Bay of Plenty farmers ravaged by floods 10 years ago are aiding their northland counterparts by sending much-needed feed to flood-ravaged areas.

About 90 per cent of Northland farmers' pasture has been left unusable due to the heavy rain and flooding experienced in the last month.

Northland has been ravaged by heavy rain and flooding this month, rending its pasture unusable. Photo; File.

Trucks and trailers carrying 44 bales of hay left Whakatane yesterday and will be delivered to six farms on the Hikurangi swamp today.

Cheryl Brogden, from Bales R Us in Awakeri, helped organise the donation - 10 years after the Eastern Bay was ravaged by floods.

Extensive damage was caused to farmers' pastures in the Bay area in July 2004 and other regions came to farmers' aid by delivering much needed feed over a six week period.

Cheryl says the farmers in the Eastern Bay felt it was there turn to give back.

'My husband said we should do something to help the farmers up north after seeing the floods on TV, because that was us 10 years ago.”

The feed donations took about a week to organise with a second delivery expected later this week, or early next.

'We've had a really good response from local farmers. Phil, my husband, he rang up the Federated Farmers guy down here, who sent out an email and then the dairy focus farm owner rang us and he sent a text around to all his people and a note was put in RD1.

'The hay today will be going to six different farms on the Hikurangi swamp.

'We hope to have enough hay for at least another two loads and we are hoping to get enough to make another three unit loads.

'The other thing it does is give the Northland farmers a lift, to think there are others that do care and that they are not alone.”

She says it's almost as much psychological help as it is physical, and there is hope other regions will also get onboard.

'I'm sure you will find most trucking firms will either do it for nothing or for cost. We donated the cartage of one load and are doing the other two loads for cost.

'I like to hope farmers from other areas will get on board.”

Bill Webb from Bill Webb Feed Solutions says they have feed available to purchase but Northland farmers must be relying on donated feed first.

'We advertised in the Northern Advocate on Wednesday and Saturday and have had only one enquiry.

'We have also been in contact with a South Island supplier and he says he has had a couple of enquiries.”