Farmers are under pressure and all New Zealanders should be concerned

Sam McIvor is chief executive of Beef + Lamb New Zealand. OPINION: Many farmers and rural communities face a long road to recovery in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle, while other farmers in parts of the South Island are grappling with extreme dry conditions. It’s a challenging time for farmers, who also face rising costs and uncertain global markets. Why does this matter to New Zealanders in towns and cities across the country? Almost one-third of New Zealand’s sheep and half our beef cattle are in North Island regions that were subject to a state of emergency following the cyclones. Another third of our sheep, and 14% of our beef cattle are in Otago and Southland. This means two-thirds of both our sheep and our beef cattle are in areas either suffering from the effects of the cyclones or suffering dry conditions. This has a knock-on effect to the wider economy, including businesses that service farms like vets, trucking companies, and shearers. Sheep and beef farmers spend almost ...