Farmers still recovering from devastating floods are expecting Tropical Cyclone Alfred's strong winds and heavy rain to wipe out their crops.
NSW Tweed Valley grower Sandra Hawken said she had no doubt her soybean crop would go under, while her sugarcane would likely get battered by wild winds making it harder to harvest.
"That's loss of income," Ms Hawken told AAP.
"But that's the life of the farmer. They really are at the mercy of the weather and unfortunately it hasn't been kind to us the last couple of years."
With rain that has fallen across the district ahead of the cyclone, including more than 100mm since Thursday morning, the cane-growing flood plains were already inundated.
The extreme weather was a reminder of the catastrophic floods that hit the Northern Rivers in 2022, Ms Hawken said.
"There's a heightened level of anxiousness because the experience of the 2022 flood is just not forgotten.
"It will never be forgotten."
Alfred is predicted to cross the coast on Friday evening or early Saturday, likely between Noosa and Coolangatta in Queensland.
Effects are likely to be felt for hundreds of kilometres from Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in NSW.
Northern NSW producers have been helping each other move stock, with farmers from low-lying areas taking their animals to higher ground on neighbouring properties.
Many growers have prepared their farms with flood mounds, built above historic high water marks, to salvage their machinery.
Craig Huf, a cattle farmer from Upper Burringbar about 40km south of the NSW-Queensland border, said some producers on the flood plains were cut off by overflowing creeks and causeways.
Farmers in the district don't operate on a large scale, leaving some still in recovery mode from floods in 2017 and 2022.
"Recovering from a natural disaster, it does take a few years," said Mr Huf, who is the NSW Farmers far north coast branch chair.
"The last thing they really want is not to be launched straight into another one after almost getting on their feet again."
While supply chains should be well-served by the motorway linking NSW and Queensland, markets at saleyards will likely be disrupted, he said.
Charity Rural Aid said cyclone-affected farmers could access its disaster support services.
"Rural Aid is committed to supporting these farmers with fodder, financial assistance and mental health resources," chief executive John Warlters said.
"Farmers in the affected areas are urged to register with us as part of their readiness plan to ensure they receive the help they need during this time."
