A West Coast Farming Leader Says The Region Is On The Cusp Of Drought

A West Coast farming leader says the region is on the cusp of drought, with some farmers already buying extra feed and offloading stock. While it has been a wet summer for much of the country, on the West Coast it has been a different story, with some parts not having seen meaningful rain in weeks. Fire and Emergency recently suspended all fire permits in the Grey District, citing a shortage of water due to the lack of significant rainfall. West Coast Federated Farmers president Bede O’Connor says the dry conditions set in much earlier than usual with traditionally February the driest month on the coast. Bede O’Connor says the best thing farmers can do to help reduce the pressure of the dry conditions on farms was to make decisions early.