Flooded farms to get a $100,000 productivity boost

18 June 2004

Dow Agrosciences Helping Farmers With Rebuilding Effort

Flooded farms to get a $100,000 productivity boost

It’s been almost four months since some of New Zealand’s most serious flooding hit farmers in the Manawatu and Wanganui regions. With a total cost estimated at more than $200 million, the February floods caused huge damage to pastures throughout the affected regions.

Now the floodwaters have receded and most of the cleanup work has been done, farmers’ attention is focused on returning flood-affected pastures to full productivity.

Dow AgroSciences have been to the forefront of this rebuilding effort, donating more than $100,000 worth of herbicides (1600L Select*, 1600L Glyphosate, 20kg Preside, 400L Uptake spraying oil) to worst-hit farmers.

“Dow AgroSciences is pleased to be helping flood-affected farmers” says Peter Dryden, General Manager. “The farming communities of Manawatu Wanganui and Taranaki have been very supportive of Dow AgroSciences in the past, and we are pleased to provide some support in return to help them get back into production as quickly as possible.”

The relief package is being distributed in partnership with Federated Farmers in Wanganui Manawatu and Taranaki. Farmers were invited to apply to Federated Farmers for the herbicides in April, and the job of assessing applications and distributing to farmers is now well underway.

“This support from Dow is greatly appreciated” says Steve Anstis, President of Wanganui Federated Farmers. “The floods destroyed a lot of pasture in the district, and it’s going to take a few seasons and a lot of help to get back to pre-flood production levels. This is just what was needed to help begin the rebuilding process”

Shelley Dew – Hopkins, President of Manawatu/Rangitikei Federated Farmers agrees. “We have been distributing the herbicides from Dow throughout our region to the areas with the greatest need, and farmers are extremely grateful for the support. The floodwaters have gone but we still have a long way to go in this area, so Dow’s gesture of goodwill is very much appreciated.” Dow’s donation of Select, Preside and Uptake spraying oil will help farmers keep their newly sown pasture free of any emerging weeds. They are both grass and clover friendly so help to ensure that pasture is back to full production as soon as possible. Dow AgroSciences Glyphosate is a non residual broadspectrum herbicide for use in cleaning out old pastures ready for re-sowing into pasture or putting into crop.

“The Dow AgroSciences Glyphosate 360 is going to be very useful coming into spring, to help develop cropping land to give immediate feed stock” says Anstis. “And the broadleaf herbicides Select and Preside will clean out weeds from the new grass that is starting to come back now.”

Steve Anstis says that four months after the floods, farmers in his district are starting to get back on their feet. “We were all very grateful for all the support we received from around the country“ he says. “First we had Government response, then the Holmes appeal, and we’re still getting offers of help from people donating their labour. Now Dow AgroSciences and other suppliers are putting their hand up to offer assistance. That sort of thing really restores your faith in human nature.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media