Rural / Country

Waikato drought committee suspends operations

14:15 pm on 13 October 2010

An extremely wet spring has allowed the Waikato Regional Drought Committee to formally suspend its operations.

However, it will be keeping a close eye on conditions during the summer, in case there is a need to reactivate it to provide help for farmers.

The committee was formed earlier this year to coordinate the regional response to the late summer-autumn drought, the third dry spell in three years.

The Rural Support Trust's Waikato chairman, Neil Bateup, says dozens of farmers had sought advice, mostly about financial worries.

More than 30 Waikato farming families had qualified for Government Regional Assistance Payments and they will keep going until December.