Weather takes a huge toll on our industry

Our thoughts are with all the people and growers across New Zealand who have been affected by the latest atrocious weather event, Cyclone Gabrielle. From what I have seen and heard, the impact has been devastating and it will take years for areas of the Hawkes Bay and Gisborne to recover. 

It is however too soon to talk about recovery when people have lost their lives or are missing. I know of growers who immediately dropped everything and used resources like helicopters and tractors to rescue people. Some of these same growers have also lost everything – their crops, machinery, houses and cars. Our thoughts are with all the growers, RSE workers, families and communities that have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, which has proved to be more damaging than Cyclone Bola in 1988. 

A group of primary sector leaders got together last night to develop a plan to take to Government to address affected communities’ immediate needs, as well as the sector’s long-term recovery.

But for now, the focus needs to be on ensuring everyone is all right – physically as well as mentally. Growers are resilient but there are limits. Please don’t test those limits. Instead, please follow Civil Defence’s instructions and stay safe. Where you need help, reach out as best you can to others in your community who may be able to help. Part of the plan we are taking to Government is to ensure support services are not overloaded, in what will be a long recovery.

Please also remember that HortNZ and product groups are here to help. Please contact us or your product group directly, but if you are unsure who to contact, please email info@hortnz.co.nz. 

For up-to-date information on what to do after dramatic weather events like these, please go to the HortNZ website: https://www.hortnz.co.nz/compliance/flood-support/

Food supply and security

Cyclone Gabrielle has come at the time when submissions on the acts to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA) are due. 

In the recovery plan we will be taking to Government, we will be emphasising the need for New Zealand to once and for all, take serious action about food supply and security. Because once again, we have a situation with the cyclone where New Zealand’s food supply and security has been compromised. And weather events like these are predicted to increase in number and frequency. 

Our submission on RMA reform will make it very clear that we feel the Government is missing an opportunity with the new, Natural and Build Environment Act. As it currently stands, the new act makes no provision for food supply and security at a time when both these things are being tested in New Zealand, and across the world.

We believe food security needs to be elevated to a new, far higher level in decision-making, to help the country ensure that all New Zealanders have access to fresh and nutritious food, given the role it plays in health and wellbeing. 

Good government is an art, not a science, although policy must be informed by fact and not opinion. We have seen too much policy in this country formed by ideology and opinion in recent years. Our industry can only hope that the new Prime Minister and decision-makers in Caucus will see sense, particularly when it comes to fundamental reform like that of the Resource Management Act, in a country affected increasingly by climate change.