Dairy farmers in New Zealand are facing serious consequences of water shortages that can be traced to the developing El Nino. These water shortages have led to tighter restrictions on water use and have also reduced the availability of cheap energy from hydroelectric dams due to restrictions on how much water can be released. The AgWeb article said that milk production plunged in the 2012-2013 season during New Zealand’s worst drought in 30 years, especially the largest dairy regions on the North Island. This year, pasture growth has been good so far so dry conditions may be less damaging. This is especially a concern with a slump in global dairy prices. You can read the article here.