Drought-stricken farmers in Thames Valley are being urged to apply for the Mayoral Drought Relief Fund.
There is $250,000 available to help farmers with the cost of transporting supplementary feed.
Applications for funding are open from June 22 until July 13, and the maximum grant available per application is $5000.
The Thames Valley area includes Hauraki, Thames-Coromandel and Matamata-Piako districts, as well as eastern parts of the Waikato District.
Hauraki District Mayor Toby Adams said anyone in the Thames Valley area who owns livestock with a predominantly pasture diet can apply to the fund.
Applicants were expected to have a feed plan in place and have experienced slow recovery of pasture cover due to the autumn rainfall.
The funds will be distributed by a Mayoral Advisory Fund Committee.
"The effects of the drought have been bubbling away in the shadow of COVID-19 for some time and despite recent rain, many of our farmers are facing a really tough winter. We all need to get in behind them and show them our support." said Adams.
The funding came as a response from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) after a number of local leaders, including mayors and MPs, wrote a letter pleading for more assistance.
Overall MPI has allocated $500,000 to farmers in north Waikato and Northland, with $250,000 of that earmarked for farmers in the Thames Valley area.
Hauraki District Council has contributed $10,000 to the local fund, with Matamata-Piako and Thames-Coromandel councils also giving money.
