Wairarapa Federated Farmers are encouraging farmers in the region impacted by this year’s severe weather events to apply for the North Island Weather Events Primary Producer Finance Scheme [NIWE].
The scheme aims to help support North Island land-based primary producers affected by 2023 North Island weather events, such as the Auckland Anniversary Weekend flood and Cyclone Gabrielle.
Applications and expressions of interest [EOI] are currently still open [the closing date is September 8, 2023].
According to Kānoa’s Regional Economic Development and Investment website, to be eligible farmers will need to demonstrate that their business “is unable to secure additional lending from your usual lender without government support”.
Federated Farmers president David Hayes told the Times-Age that it’s been a terrible year for all farmers. Some have been so badly affected that the pathway to financial recovery will be long and challenging. Government funding is available in these cases.
“This government financial support is available to farmers who have been so badly affected that additional support from their banks is not available.
“It’s not free money, but it can ease the pressure over several years,” Hayes said.
- For more information, contact Shane Wratt, Kanoa Regional Development and Investment Unit’s principal regional advisor for Wairarapa via [email protected], and Hayes via [email protected].
- Further information is also available online at www.growregions.govt.nz.
