As the winter weather is making itself felt, most recently with tornadoes in Taranaki and Ruapehu, please stay safe and travel only if absolutely necessary.

Treat all lines as live and report power outages to your supplier.

Please ask for assistance if you need it, and keep an eye on your neighbours.

For updates at this stage please refer to https://www.facebook.com/TaranakiCivilDefence/ and https://www.facebook.com/ruapehudc/

Weather updates http://www.metservice.com/national/home.

Pic below of unoccupied home, taken from Ruapehu District Council facebook page.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/tax-relief-drought-affected-farmers

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/further-support-struggling-farmers.

Detail of what may be available can be found on the Work and Income drought page: https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/emergencies/rural-assistance-lower-north-island-and-west-coast-drought-2018.html including Rural Assistance Payments.

Please share this information and encourage farmers in affected areas to talk to their accountants and advisors.

Share with your rural professional contacts so they are aware of the current challenges due to poor spring and dry early summer. Farmers and families may benefit from help revising their budgets. Some who are badly affected - particularly lower-order sharemilkers and contract milkers - may be eligible for entitlements such as Working for Families https://www.workingforfamilies.govt.nz/ so your help to make their accountants / advisors aware is appreciated.

Your local Rural Support Trust is available and Federated Farmers' Feedline is open to both memb ers and non-members: https://www.fedfarm.org.nz/FFPublic/Adverse_Events_Farmer_Support_and_Feedline.aspx

MPI, DairyNZ and B+L NZ also have good information for getting through droughts and dry weather.

• https://www.niwa.co.nz/climate/information-and-resources/drought-monitor
• https://www.niwa.co.nz/our-science/climate/publications/hotspot-watch
• https://beeflambnz.com/news-views/extreme-dry-management

• https://www.dairynz.co.nz/feed/seasonal-management/summer-management/
• https://www.dairynz.co.nz/feed/pasture-management/tiller-talk/tiller-talk-update
• https://fireweather.niwa.co.nz/