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 immediate farm support

Farmers, growers, and whenua Māori owners needing immediate 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

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

Rural Support Trust: Help and support for rural NZ

Cyclone Gabrielle: What support is available and where can you get help? – National Emergency Management Agency

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 of Hawke's Bay

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is working with farm supply companies and vets in Hawke's Bay 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 by air or Unimog.

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.

For more information, including how to place an order, see this factsheet [PDF, 649 KB]

Information for Hawke’s Bay 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 and aquaculture

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 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 sheet has a full list of the help and support available.

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

Animal welfare in areas affected by the cyclone

MPI, the SPCA, and HUHA are working hard together to help meet animal welfare needs in the Hawke’s Bay region.

MPI animal welfare staff, the animal charity HUHA, and the SPCA have established a temporary animal shelter for companion animals at the Hawke’s Bay Racecourse at 300 Prospect Road, Hastings.

Feed for horses and livestock has been kindly donated from outside the area. This is available for collection and people can pick this up from Montana Arena (33 Montana Road, Bridge Pa) and Napier RDA 61 (Sandy Road, Napier).

The feed donations are being coordinated by local people who want to help anyone impacted by the flooding. They have already been overwhelmed with generosity and have asked if people can hold on to feed then make a donation later. With widespread damage to paddocks and stored feed, the need will continue for the weeks and months to come.

Many primary sector organisations have had helicopters up, some with vets on board, to do further impact assessments and on-farm visits in the isolated areas in Hawke's Bay and Gisborne.

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]