Eastern Bay farmers are doing what they can to support their Canterbury counterparts.

Bay of Plenty members of Federated Farmers have met to talk about ways to help farmers affected by the earthquakes.

They've made an initial donation of $2,000 to North Canterbury's Rural Support Trust, and are continuing to assess how else they can assist.

Regional President, John Scrimgeour says it's hard for the organisation to plan for disasters.

He says Federated Farmers has base plans in place, but obviously every situation is different.

Mr Scrimgeour says they'd just have to wait and see, but he believes support mechanisms could quickly be in place for most people, in most envisioned situations.

In the meantime, Eastern Bay residents are being reminded we live in an earthquake prone region and can't afford to be complacent.

Agencies responding to the Christchurch emergency are concerned at the circulation of discredited earthquake advice.

The Bay of Plenty's Group Civil Defence Manager Warwick Murray says in the event of a quake, the best advice is still to "drop, cover and hold".

He says what that means is to get on the ground as soon as an earthquake is felt, to get under some cover, preferably a good solid table or round an internal wall.

He says to stay away from bookshelves or things that are going to fall, and to hold on so as not to get thrown about.