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Offering Flood Relief In Tough Times

Offering Flood Relief In Tough Times

Kaituna Romney sheep are fertile, hardy hill country sheep, much like the 800 hectares of rolling green pasture they live on.

Kaituna Ridges is no ordinary stud farm, looking down from the ridges you can see the peaceful Kaituna River winding its way towards the Pelorus Sound, the Richmond Ranges to the south, and the stunning Queen Charlotte Sound to the north.

Between the 17 and 20 August 2022, a severe storm swept over parts of both the North and South islands, causing flooding and extensive damage across many rural communities. With over 1m of rain falling over four days in parts of the Nelson region, Freddy Gane’s Kaituna Ridges farm was hit hard. They lost 61 hectares of flats to the flooding but are hopeful they will recover them in time.

A flood can have devastating effects on a farm business, affecting livestock, land, and buildings. This was the third time in just over a year there has been a medium-scale adverse event for flooding in the Tasman, Nelson and Marlborough regions. Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor said “Many people will be doing it tough, but I also know there will be many people willing to get stuck in and help support their neighbour’s clean-up.”

Joseph McLean, P&F Global’s Sales Manager, travelled to the region to deliver some EUROFLO® rural culvert pipes and see how he could help. He spoke to Freddy about the event and the impact it’s had on their farm, as well the swell of support they and the local community have felt from around the country. Starting with Freddy, P&F Global along with Farmlands will work together to gift culverts pipes to farmer in need around the region.

As Freddy says “There’s a lot of farmers out there who have been absolutely nailed and to have people from all over the show, who you didn’t even know were thinking about you, show up to help out and offer a hand is pretty amazing.”

Joseph McLean, P&F Global’s Sales Manager, travelled to the region to deliver some EUROFLO® rural culvert pipes and see how he could help.

Trying to design and implement an effective drainage system can seem overwhelming with the demands of farm management and day-to-day operations, let alone a severe weather event, but the key is to break the process into manageable steps and to make a plan. In fact, right after a heavy rainfall event is a good time to assess the drainage needs of your farm – the rainfall will highlight problem areas for surface flooding, boggy ground and runoff.

If you need help or advice on farm drainage, we offer a free on farm drone mapping service. Future-proof your farm for all weather events and ensure you are getting the best return out of your land with a personalised drainage plan for your farm. For more information contact our Rural Specialist today on either 0800 99 77 33 or sales@pandfglobal.com.