The drought is having a massive impact on agriculture.

Compeer Financial new markets lending specialist Paul Dietmann says the scope stretches beyond traditional crop and livestock production and is being felt in direct-to-consumer markets.

“Anybody who is marketing meat direct to consumers, most of them are doing something grass-fed. Well, pastures are just burnt up, there’s just nothing left. So that’s having a pretty big impact.”

He tells Brownfield most small-scale vegetable growers use irrigation, so they haven’t been as affected.

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