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Essential Information for Rural Sector

Notice for landowners

The recent severe storm has resulted in significant flooding across the Marlborough region, impacting roads, infrastructure, and properties.

In light of this event, landowners should be aware of an emergency works guide that outlines necessary safety and operational procedures if they believe immediate works are required on their property.

Whether to restore safe passage or to protect against further damage, you need to consider if the works are “necessary" and whether they are reasonable in the circumstances.

These circumstances arise from the need to protect life, health, or property, while also considering environmental impacts.

We strongly encourage all landowners to consult with the Marlborough District Council before commencing any works.

Read the Landowners Guide on works in waterways or land in emergency situations.It is important you read this guide carefully.

Our Compliance team can provide guidance to ensure your plans align with regulatory requirements. Please contact us at compliance@marlborough.govt.nz or phone 03 520 7400 to discuss your proposals.

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our community safe and informed during this challenging time.

Flood Recovery Checklist

A flood recovery checklist for flood-affected farmers and growers in the Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough areas is now available on the Ministry for Primary Industries’ website.

It can be used as a digital document or printed. Flood recovery checklist for farmers and growers

It can also be found on MPI’s web page for the adverse event.
Go to the Recovery after floods in Nelson, Marlborough, and Tasman in mid-2025 webpage on the MPI website

Top of the South Rural Support Trust

For farmers and growers who require support.

Go to the Top of the South Rural Support Trust website

Ministry for Primary Industries

The Ministry’s On Farm Support Services has a freephone and email for support - 0800 707 133 and onfarmsupport@mpi.govt.nz.

Further useful resources below.

Go to more information on dealing with floods on the MPI website

DairyNZ

For dairy farmers dealing with flooding, damage to property and challenging conditions there are tips on this website about wet weather management and floods.

Go to the Crisis and adverse events page on the DairyNZ website

Beef + Lamb New Zealand

Useful resources for sheep and beef farmers

New Zealand Wine and Wine Marlborough

For resources and support

Go to the Top of the South Island Flood Response page on the New Zealand Wine website

Marlborough 2025 Severe Weather Events Fund

The Marlborough 2025 Severe Weather Events Fund was set up by the Ministry of Primary Industries to help affected farmers, growers, foresters and fishers recover from severe weather and flooding in June and July 2025. It is administered by Marlborough District Council.

Grant funding is available to assist with recovery efforts, the completion of time-critical repairs, and to build future resilience. Funding is open to all primary sector businesses in Marlborough that sustained damage during those severe weather events.

To be eligible, your business:

  • Must derive over 51 percent of its income from production or harvesting of food and/or fibre in the Marlborough region
  • Must have production properties that sustained damage in the storms and floods.

Insurable repairs and insured assets are not eligible. Lifestyle blocks are also not eligible; funding is for commercial primary sector properties only.

Further information on eligibility and the fund’s terms and conditions is available on the application form and in the frequently asked questions below.

Funding is open to all primary sector businesses in Marlborough that sustained damage during the severe weather events in June and July 2025. To be eligible, your business:

  • Must derive over 51 percent of its income from production or harvesting of food and/or fibre in the Nelson Tasman region (for collectively owned Māori land, this consideration does not apply)
  • Must have production properties that sustained damage in the storms and floods

  • Cleaning up silt and debris on production land
  • Removing debris in and around aquaculture farms
  • Removing fallen trees from boundary fences, riparian zones, and key access ways
  • Clearing key tracks
  • Infrastructure identified as being essential for production, but where costs cannot be met by insurance
  • Material costs of fences and culverts
  • Costs of farm or other machinery to undertake recovery activities.

The grants are to support the clearing, repair, and replacement of primary production assets not covered by insurance. They cannot be used to cover the exact same activities or eligible expenses funded through other sources.

Repairs should be essential for ongoing business operations and not new development or activities. Urgent purchases to replace damaged/lost feed will only be considered on a case-by-case basis where there is an immediate animal welfare concern.

Grants also do not cover:

  • Labour for regrassing and replanting
  • Purchase of livestock, shellfish, fish, spat etc to replace lost stock
  • Purchase of trees, vines, rootstock, seeds including for riparian/native replanting
  • Household-related costs (these may be eligible for other assistance)
  • Repair of buildings and structures.

Applications will be assessed by a panel with representatives from Marlborough District Council and the Ministry for Primary Industries.

If your grant request is approved, we’ll contact you and provide an indication of when the money will be paid. We’ll also be in touch if your application doesn’t meet the criteria and is unsuccessful.

Keep copies of your records, such as receipts, invoices and quotes. Grants will be monitored to ensure they are being used appropriately.

If you have any questions please call us on 03 520 7400 or email recovery@marlborough.govt.nz

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