Our People

To get help from the West Coast Rural Support Trust call our coordinator:

Dianne Milne

1620 Arnold Valley Road, Aratika

Phone: (03) 738 0038 Cell 0274449916
Email: bob.milne@xtra.co.nz

Freephone: 0800 787 254

Alternatively, you may complete our contact form.

Dianne Milne

Chairperson/Coordinator

A fourth generation West Coast farmer Dianne has been chairperson of the West Coast Rural Support Trust since its inception in 1998 in response to "the big wet". Dianne has a reputation in championing causes of rural people and rural communities.

Involved with Federated Farmers since 1988. Chairman of West Coast Meat & Fibre Section for nine years, President of West Coast Province for four years from 2000 to 2004 and currently an executive member. Member of West Coast RAHC (now TbFree) for 12 years and a mentor to farmers in need within the region

Dianne and husband Bob were married in 1996 and have been farming at Aratika since 1981.

Board of Trustees

John Clayton
Waimunga, Ikamatua
Kees van Beek
Hokitika
Paul Berry
Atarau
Carol Keoghan
Sergeants Hill, Westport
Bede O’Connor
Buller Gorge, Westport
Ron Monk
Kokatahi

Officers

Bob Milne (Treasurer)
1620 Arnold Valley Road, Aratika
Gillian Hunt (Secretary)
Westland Accountancy Ltd, Greymouth

News & Alerts

Feed planning service

NZ-wide: for drought-affected farmers, and those affected by floods eariier.

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Author: Terri Anderson

Feed planning service flyer

MPI and partner agencies DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, AgFirst and Federated Farmers are providing remote feed planning support to farmers.

How it works

This service is based on level of need and operates on three levels:

1. In the first instance, we’ll work out how much feed you need. A call to an industry or levy body will get you a free stock take assessment of your feed planning needs.

2. In the second instance, where it’s required, we can offer more advice and practical support. An advisor will help you understand what needs to be done and how you can go about it.

3. Finally, we can also refer you to someone who can offer more in-depth support. We can refer you to a farm systems consultant, who can provide help over the phone or visit if it is a serious animal welfare issue. Please note this level 3 support is not free.

Please call one of these toll-free numbers:

Dry stock sector – Beef + Lamb	0800 BEEFLAMB (0800 233 352)
Dairy sector – DairyNZ	0800 4 DAIRYNZ (0800 4 324 7969)
AgFirst	0508 AGFIRST (0508 243 477)

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Categories: National, Northland, Waikato-Hauraki-Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, East Coast, Taranaki, Manawatu-Rangitikei, Ruapehu-Whanganui, Top of the South, West Coast, North Canterbury, Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury, Otago, Southland

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Rural Support Trusts - how we can help in the M. bovis programme

We are more than just an ear to listen

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Author: Terri Anderson

Your regional Rural Support Trust (RST) is on-hand to support farmers being affected by M. bovis.

Our services are free and confidential.

As well as someone to talk to about your concerns, we can help you navigate through the process. We have training in and experience with the M. bovis programme, and know how it works.

Whatever your experience looks like, we can help in many ways including:

Trained facilitators who know how the programme works, and the process involved to help you navigate though.
Listening to your concerns and issues.
Confidentiality.
Phone calls, texts, emails – at a time that suits you.
Visiting and attending meetings with you.
One on one support and wrap around support – for you, your family, and your farming team.
Connecting – if we don’t know the answer we will help connect you to people who do.
Peer support – connecting with other farmers that have been through the process.
Helping you and your family access counselling services.

Depending on the individual farming operation it can be a lengthy process, involving a number of M. bovis Programme teams and RSTs offer support throughout the process and the ability to help shift things along if they get stuck.

We are rural people, helping rural people – we are farming people who understand the challenges of rural life.

Just call 0800 787 254 (0800 RURAL HELP). There are Rural Support Trust branches all over the country. Ringing 0800 787 254 will connect you to help in your area.

Supporting Our Rural Community

0800 RURAL HELP

www.rural-support.org.nz

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