A rural trust says the lower North Island's worse-off than the government realises.

The west of Manawatu, Whanganui and south of Taranaki have been hit badly - farms are underwater and roads destroyed by water and slips.

The government's declared it a medium-scale adverse event, and handed $100,000 to the area's Rural Support Trusts.

Ruapehu-Whanganui rural support trust co-ordinator Lyn Neeson says they're grateful for the government funding, but it's not enough to help farmers on the ground.

"I've spoken to a farmer who has been pulling his sheep out of the mud, one farmer is considering walking his inland single ewes down the road to get their heads chopped off because there isn't enough food for them."

"What I'm hearing from farmers on the ground is that it's devastating, and they are just coming to terms with the gravity of it."

Dairy New Zealand are putting their hand up to help feed the 5000 cows who's paddocks have been flooded or destroyed.

Lower North Island regional leader James Muwunganirwa said they're working with other services to try and pump water off of drowned paddocks.

Another option is relocating stock, and they're currently trying to work out places that might have spare grass to keep these cows alive.

"They've come up with the priorities - about 30 or so farms, and those are the farms we know that are fiercely underwater at the moment."

Muwunganirwa said one option is to relocate livestock - so they've set up a database for farmers.

"People that have got available grazing can actually offer their services, and at the same time people in need can ring the support line as well."