Prepare, plan, and build resilience
Ensuring you and your farm business are prepared for an adverse event can make a real difference.
When an adverse event, such as a storm, drought, or earthquake, hits – prior planning can help make sure you can:
- milk your dairy cows, sheep, or goats
- provide water to livestock and people
- contain and feed livestock
- minimise additional stress on people.
Minimising risk
Individuals, rural communities, and businesses need to plan and be ready for adverse events and emergencies.
Consider the risks you face from adverse events and develop strategies to protect your family, business, and community.
This is one of the best ways to recover faster and build your business and family's resilience.
Risk management strategies can include:
- setting aside reserves of money, food, and livestock feed
- owning a generator or generators
- keeping insurance up to date
- locating buildings and planting crops away from areas of high risk
- planting drought-resistant crops and planting trees on highly erodible land
- having a reliable backup water supply
- keeping livestock in good health.
You are also responsible for safeguarding the welfare of your livestock, including the humane disposal of livestock.
Rural communities are stronger by working together
Members of rural communities need to work together to adapt and build resilience to adverse events. Reduce your risk by getting to know your neighbours and how to contact them.
Have a plan for when an event occurs, including:
- having a meeting place with emergency supplies
- maintaining a contact list of neighbours, local civil defence, important business partners (vet, electrician, processor), and your local Rural Support Trust.
Resources to help you prepare and recover
Farm checklist – Adverse event preparedness [PDF, 539 KB]
Farm emergency plan [PDF, 424 KB]
Flood recovery checklist for farmers and growers [PDF, 532 KB]
Who to contact
If you have questions about planning for adverse events, contact the On Farm Support team on:
- freephone 0800 70 71 33
- email onfarmsupport@mpi.govt.nz
