.org.nz/index.php/media/entry/north-island-drought
Information: Maize cultivation and drought
For Small Blocks – There are around 140,000 small blocks in New Zealand, many running groups of livestock and they are feeling the impacts of drought. The website lifestyleblock.co.nz has some excellent information for small block holders, including the following links: Do a feed budget to make sure there is enough feed to meet stock needs Buy silage with care Managing pasture Tree prunings as fodder Grasslands Association – The March 2013 edition of the NZGA newsletter focuses on managing pasture through the drought, including what to do after rain. Federated Farmers – Farmer membership organisation, advocating for farmer interests. Provides a feed supply coordination service, matching people with available feed to those who need it on a national basis, when the need has been identified (when a drought has been officially declared). Federated Farmers may also organise social/information events in affected areas and facilitate contact with farm financiers regarding possible short-term support packages.
0800 DROUGHT (0800 376 844) Ravensdown – Information on how to use fertiliser after a drought
http://www.ravensdown.co.nz/nz/pages/help-and-advice/default.aspx Rural Women New Zealand - RWNZ, with support from MPI, is offering funding of up to $300, or more if required, for events to support rural communities. Rural Women NZ recognises that many rural people are under extra stress dealing with the effects of the drought. They will consider proposals ranging from community BBQs, musicians, entertainers and events for children, to hiring a hall or hosting a visiting speaker, etc. For more information contact Noeline Holt at Rural Women New Zealand, phone 04 473 5524 or email noeline.holt@ruralwomen.org.nz.
Stress counselling – Drought upsets the normal flow of life and can be very disruptive. It affects everything usually taken for granted and it is completely normal for people to feel emotionally down and physically unwell because of the drought situation. People are not alone in feeling this way and do not have to cope alone either. Local qualified and experienced counsellors are available and will travel to the farm at no cost. This can be organised through a local Rural Support Trust or by calling Victim Support: 0800 842 846
A dry situation will be fairly well developed by the time of any official declaration of drought.
Land and stock managers are responsible for monitoring soil moisture and the impacts on their operation. Resilience – the ability to manage through abnormally dry conditions – depends on flexibility within the operation and taking measures early.
People within an affected area will find it helpful to reach out to each other and face the challenge together, in particular getting the perspective of more experienced managers in a district. Gaining information about the wider feed situation and availability of supplementary feed will be useful, for example.
Advisers will recognise the challenge of drying conditions and organise appropriate field days, discussion groups and newsletter topics. Managers should take advantage of these.
Some recovery support is available from the Government on a case-by-case basis, even without a declaration, from Government agencies MSD and IRD.
MPI monitors all areas for occurrence of adverse events, including linking with stakeholders, and provides recommendations to the Minister as appropriate. In some cases, rural groups might decide to recommend or request a declaration.
When dry conditions are developing in a rural area, groups like the local Rural Support Trust, Federated Farmers branch, regional council and industry organisations will meet to share information and coordinate support activities. They might meet as a regional adverse events committee. MPI representatives usually attend such meetings, as they are a valuable source of information and perspectives. (See page 5 of The Drought Guide for further information about regional meetings.)
The Minister for Primary Industries has powers to declare medium-scale or large-scale drought events.
The Minister is unlikely to declare localised events, but local authorities can under some Local Government legislation.
The Ministry for Primary Industries’ role is to assess the impact and scale of any potential adverse event affecting rural communities and the primary industries and, if appropriate, to support the Minister in declaring a medium or large-scale event.
To gain information, MPI has a team of regional policy analysts, who have networks of local contacts and monitor developments. In addition, MPI has a network of contracted policy agents who report on local developments, such as a potential adverse climatic event.
In the case of localised drought, the coordination of any support for farmers and the rural community is undertaken by local community groups and rural stakeholders. This will often be coordinated by the Rural Support Trust, with other relevant parties such as regional councils, Federated Farmers and other sector bodies getting involved.
From MPI’s perspective, a drought event is “when the lack of rainfall has economic, environmental and social impact on farming businesses and families and the wider community”.
MPI assesses the impact of climatic events at the community (not individual) level.
The criteria that MPI uses are:
Because there are many factors to be considered, it is possible that an area could experience a soil moisture deficit without declaration of an adverse event. For example, this might be “normal” for the area and something that people would be expected to plan for.
It's the Minister's decision as to when the drought declaration would be lifted. MPI assesses whether the rural communities are able to cope without special assistance and advises the Minister. This will include a range of factors such as: pasture cover and levels of available feed, soil moisture deficits, and the general ability of farmers to manage their way out of the drought impacts. The earliest that it would be possible to realistically re-assess the situation would be May, because it would then be clear what the autumn has brought and what farmers' situation is going in to winter. At the moment (as at 17 April) the situation is still getting worse in some areas.
It’s important to note that the Government's drought provisions are focused on the effects of the weather rather than the weather itself. The effects of any rainfall take time to work their way through farming systems.
Grass is a very resilient species but pasture will take some time to recover. Based on previous experience, it takes three weeks after rain for pasture to start growing well because it begins from such a low base. From there it could take another four weeks to build up decent pasture covers. So, in total about seven weeks of growing could be required before farms can start to depend on pasture for feed.
Current Government recovery support arrangements under the declaration are set to expire on 30 September 2013. This timing was chosen because rural communities will then be through the winter and early spring.
The Minister of Finance, Bill English said (17 March) the cost of the drought could be between $1 billion and $2 billion. The widespread drought that affected most of New Zealand from late 2007 until autumn 2008 had an impact across two farming seasons. The only regions not to be significantly affected were Northland, Gisborne and Westland.
From the MAF Report Regional and national impacts of the 2007–2009 drought [July 2009]:
"Output declined by $1.49 billion over the two-year period of the drought. The impacts of the drought on output are a combination of the difference in farm-gate sales and the difference in changes in capital livestock. Farm value added (net income) declined by $1.89 billion over the two-year period of the drought. This arose from a combination of the decline in output and an increase in the cost of inputs. There was a further loss of value added associated with a run-down in reserves of on-farm feed, and this was probably about $0.1–0.2 billion."
In short, yes.
In November 2012 MPI released a report that reviews the impacts of climate change on the primary industries. Evidence shows New Zealand's temperatures are warming and weather patterns are changing. We can expect some of our weather patterns to get stronger and change to more frequent droughts and floods. In some seasons and years, yields will increase but in others production downturns will be more pronounced.
Report: Impacts of Climate Change on Land-based Sectors and Adaptation Options
The current drought is not the first and nor will it be the last to hit New Zealand's farmers and growers. Looking to the future, farmers, foresters and growers can expect a mixed bag of opportunities and challenges.
The sector needs to prepare itself to respond to ongoing climate variability. Planning for the future now, rather than using past weather conditions as a predictor, will pay dividends. Impacts will vary by sector and by region, and changes will vary farm system by farm system.
MPI has developed a toolbox of web-based resources to help sectors adapt to climate change. The focus is on: more flexibility, building more buffers into farm systems, setting fall-back positions, having a plan before a drought hits, and continually learning from drought.
To find out about the fire risk go to:
http://www.nrfa.org.nz/Pages/default.aspx
"Every day that passes is a day closer to the rain. It will rain one day. The drought might cause a bit of a hiccup, but it will come right." - Neil Bateup , Waikato Rural Support Trust