The Government is giving an extra $400,000 to help West Coasters recover from the devastating March floods.

Bucking public perception of dirty dairying – fanned by environmental groups and mainstream media reporting – West Coast dairy farmers have played a big part in cleaning up the biggest waterway in the region.

The West Coast is a challenging place to live and farm. High rainfall is a feature of the region and it has always struggled to develop a strong economic base. Isolation is another issue.

Westland Milk Products chairman Matt O'Regan is a burn and bred West Coaster.

Westland Milk Products chairman Matt O'Regan says it's very hard to predict a payout price given the volatility of the international market.

On the West Coast of the South Island, for 30 years, many dairy farmers have 'humped and hollowed' their land, dealing with the whopping natural challenge the region lays down – massive rainfall.

Persistently wet conditions on the West Coast are causing huge problems for dairy farmers there, says DairyNZ consulting officer Ross Bishop.

This season threw up a big challenge for dairy farmers in the low payout, but all hoped the weather might have been kind.

Kelvin and Heather McKay say it was a natural progression for them to take out the 2015 West Coast/Top of the South Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year title.

For the second year in a row the West Coast is drying out, causing a drop in the milk flow to Westland Milk Products.