The earthquake affected North Canterbury farmers are telling New Zealand First that they urgently need workers and supplies to help them get back on their feet.
“We are now calling on the government to deploy the NZ Defence Force to assist with bringing in farm supplies and the task of getting the inland road opened for stock trucks,” says New Zealand First primary industries spokesperson Richard Prosser.
“NZ First is writing to the civil defence minister requesting the New Zealand Defence Force is deployed as soon as possible to help affected farmers,” he says.
“Even before this earthquake, North Canterbury was recovering from several seasons of drought,” says Prosser.
“Farmers require stock trucks into the area to get the stock to market or other farms. Drystock farmers are also desperate to get calves in because that’s next season’s income for them and the clock is ticking,” he says.
