Dairy farmers across northern NSW are cleaning up after days of rain and flooding that wiped out livestock and farm infrastructure and devastated pastures. The floods have claimed entire herds, fences, machinery and other infrastructure, while flood waters have cut off other farms. Isolated farms with unreliable power supply are stopping cows being milked.

Dairy NSW regional manager Paul van Wel said some farms have lost newly sown pasture which will double recovery costs. Covered in mud and debris, some paddocks are not able to be re-established, which will impact next winter. Feed prices are higher due to drought conditions across South Australia and Victoria with dairy farmers forced to buy NSW hay for feed.