Heavy weekend rain which caused slips and flooding in the Gisborne, Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay regions, disrupted harvesting and increased the disease risk for crops and livestock.
Frank Bryant, who farms on the Poverty Bay flats near Gisborne, says says 100 - 150mm of rain fell in a couple of days.
Mr Bryant expects the rain and humidity will send the danger of facial eczema soaring for sheep and cattle.
And the sodden conditions forced a halt to the export squash harvest, which was in full swing.
Wet, humid conditions have also brought the rapid onset of botrytis fungal infection in grapes.
