October 29, 2025 • 7 mins
Power is still out to many rural South Island properties.
Just under six thousand are still cut off in Clutha and Southland, where States of Emergency continue.
More than three-thousand weather-related insurance claims have been lodged so far.
Federated Farmers Southland President Jason Herrick told Kerre Woodham that, 'people were helping one another and I'll tell you what, I'm hearing some stories out there of some real unsung heroes.'
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the carry Wood and Morning's podcast from
News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
He'd be right now.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
We thought we'd catch up with our farmers in Southland.
POWs still out to many rural South Island properties. Just
under six thousand are still cut off in Cluther and Southland,
where states of emergency continue. And I guess if you're
not there, you don't know, do you. You know? With
the rest of the country poodles along and in the meantime,
in Cluther and Southland, the state of emergency continues. More
(00:35):
than three thousand weather related insurance claims have been lodged
so far. Federated Farmers Southland President Jason Herrick joins me.
Now a very good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Good morning, Carey, how are you today.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
It is a good morning for us, the sun is shining.
But what's it like for your farmers?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah? No, sorry, today's where the forecast is not very
farmer friendly. We've got a bit of rain on the
horizon later on and galfs ones again. Oh god, Yeah,
it just seems to deliver. But that's okay. Spirits are
pretty good to be honest as Yeah, most farmers I've
spoken to her in a pretty good space, because you know,
the community wrapped around one another and there lots of
(01:15):
community support and people helping one another. And I'll tell
you what hearing some stories out there are some real
unsung heroes. So you know, Southland as a whole, it
seems to be in pretty good shape in the top
two inches anyway.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Ah, that is good to hear. I do wonder though, too,
what happens when it stops. You know, you have to
be careful once the crisis is over and you're not
reacting and working and you've got something to do. Sometimes
it can hit you afterwards that you're just exhausted and
you've used up a lot of your resilience.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I absolutely agree with you, and I've been putting out
a bit of colms throughout Southland around looking after yourself first,
first and foremost, and because if you don't and you
end up burning out, then you can't continue to help
other people that you want to. And so yeah, definitely
take a step back and look after number one first
and then you can look after others. So you know,
(02:11):
there is going to be a lot of fatigues that
at some point because the cleanup, you know, get the
urgent stuff is already happening, but then the non urgent
stuff later on, it is going to take some time.
So you know, farmers are going to be prioritizing over
the next month. You know, the sheep beef guys, they're
going to be prioritizing finishing, lambing, tailing and getting all
that stuff sorted. And the dairy farmers are prioritizing milking,
(02:34):
animal outfare and mating, so you know, and then the
clean up of the trees and fences and infrastructure will
come under lay to day.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah. Yeah, I mean the state of emergency might end,
but the hard work only really begins then, doesn't it
when when you can actually get cracking on the stuff
that's been damaged and repair the infrastructure.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, totally. And you know it's some concern around because
most of the damages as trees and trees fallen over,
and there's a bit of concern around the cleanup of
those trees. Just because the trees laying on the ground
doesn't mean it's safe, because it's not. No, And you know,
we are putting some combs out there too around keeping
(03:15):
safe around clean up, making sure that you have experienced
guys handling these these massive trees that are down with
all the root infrastructure attached, So a lot to think
about and just making sure that everybody's safe and around
the heavy machinery and things like chainsaws. So yeah, there's
a lot of work to be done for sure.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
How much intel do you get from regions that have
suffered the same sort of experiences and is it relatable,
Like if you've got your farmers from Hawk's Bay, can
they pass on information about prioritizing cleanups or can they
pass on and tell about sharing generators or milking? Does
(03:55):
that all happen or do you just rely on the
institutional knowledge within the region.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Well, pretty much it's within region to region. But you know,
me personally, I've lived through the cross at earthquakes and
the books and now of two thousand and six where
we had no powerful weeks on end, you know, and
so I'm sort of sharing my experience with others out
there and around those sorts of things. When it comes
to wind damage, I think it's a little bit different.
(04:22):
We do need to call upon and lean on our
provincial brothers and sisters out there that had the knowledge
on that clean up. So we have been have been
contacted by contractors that were involved in a lot of
those cleanups, especially the east coast of the North Island,
offering their services and assistance to help and help coordinate.
(04:43):
The coordination is going to be a big thing. Yeah,
And you know, and like I said, that will happen,
you know, mid to late November, I think those sorts
of cleanups will start happening. So yeah, definitely calling upon
other provinces experiences to help us out through that situation.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Were there any stock losses?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Just the odd stock that were sheltering in behind shelled
abouts and trees with trees falling down on top of stock,
I'm hearing overview, but not Majors.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
That's quite extraordinary when you think about the extent of
the weather ferocity.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Yeah, exactly. And to be honest with you, we only
had fifteen to twenty minutes warning and you only got
that warning if you were easily looking at the site
or listening to the radio.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
So the warning was for Kennyvry for the red warning
and it only changed the red fifteen to twenty minutes
before it hit in South and so a lot of
people were very underprepared for it.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Well, then it's a miracle. There hasn't been loss of
life and loss of stock, so that's your wholesale loss
of stock, especially at this critical time of the year.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Absolutely, And you've seen some of the videos and content
that they are of trees falling right down in front
of vehicles and on top of sheds that had stock
in them and people working in around them. Right, So you,
like you said, it was a miracle nobody was hurt
or killed out of that it wouldn't have storm hit.
So yeah, I'll just I'm thinking my lucky stars that
(06:07):
nobody was.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Absolutely. Now, the Fonterra sale, the possibility of selling off
some of the consumer arm, that's that's going to be exciting.
Even discussing the possibility is exciting, you know for farmers.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Yeah, so you know, for from our own personal point
of view. You can look at it from both sides
of the coin. Is it great selling off some of
our some of our brands or is it not. I'm
still yet to decide what's right or wrong really, but
I'm saying that it's great for the farmers. Now that
we're going through these adverse events, they're going to need
(06:42):
a little bit of the top of it. Yeah, you know,
and in adverse events are hitting the country right across
the country, you know, so it is good for farmers
to be able to pay down some debt and reduce
some of the pressure and load on them financially. So
you know, there's always a silver lining to something. But
there's pros and cons to everything in life, isn't there.
So absolutely yeah, he has their own opinion on it.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
I hope that they use some of it for silly
nonsense as well as paying down debt and sensible stuff.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah, I think some of them deserve a bit of
a bright absolutely well about looking after those top two inches,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yeah, it really really is for the long term. Thank you.
Jason Herrick, Federated Farmer's Southland President, talking the state of
emergency that remains in Cluther and Southland and a very
very long clean up ahead.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
For more from Kerry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news talks that'd be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the carry Wood and Morning's podcast from
News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
He'd be right now.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
We thought we'd catch up with our farmers in Southland.
POWs still out to many rural South Island properties. Just
under six thousand are still cut off in Cluther and Southland,
where states of emergency continue. And I guess if you're
not there, you don't know, do you. You know? With
the rest of the country poodles along and in the meantime,
in Cluther and Southland, the state of emergency continues. More
(00:35):
than three thousand weather related insurance claims have been lodged
so far. Federated Farmers Southland President Jason Herrick joins me.
Now a very good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Good morning, Carey, how are you today.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
It is a good morning for us, the sun is shining.
But what's it like for your farmers?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yeah? No, sorry, today's where the forecast is not very
farmer friendly. We've got a bit of rain on the
horizon later on and galfs ones again. Oh god, Yeah,
it just seems to deliver. But that's okay. Spirits are
pretty good to be honest as Yeah, most farmers I've
spoken to her in a pretty good space, because you know,
the community wrapped around one another and there lots of
(01:15):
community support and people helping one another. And I'll tell
you what hearing some stories out there are some real
unsung heroes. So you know, Southland as a whole, it
seems to be in pretty good shape in the top
two inches anyway.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Ah, that is good to hear. I do wonder though, too,
what happens when it stops. You know, you have to
be careful once the crisis is over and you're not
reacting and working and you've got something to do. Sometimes
it can hit you afterwards that you're just exhausted and
you've used up a lot of your resilience.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I absolutely agree with you, and I've been putting out
a bit of colms throughout Southland around looking after yourself first,
first and foremost, and because if you don't and you
end up burning out, then you can't continue to help
other people that you want to. And so yeah, definitely
take a step back and look after number one first
and then you can look after others. So you know,
(02:11):
there is going to be a lot of fatigues that
at some point because the cleanup, you know, get the
urgent stuff is already happening, but then the non urgent
stuff later on, it is going to take some time.
So you know, farmers are going to be prioritizing over
the next month. You know, the sheep beef guys, they're
going to be prioritizing finishing, lambing, tailing and getting all
that stuff sorted. And the dairy farmers are prioritizing milking,
(02:34):
animal outfare and mating, so you know, and then the
clean up of the trees and fences and infrastructure will
come under lay to day.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah. Yeah, I mean the state of emergency might end,
but the hard work only really begins then, doesn't it
when when you can actually get cracking on the stuff
that's been damaged and repair the infrastructure.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, totally. And you know it's some concern around because
most of the damages as trees and trees fallen over,
and there's a bit of concern around the cleanup of
those trees. Just because the trees laying on the ground
doesn't mean it's safe, because it's not. No, And you know,
we are putting some combs out there too around keeping
(03:15):
safe around clean up, making sure that you have experienced
guys handling these these massive trees that are down with
all the root infrastructure attached, So a lot to think
about and just making sure that everybody's safe and around
the heavy machinery and things like chainsaws. So yeah, there's
a lot of work to be done for sure.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
How much intel do you get from regions that have
suffered the same sort of experiences and is it relatable,
Like if you've got your farmers from Hawk's Bay, can
they pass on information about prioritizing cleanups or can they
pass on and tell about sharing generators or milking? Does
(03:55):
that all happen or do you just rely on the
institutional knowledge within the region.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Well, pretty much it's within region to region. But you know,
me personally, I've lived through the cross at earthquakes and
the books and now of two thousand and six where
we had no powerful weeks on end, you know, and
so I'm sort of sharing my experience with others out
there and around those sorts of things. When it comes
to wind damage, I think it's a little bit different.
(04:22):
We do need to call upon and lean on our
provincial brothers and sisters out there that had the knowledge
on that clean up. So we have been have been
contacted by contractors that were involved in a lot of
those cleanups, especially the east coast of the North Island,
offering their services and assistance to help and help coordinate.
(04:43):
The coordination is going to be a big thing. Yeah,
And you know, and like I said, that will happen,
you know, mid to late November, I think those sorts
of cleanups will start happening. So yeah, definitely calling upon
other provinces experiences to help us out through that situation.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Were there any stock losses?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Just the odd stock that were sheltering in behind shelled
abouts and trees with trees falling down on top of stock,
I'm hearing overview, but not Majors.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
That's quite extraordinary when you think about the extent of
the weather ferocity.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Yeah, exactly. And to be honest with you, we only
had fifteen to twenty minutes warning and you only got
that warning if you were easily looking at the site
or listening to the radio.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
So the warning was for Kennyvry for the red warning
and it only changed the red fifteen to twenty minutes
before it hit in South and so a lot of
people were very underprepared for it.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Well, then it's a miracle. There hasn't been loss of
life and loss of stock, so that's your wholesale loss
of stock, especially at this critical time of the year.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Absolutely, And you've seen some of the videos and content
that they are of trees falling right down in front
of vehicles and on top of sheds that had stock
in them and people working in around them. Right, So you,
like you said, it was a miracle nobody was hurt
or killed out of that it wouldn't have storm hit.
So yeah, I'll just I'm thinking my lucky stars that
(06:07):
nobody was.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Absolutely. Now, the Fonterra sale, the possibility of selling off
some of the consumer arm, that's that's going to be exciting.
Even discussing the possibility is exciting, you know for farmers.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Yeah, so you know, for from our own personal point
of view. You can look at it from both sides
of the coin. Is it great selling off some of
our some of our brands or is it not. I'm
still yet to decide what's right or wrong really, but
I'm saying that it's great for the farmers. Now that
we're going through these adverse events, they're going to need
(06:42):
a little bit of the top of it. Yeah, you know,
and in adverse events are hitting the country right across
the country, you know, so it is good for farmers
to be able to pay down some debt and reduce
some of the pressure and load on them financially. So
you know, there's always a silver lining to something. But
there's pros and cons to everything in life, isn't there.
So absolutely yeah, he has their own opinion on it.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
I hope that they use some of it for silly
nonsense as well as paying down debt and sensible stuff.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah, I think some of them deserve a bit of
a bright absolutely well about looking after those top two inches,
isn't it.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yeah, it really really is for the long term. Thank you.
Jason Herrick, Federated Farmer's Southland President, talking the state of
emergency that remains in Cluther and Southland and a very
very long clean up ahead.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
For more from Kerry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news talks that'd be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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