Cyclone Gabrielle recovery: advice, support, and funding

Cyclone Gabrielle farmer and grower recovery support

Farmers, growers, and whenua Māori owners in hard-to-reach areas significantly affected by Cyclone Gabrielle can still access support to kick-start recovery efforts.

Funding is available to undertake urgent repair work, including fencing, and clearing silt to save trees and vines.

Applications for the urgent clean-up grants closed at 5pm on 20 March 2023. However, applications from farmers, growers and whenua Māori owners in hard-to-reach areas will be considered until 5pm on 3 April 2023.

Media release 6 March 2023: Government approves $26 million grant extension for farmers and growers

Media release 21 February 2023: Government details $25 million to Cyclone Gabrielle primary sector recovery

Cyclone Gabrielle farmer and grower grants – Fact sheet [PDF, 6.2 MB]

The grants are to help farmers and growers get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

They include:

up to $10,000 for pastoral and arable farmers to help with initial recovery, such as repairs to water infrastructure for livestock, and fencing
up to $2,000 per hectare (up to a maximum of $40,000) to remove silt from trees and vines, support clean-up, and minimise future losses.

Farmers and growers who have already received MPI clean-up grants are not eligible to apply again.

Recovery grants and how to apply

Funding for urgent recovery needs

The Government also provided $4 million to help rural communities with immediate recovery needs. This was targeted funding to help with urgent primary sector needs that were not being met by other organisations. That fund is now closed.

The fund has been fully committed to a range of projects covering aerial surveys, mental wellbeing, recovery advice, logistics and transport, and reimbursement of costs of urgent response activity.

Media release 15 February 2023: Initial recovery mobilisation fund to help farmers and growers hit by Cyclone Gabrielle

Groups able to offer farmer and grower support

Farmers, growers, and whenua Māori owners needing support are encouraged to contact sector groups or their local Rural Support Trust.

You can freephone the Rural Support Trust on 0800 RURAL HELP (0800 78 72 54).

DairyNZ

Beef and Lamb New Zealand

Federated Farmers of New Zealand

Horticulture New Zealand — Ahumāra Kai Aotearoa

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated

New Zealand Wine

Apiculture New Zealand

On-farm decisions after Cyclone Gabrielle – Foundation for Arable Research

Rural Support Trust: Help and support for rural NZ

Feed Coordination Service for farmers affected by the cyclone

MPI and Federated Farmers have restarted the national Feed Coordination Service to support farmers recovering from the cyclone.

The service helps match people with grazing or supplementary feed for sale to those who need it. To offer or request feed or grazing, freephone 0800 FARMING (0800 32 76 46).

You can also register online using these links:

Media release 18 February 2023: National Feed Coordination Service launched for farmers hit by Cyclone Gabrielle

Help with delivery of critical farm supplies to isolated areas

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is working with farm supply companies and vets in Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti to ensure critical supplies can get to communities that have no road access.

Farmers with no road access to their farms can order necessary supplies from their usual farm goods suppliers and vets and arrangements will be made to deliver them.

Critical supplies are:

water reticulation materials
temporary boundary fencing materials
animal health supplies and veterinary medicines.

This support is only available for farms with no road access for deliveries.

Delivery of critical farm supplies to isolated communities – Hawke’s Bay – Fact sheet [PDF, 484 KB]

Delivery of critical farm supplies to isolated communities – Tairāwhiti – Fact sheet [PDF, 489 KB]

Information for Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti farm supplies companies and veterinarians/veterinary goods suppliers

If your customers want to place an order for delivery to an isolated area where there is no road access, you can contact MPI to register and to receive information on how to process these orders.

Phone 0800 00 83 33 and tell them you want to register for the delivery of critical supplies to isolated communities.

Movement of livestock to meatworks and saleyards

MPI is supporting Hawke’s Bay farmers with limited road access to coordinate the movement of livestock.

Support is available for farms around State Highway 2 north of Tangoio Marae and south of Waikare Gorge, and in cut-off areas, including Puketitiri, Puketapu, Pātoka, Rissington, and Dartmoor.

Movement of livestock – State Highway 2 area north of Tangoio Marae and south of Waikare Gorge – Fact sheet [PDF, 768 KB]

Movement of livestock – Puketitiri, Puketapu, Pātoka, Rissington, and Dartmoor – Fact sheet [PDF, 781 KB]

Droving stock following Cyclone Gabrielle – Fact sheet [PDF, 863 KB]

Cyclone recovery support for fishing, aquaculture and forestry

There are Government grants, administered by MBIE, of up to $40,000 available in 7 regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and the January floods in the North Island. Seafood and forestry businesses can apply for one of these grants, which will be administered through local delivery partners. Businesses should go to their local partner to find out more information and to apply for a grant.

Our fact sheets have full lists of the help and support available.

Cyclone Gabrielle recovery for fishing and aquaculture sector – fact sheet [PDF, 498 KB]

Cyclone Gabrielle recovery for forestry sector – fact sheet [PDF, 712 KB]

Animal welfare in areas affected by the cyclone

MPI, the SPCA, Helping You Help Animals (HUHA), and other animal support agencies have worked together to help meet animal welfare needs in areas affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

There is still animal welfare support available in both Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti as the shift to recovery gathers momentum.

For advice on animal welfare or to report concerns, contact MPI’s animal welfare team on 0800 00 83 33.

If you need advice or support around health and wellbeing, accommodation, food supplies (including pet food), household goods, or rural support:

in the Hawke’s Bay – call the civil defence emergency management (CDEM) helpline on 0800 11 76 72.
in Tairawhiti – call the CDEM helpline on 0800 65 38 00.

Information to ensure the welfare of your animals

Comprehensive list of resources on caring for animals after flooding – NZ Veterinary Association

Livestock health after prolonged wet conditions and flooding – Fact sheet [PDF, 1.8 MB]

Animal feed advice after Cyclone Gabrielle – Fact sheet [PDF, 5.5 MB]