The state government claims a cease to pump order on the Hunter and Paterson rivers, and Wallis Creek, is necessary to protect the Hunter Estuary - a large area from the mouth of the Hunter River to Oakhampton, Gostwyck and the Seaham Weir.

But, it will ban farmers from being able to irrigate when they need it the most - in times of high temperatures and low rainfall.

Farmers say the government has no evidence to support this need. They extract 23,000 mega litres of the 622,000 allocated each year under water licences - a mere 3.7 per cent.

If the draft replacement water sharing plan for the Hunter Unregulated and Alluvial Water Source 2022 is approved it would kill the Slow Food Earth Market in The Levee - a venture created to support local farmers and biodiversity in the region.

It would also shut down farms along the Hunter River - everything from dairies and vegetables to beef, turf and lucerne.

Food grown here and sold through the Sydney markets, the Newcastle markets, the earth market and other farmers markets will dry up. Local crops that Hunter and Sydney restaurants buy direct from farmers will be gone.

And, the ingredients for almost 10,000 meals that Slow Food Hunter Valley volunteers make each year for the city's most vulnerable would be wiped out.

Five hundred direct jobs and 3000 indirect jobs would be affected.

Note: This list will be regularly updated as more businesses come on board.

Note: This list will be regularly updated as more businesses come on board.