Dairy farm owner Duncan Wells, of Outram, said dry conditions and grass grubs were impacting his farm operation.
"We are struggling and on our knees."
Mr Wells made the statement when dairy farmers were asked how their season was going at a Dairy NZ field day in Henley last week.
Dairy farmer Matt Kerr, of Berwick, said he was set to have a 4ha paddock sprayed to control the pasture pest.
"If you do nothing, you can have fun pulling all your grass out for the next months and watch your paddocks disappear."
He recently pulled up a clump of grass and it contained eight grass grubs.
"They’ll eat your paddock to bits."
"It is not cheap."
A farmer suggested the chemical would kill more than just grass grubs and could wipe out worms.
Mr Kerr said farmers had to choose what was more important to them, their grass or their worms.
"You’ve got to decide what is worth more to you."
Another farmer suggested he irrigate to control the pasture pest.
Mr Kerr said that control method required a lot of water, which he needed to irrigate pasture.
"You’ve got to really drown them."
