In the wake of this week's snow storms, Federated Farmers and the Ministry of Agriculture are reminding farmers they have an obligation under the Animal Welfare Act to provide adequate shelter for stock.
The issue is being raised by farmers themselves, after seeing the lack of shelter on some of their neighbours' farms, where stock were exposed to snow and bitterly cold winds.
It's a particular issue in Canterbury, where there's been a significant removal of shelter belts to make way for pivot or travelling irrigation systems, especially on dairy farms.
Federated Farmers dairy chair Willy Leferink says some farmers have gone too far in removing shelter during dairy conversions and will need to restore protection for stock.
