Note: Sarah wrote this just before the two devastating flood events which recently hit the Nelson and Tasman region. Our thoughts are with those affected.

What are the biggest challenges facing rural people in your region right now – on-farm or off-farm?

In some respect Top of the South is no different to other rural areas where isolation and access to services are always an issue. As with many areas, we also have our fair share of droughts, floods and earthquakes. Rising production costs and regulation requirements are all making farming challenging. Marlborough and Nelson/Tasman are very urban based areas and there is often a 'disconnect' and lack of understanding of challenges rural folk face, particularly during an adverse event. We have seen market challenges in the hop industry which are primarily in the Nelson/Tasman area, however there is also good land diversification in this area too so to some degree that has helped to spread risk.  Viticulture is currently finding itself under the spotlight with a range of challenges including falling international demand for wine. With at least 31,000ha of vines being grown in Marlborough, this is very concerning for our area. We have areas of very good quality soils, and for those who may want to farm or grow crops it is now very hard if not impossible to find spare land that isn't already planted in vines. This is really tough on young farmers and I have talked to several moving to other areas to farm where land is available and cheaper.

I have an education background and I believe one of the biggest challenges the industry as a whole faces is attracting and retaining youth. There needs to be a clear, attainable training pathway in all schools, not just rural schools, and it needs to be promoted as being a career that can take you places, not just something you 'fall' into. I think it's very short sighted to believe that farming businesses will just be run by the sons and daughters of current farming families and would love to see 'outsiders' encouraged and supported to be involved from the bottom up to equity partnership opportunities.

What does support look like in practice for your branch?

People contact us for a range of issues including financial pressures, relationship problems, mental health struggles and everything between. They may come through on the 0800 phone where I'll have a chat to them and see how we can best support them. Some cases are pretty straight forward and others more complex. It may just be a simple job of linking them through to the available resources or it may involve a visit by one of our facilitators who have farming/growing backgrounds, and they will determine how we can assist. We like to attend as many industry get togethers as we can so that rural professionals know who to call if they are concerned about someone. We are also present on a couple of adverse event groups that meet regularly during peacetime and more often during an event, so that we can give farmers a 'voice' within the Emergency Coordination Centre at Civil Defence.

Can you share a recent moment or story that captures the spirit of your team’s work?

One of the most successful tools we've been involved with has been the Business Advice Fund. A number of farmers and growers in the Top of the South who have been under financial pressure, often during a drought, have benefitted from this fund. We were co funders of this but it is now fully funded by the main banks (Rabobank 50%). If a farmer's bank agrees to the use of it, a farmer/grower can get up to $6,000 to use towards a consultant in their business. This fund has proven to be a winner and provides a farmer with something really tangible. I have had numerous recipients thank me for linking them through to this and many have said it's been a game changer for them. If we can add something at the top of the cliff rather than being the ambulance at the bottom, then surely that has to be a good thing!

What upcoming events, workshops or initiatives are you planning or involved in?

We're working on a couple of farmer 'vs' grower events at the moment. We're happy to be present and maybe do a talk or the bbq/lunch at other events and workshops if it means we get seen. We haven't been as exposed to grower's events as we'd like to be so this is a current focus for us. We like to support Surfing for Farmers each year and encourage those in Marlborough to give it a go, it's a great initiative. In Nelson there is a rider's group along similar lines, for those keen to get together on their mountain bikes.

What message do you most want to get across to people in your region who may be finding it tough but haven’t reached out yet?

We really are here to help if we can. Sometimes things can seem so overwhelming you can't see a way forward. As the old adage goes "a problem shared is a problem halved". Pick a quiet time to ring, remember our support is confidential and free and it's also for farm workers not just owners. If you can't pick up the phone yourself, ask someone you trust to do it for you and remember often that step, is the hardest!

By Sarah White, Top of the South Rural Support Trust Regional Coordinator.