Marlborough farmers are calling on the Government to declare an official drought in the region - which has had its driest six months since 1930.
The extremely dry conditions across Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman are expected to worsen in the coming months and farmers are selling off stock.
Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson was out talking to farmers on Monday.
"It's so dry, it's gone past brown to grey which is always a sign that it's really really dry," he said.
Third generation sheep and beef farmer Richard Dawkins showed him around his parched Waihopai property, where some summer crops have failed due to the dry - so he's been feeding out for months.
"It does wear you down, getting up extra early - feeding out every day... but, look, the stock are well fed and our water is holding up OK," said Dawkins.
Others aren't so lucky - with dams drying up and crops failing, they've been forced to send stock to slaughter.
"There's been some hard decisions on top of for sheep and beef farmers, tough financial times with the price of lamb dropping drastically," said Marlborough Federated Farmers president Evan White.
The minister met with members of Marlborough's farming community to discuss the situation and hear their concerns. What they need is an official drought classification from Government.
"We'd like to see this area classified in drought officially... so we can get some tax breaks," said White.
It'd also enable funding for stock feed and help farmers' mental health.
But the minister isn't declaring it just yet.
"It's certainly an active discussion and one of reasons why I'm here today to have a look on the ground," Patterson said.
Drought like conditions are an issue in many parts of the country. NIWA'S drought index map shows areas such as Northland, the East Cape, the lower North Island, top of the South through to Christchurch and parts of Otago have patches of "extreme dry".
"I just hope people out there are looking out for their neighbours and their mates," said Dawkins.
