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Rain over much of the drought-afflicted South Island in the past few days has lifted spirits and put farmers in a better position to get through the winter.
However, Federated Farmers' South Island field manager Dick Massicks says pasture conditions in most drought areas are still fragile.
He says the rain has been too little and come too late to have much immediate impact on farming operations.
Massicks says with warm temperatures, the grass is growing but farmers will still need the feed they are buying to get their remaining stock through the winter.
There is some positive news though, with the rain setting up conditions beautifully for resowing the large areas of hill country in Marlborough that were scorched in the Boxing Day fires.
The fires burned through more than 6,000 hectares around Blenheim and in the Awatere area.
In April, the Government provided more than $500,000 to help rehabilitate the burnt country, especially the Wither Hills conservation area which is important to the region for erosion control.
Chris Le Cren, Marlborough's fire recovery coordinator, says with fine weather and moist ground conditions it is an ideal time to get top dressing planes out.
He says the grass seed is stuck together in pellet form so it is heavy enough to avoid being easily blown away.
About 1,100 hectares have already been resown by individual farmers and the remaining 25 tonnes of seed arrives from Canterbury on Monday.
By next summer, the scorched hills should be green again.
Le Cren says all farmers need now is continued warm temperatures so the seed gets a chance to germinate.
Luck might be on their side as NIWA is predicting warmer than usual temperatures and average rainfall throughout winter.
Tighter water controls wanted
Meanwhile, farmers in Marlborough are calling for tighter controls over the use of ground water, following what is described as the worst drought in 100 years.
The President of Marlborough Federated Farmers, David Dillon, says the development of the wine industry has increased demand for ground water.
He says tighter monitoring and regulation of water-use would ensure all users get the same access.
The Marlborough Economic Development trust is also calling for a rethink of ground water-use.
It says water conservation measures will become a question of survival, if predictions for hotter and drier conditions are borne out.
