Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds wants the Government to declare a small to medium scale adverse event for drought in Southland.

“The prolonged lack of rain in Southland is turning into a very serious weather situation for rural communities. I am very concerned about the impact this is having on our province and I think it’s high time that the Government recognized the issue.

“Farmers and their businesses are hurting – financially and emotionally, and the impact is spreading to their families, their staff and local communities.

“An acknowledgement by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, of the extremely dry conditions Southern farmers are grappling with, would go a long way in providing farmers with some much-needed support.

“Federated Farmers says many Southland farmers don’t believe the devastating situation around this province is being acknowledged by Government because of the wet conditions being experienced elsewhere in the country.

“But NIWA figures show Invercargill, Tiwai Point and Stewart Island have had their driest summer on record, and anecdotally farmers in Central, Western and Southern Southland have told me they’ve not seen conditions this dry in many decades. They also say they're worried and getting desperate.

“Much has been made of dairy’s high payout this year, but many of those benefits are now being swallowed up by increased fuel and fertiliser prices, and the cost of buying in supplementary feed to keep stock going. 

"Further to that, sheep, beef and dairy farmers are being affected by a shortage of killing space at local meat processing plants which is  adding to the pressure, because they can't get stock off their farms.

“There’s simply no growth as paddocks burn off and baleage is in desperately short supply across the region, while prices have increased from $90, up to around $150 a bale.

“There’s also a total fire ban across the region and water restriction in place, while those relying on tank water are having to wait up to a week to buy in household supplies.

“This is a chronic situation for our farming community and I would encourage anyone who has concerns around their wellbeing, or that of a mate, neighbour or family member, to get in touch with the local Rural Support Trust.

“National’s Agriculture spokesperson Barbara Kuriger will be visiting the Invercargill electorate this Friday (April 1) so that she can get a first-hand look at conditions around the province.”