Primary sector groups are welcoming changes to Freshwater Farm Plans by the government which aim to make the plans more practical and affordable, Farmers Weekly reported.
The changes will result in a reduction in the number of farms required to have a plan and will take a risk-based approach to certification.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard this week reiterated the Government’s commitment to make freshwater farm plans more practical and affordable.
“We’re cutting the cost and complexity out of the system,” Mr Hoggard said.
“Cabinet has agreed to progress improvements, meeting a key commitment in our Q1 Action Plan.”
Ministers have agreed to reduce the number of farms required to have a plan and to take a risk-based approach to certification. Plans will still manage environmental impacts, but without unnecessary red tape, and they won’t be required for small blocks.
“Farm plans are useful tools, but they must be practical and matched to actual environmental risk.”
Officials are working with industry, sector groups, and councils to finalise improvements through updated regulations.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says the Government paused the rollout last year to make room for these changes.
“We’re recognising existing industry programmes that achieve equivalent environmental outcomes, farmers shouldn’t have to complete multiple plans.
“The new system will also act as an alternative to local council rules and consents where appropriate, allowing landowners to meet requirements in a way that suits their farm systems.”
The improvements are being progressed through the Government’s Resource Management Act reform process and are expected to be in place by the end of the year.
“These changes reflect our shift from a precautionary to a more permissive, risk-based approach, ensuring landowners can use their property more freely, while protecting the environment and their rights.”
“We’re moving quickly to reduce costs and unlock productivity across the primary sector.”
Federated Farmers vice-president Colin Hurst said it has the potential to be a game changer, replacing the need for expensive and uncertain resource consents or constantly changing council rules.
“A tailored farm planning system that takes a risk-based approach will provide strong environmental protections without the over-the-top bureaucracy we’ve seen in recent years.”
Hurst said he was happy the government had lifted the size threshold of farms requiring plans from 20 hectares to 50ha, saying it shows they were heard.
He also welcomed confirmation that farmers will not need a new plan if they already have an existing industry plan that achieves equivalent environment outcomes.
“That’s a huge win for common sense and will cut out a lot of unnecessary cost, duplication and box-ticking for farmers.”
But two significant issues for farmers are the questions remaining over the certification of farm plans and who will pay for audits for compliance.
DairyNZ GM of farm solutions and policy Dr David Burger said his organisation had been advocating for these changes for six years.
“We’ve been working with dairy companies to provide a dairy perspective while the regulations are reviewed and appreciate this clearer direction on these important aspects.
“It has been our long-standing position that the current system should be improved to reduce cost and complexity and better acknowledge the environmental progress farmers and the wider dairy sector are making.”
In 2024, 84% of dairy farms were actively implementing and reporting under a farm environment plan and the sector is on track for all dairy farms having a plan by the end of the next dairy season.
“We need to build on this momentum by creating clear, practical transition pathways from current industry plans to regulatory Freshwater Farm Plans, and ensure existing, robust industry plans are recognised under the new regulations.
“This includes considering how existing regional plans may need to be amended to accommodate the changes to national regulations, necessary to avoid duplication and ensure integration.”
Beef + Lamb New Zealand says the government announcement on the revised freshwater farm plans system were encouraging but concerns remain for sheep and beef farmers because a lot of detail is still missing.
B+LNZ Chair Kate Acland said that while there are causes for cautious optimism, details still to come will inform final analysis of the proposed system.
“We welcome the commitment to ensuring freshwater farm plans will take the place of consents and other regulations, and that there will be a risk-based framework for auditing and certification.
“However, the overall degree of comfort we have with the proposals will depend on the risk thresholds, what aspects of current regulations such as consents they replace and how onerous the contents of freshwater farm plans will be.”
Kate Acland said the recognition of existing industry assurance programmes to reduce duplication is another positive.
“However, there are still significant questions to answer. We will be working closely with Ministers and officials in the coming months to ensure we understand the details and will continue to advocate on behalf of our farmers.
“Low-risk sheep and beef farming operations should not be required to have a freshwater farm plan, and we’ll keep making this case.
“We agree with Ministers that freshwater farm plans must be practical and matched to actual environmental risk. Our farming systems are complex, and sheep and beef farms are generally lower impact, so the effort or cost must not outweigh the benefits.
“It’s vitally important the freshwater farm planning system enables farmers, is not complex or costly and that it takes the place of unwieldy and impractical regulations, particularly blanket rules, and also expensive consenting processes.”
B+LNZ has long argued that farm plans can have an important role to play in helping farmers take actions to address environmental issues, particularly in at-risk catchments for farms managing high-risk activities.”
Sources: Minister of Agriculture; Farmers Weekly; B+LNZ
