29 MARCH

NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

777

Notice

1. Title—This is Part 6—Special Assistance to the Rural Sector notice.

2. Commencement—This notice comes into effect on the day after the date on which the Minister gives his approval to it:

18. Grants to Farmers, Orchardists etc.

18.1 The object of this Part is to provide financial assistance for Farmers.

18.2 The chief executive may make non-recoverable Grants to a Farmer who—

(a) has a Land Based Industry of a type or condition approved by the Minister from time to time, which is located in a
Region, District, or area approved by the Minister from time to time, and that Land Based Industry is in financial
difficulty and is not producing sufficient income to meet essential living expenses, and

(b) has no significant income other than from the Land Based Industry, and

(c) either—

(i) has made a decision to sell the Land Based Industry at a price the chief executive considers to be realistic; or

(ii) is in the process of actively evaluating the ongoing viability of the Land Based Industry; and

(d) has no assets unconnected with the Land Based Industry which it would be practicable to realise.

18.3 The approvals of the Minister for the purposes of clause 18.2 (a) and clause 18.6 in force at the commencement of this
programme are set out in Schedule 1.

18.3A The chief executive may, on and after the date the Special Needs Grant Amendment (No.9) comes into effect, from time
to time make non-recoverable grants to any Farmer—

(a) whose Land Based Industry situated in the North Island of New Zealand is bee-keeping and is in financial
difficulty because its hives are severely affected by the Varroa Jacobsoni species (honey bee mite) and is not
producing sufficient income to meet essential living expenses; and

(b) who has no sufficient income other than from the Land Based Industry; and

(c) who either—

(i) has made a decision to sell the Land Based Industry at a price the Chief Executive considers to be realistic; or

(ii) is in the process of actively evaluating the ongoing viability of the Land Based Industry; or

(iii) has evaluated the ongoing viability of the Land Based Industry and is actively working towards its recovery
as a viable bee-keeping business from the effects of the species; and

(d) who has no assets unconnected with the Land Based Industry that it would be practicable to realise.

18.4 For the purposes of this Part the definition of “Cash Assets” in clause 3.1 does not apply and the following definition is
substituted:

“Cash Assets”, in relation to any person, mean assets of that person and his or her spouse (if any) that can be
readily converted into cash and include—

(a) shares, debentures, bonus bonds, and other bonds;

(b) bank accounts, including fixed and term deposits with any bank, friendly society, credit union, or building
society;

(c) money invested with or lent to any bank or other financial institution;

(d) the net equity held in any property or land not used as the person’s home (except that the net equity in the
Land Based Industry, as defined in this clause, is not to be included in the Applicant’s Cash Assets in relation
to an application for a Grant under this Part);

(e) building society shares;

(f) mortgage investments and other long term loans;

(g) bills of exchange or promissory notes;

(h) the Applicant’s share in any partnership;

but do not include—

(i) the motor vehicle principally used by the Applicant for his or her personal use;

(j) a caravan, boat, or other vehicle—

(i) the net equity in which is less than $2000; or

(ii) which is used by the person or a member of his or her Immediate Family for day to day
accommodation;

(k) the personal effects of the person and his or her spouse (if any);

(l) the proceeds from the sale of capital pastoral stock (whether held or not held in any of the assets in
paragraphs (b), (c), (f) or (g) of this definition);

18.5 For the purposes of this Part—

“District”, unless otherwise stated, has the meaning in the Local Government Act 1974;

“Farmer” means—

(a) person who derives his or her principal income directly or indirectly from a Land Based Industry and has a
history of so doing; or

(b) a person who intends to so derive his or her income but the Land Based Industry is in the developmental
stage;

“Income”, in relation to a married person, includes the income of his or her spouse;

“Land Based Industry” includes, but is not limited to, the primary production of meat, wool, or dairy products,
arable farming, sharemilking, an orchard, bee-keeping, herb or flower growing, a market garden, and poultry
farming but does not include hobby farming;

“Region”, unless otherwise stated, has the meaning in the Local Government Act 1974.