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The region is still recovering from Cyclone Gabrielle in February, but the rain gods have not relented since, with regular falls saturating soil from East Cape to Hawke’s Bay.

Six months into the year, Toby Williams has already tipped 1200mm of rain out of the rain gauge on his Tairāwhiti farm, his average annual rainfall.

In the last week 260mm fell.

Such are ground conditions, farmers along the east coast cannot take tractors onto paddocks, stock are being setstocked early and cattle are being shifted to drier areas.

“It’s hard to do anything,” said Williams, a Federated Farmers board member.

“We can’t take tractors anywhere. We can’t do fencing and the digger contractor who is on the farm has had to leave because it’s too dangerous.”

Williams said mentally, farmers, their families and staff are all being dragged down by the constant wet weather.

“We know it will stop but we are also weary because once a really wet period stops, typically we get dry.”

This fear has been boosted by predictions that an El Niño weather pattern is forming.

Temperatures are still warm and, despite the wet weather, grass is still growing – but such are the saturated ground conditions, feed utilisation is poor.

The federation’s GisborneWairoa president, Hunaara Waerehu, said a major concern is surface flooding disrupting travel and damaging vulnerable roads and bridges.

He said water is once again pouring out of gullies, bringing