Is drug use rife on New Zealand farms?

Drug use and production is a growing concern in rural New Zealand. Photo / supplied

Federated Farmers Waikato Provincial President Chris Lewis chats to The Country Early Edition's Dom George about a growing drug problem in rural New Zealand.

Not only are isolated farm houses being used as meth labs, there is also a worrying increase in positive farm worker drug tests.

Lewis cites one example of a Waikato dairy farmer who recently drug tested his staff and found that 75% had drugs in their system.

Dairy farms in particular seem to be a haven for drug use and manufacturing.

Workers have easy access to chemicals and the irregular hours they keep can sometimes lead to substance abuse in order to stay awake.

There are also predictions that turning farm houses into P-labs will stop farm owners from letting employees live on the property.

Concerns have been raised by farm owners which has prompted Lewis and the Waikato branch of Federated Farmers to embark on a road show in September to educate farmers on the growing issue.

Listen to Dom George's full interview with Chris Lewis in the Soundcloud embed below: