Thirty months into the drought, the TFGA is to establish a register of landowners who have plentiful grass on and who are able to agist sheep and cattle for the have nots, those who are trying to farm the dry belly of Tasmania.

Tasmania's drought-ridden properties extend from Bagdad in the south to Epping in the north, from Hamilton in the west to Swansea in the east.

There has been record low rainfall for the past two and a half years in this part of Tasmania, according to climate meteorologist Ian Barnes-Keoghan.

"They have been getting less than 70pc of their normal rains," he said.

"There has never been 30 months like it in Tasmania."

At Campbell Town, for instance, 870 mm of rain has fallen since January 2006. The historical average indicates there should have been 1270 mm.

Under the TFGA's proposal, which it regards as urgent, an agistment register would bring together those who have grass to spare and those who have none, typically smaller sheep holdings.

By agreeing terms and trucking their stock to grassed farms, the dryland graziers would hope to rest their own land until the coming of the spring rains, when the stock would return.

TFGA director David Gatenby says the land most likely available for sheep agistment is in the north-east and north-west, extending as far west as Ulverstone.

"We think agistment is a better alternative than the current practice of carting fodder to the dry farms," he said.

"Fodder helps to solve the feed problem but it doesn't remove the pressure of stock on the land. That land needs time to recover."

But Mr Gatenby acknowledges the agistment proposal might not suit all drought-affected graziers.

Some of the bigger properties through the central and southern midlands have already reduced their flocks and cattle herds and have sufficient acreage to give their paddocks a spell.

As well, the change of location might have animal health and certification implications that become more evident the further west one agisted.