23 June 2013
 
Volunteer call for snow-raking hard-hit Central Otago farms
 
Federated Farmers and the Otago Rural Support Trust are making a call for volunteers to assist around 40 farms in Central Otago, which have become cut off and need external assistance with snow-raking.
 
“Federated Farmers and the Otago Rural Support Trust are making a joint call for volunteers to assist with snow raking on around 40 farms in Central Otago,” says Katie Milne, Federated Farmers Adverse Events Spokesperson. 
 
“While the vast majority of farms have coped, things in Central Otago are serious on these farms.  The areas particularly hard hit are in circles around Danseys Pass almost in a line from Naseby and Clarks Junction, between Dunedin and Middlemarch
 
“We’d first ask volunteers from today to make contact with the Otago Rural Support Trust’s David Mellish on 021102 9890 or via drdavem@hotmail.com.
 
“From tomorrow, Federated Farmers will be activating its 0800 Adverse Events line.
 
“We understand that many farmers in the most affected areas have been or are planning their own snow raking operations. However for some of the most heavily affected, there may be a shortage of available hands and a lot of work to get through
 
“Our combined plan is simple and that is to match snow rakers with the farmers who need them.  Another caveat is that we can only get people to them where we’ve got some form of access.
 
“As there has been a lot of pressure on farmers, whose first obligation is to their own farm and family, we expect people will be in a better position to commit from tomorrow.  Today, after all, has been the first weather break in a number of days.
 
“We want to encourage neighbours in affected areas to contact one another and try to coordinate the use of helicopters. Realistically it is only today that choppers have been able to get into the air down south.
 
“Some farmers have already employed helicopter operators and that is something I saw with my own two eyes today.  There are both local and larger helicopter operators who are in a position to assist farmers. 
 
“Heavy snow is our equivalent to frost threatening a vineyard making helicopters a viable option for farmers.
 
“What we want affected farmers to know is that they are not alone and if they are in serious need, we will do our best to ensure volunteers will be on the way to them,” Mrs Milne concluded.

ENDS

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