MPI staff in the region have been talking to stock agents, farmers, and suppliers about farmers' needs. (file image) Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Beef and sheep farmers in Tai Rāwhiti fear they will have paddocks full of starving animals this winter due to a lack of road access.
State Highway 2, which runs through Gisborne and Hawke's Bay, has been battered by Cyclone Gabrielle and risks of slips and rockfall have shut a section between Pūtōrino (northern Hawke's Bay) and Eskdale (Hastings District).
Federated Farmers Gisborne / Wairoa acting president Charlie Reynolds said the greatest concern was how farmers would be able to drop stock numbers for winter when there was no clear timeline on restoring SH2.
Usually they would send a large number to Silver Fern Farms facilities in Hawke's Bay, which was done via SH2, Reynolds said.
"If we don't get these roads open shortly, we're going to hit a pinch point and it could end up being dire for some farms," he said.
"You certainly wouldn't shoot them, but you'd end up trying to push them through neighbours' properties, trying to get them somewhere where you could load, but again now the freight is just getting so expensive, because of the distance the trucks have got to drive."
Getting stock to another facility north was also problematic because it depended on whether a truck could get through to the farm and whether a processing plant had enough space, considering dairy kills would start soon, Reynolds said.
Crews working to repair State Highway 2 at Devil's Elbow earlier this month. Photo: Facebook / Waka Kotahi
A lack of road access also meant supplement feed may be hard to get for some farms, Reynolds said.
In a statement, Ministry of Primary Industries said it was helping coordinate helicopter deliveries of critical supplies.
"We're also supporting the movement of livestock, such as sheep and cattle, to meatworks and saleyards. We're doing this while ensuring the safety and welfare of animals. We're sourcing stockyards to help assist with the movement of cattle."
Reynolds said MPI have been helpful.
"We got a phone call this morning saying three sets of temporary yards have arrived, so if you can walk your stock off, we can put them on these yards to get them onto a truck."
MPI staff in the region have been talking to stock agents, farmers, and suppliers about farmers' needs, the ministry said.
It also worked with Federated Farmers to restart the national Feed Coordination Service, days after the cyclone hit, to match people with grazing or supplementary feed for sale with those who need it.
