Winton farmer John Kennedy has been dairy farming at his Central Southland property for 20 years and is now four months into his new role with the SRST, but has been involved with the trust since it began in 2007.
Mr Kennedy stepped into the role of chairman after former chairman Lindsay Wright was appointed the position of SRST co-ordinator. The worst event the trust had come across was the big snow of 2010 but this year's wet weather had also left the trust ready for the worst.
In true Southland fashion the weather came right in the following days, Mr Kennedy said.
Now as the swede saga takes on the Southland region, Mr Kennedy wanted to remind people the Southland Rural Support Trust was there to help farmers who were feeling the pressure.
Mr Kennedy said being involved with the SRST had been really rewarding and it was nice to know that in the case of an adverse event that all of the rural organisations would come together for the farmers.
''The trust is not there on its own, there are a huge number of organisations that will work together.''
''It's been really satisfying knowing that the Ministry of Primary Industries is fully supporting the rural sector and we [SRST] can follow through on the issues.''
''They do have the rural area in their best interest which I think is really nice.''
As well as being chairman of the SRST Mr Kennedy is also a councillor of Holstein Friesian New Zealand and a bull supplier to Livestock Improvement Corporation.
By Nicole SharpÂ