Gisborne growers get support to meet new regulations

GISBORNE GROWERS GET SUPPORT

TO MEET NEW REGULATIONS

Words by Kristine Walsh

With the help of Horticulture New Zealand and the NZGAP (Good Agricultural Practice) team, a Gisborne Growers Group has been established to help vegetable and arable growers meet Farm Environment Plan (FEP) deadlines.

The Gisborne Produce Growers Association represents all food growers – both arable, annual and permanent – in the Poverty Bay, East Coast area, and the Association is also seeking a rule change so it can be there for local seed producers as well. “We know our growers often have multiple crops and multiple issues, so are working towards creating a mechanism that can provide a central source of information and advocacy,” says secretary Cath Carter. Cath was last year elected to the NZGAP committee, whose audited Environmental Management System (EMS) add-on has been approved by Gisborne District Council as an alternative to a council review.

All regions are different, but in Gisborne, FEPs became compulsory from 1 May for any farm that grows annual crops such as maize, sweet corn, squash and vegetables. Permanent crops do not yet have a deadline but will be required to have an FEP in the future. Horticulture New Zealand and Vegetables New Zealand have offered support and workshops in the region, but now the Gisborne Growers Group (as an NZGAP registered grower group) also offers a locally-based, region-wide back-up to those who want to meet the deadline or who, having missed it, are determined to catch up. Those who jump on board will be guided through the process of gaining NZGAP certification and meeting requirements for both FEPs and the NP1 (National Programme 1) required under the Food Act 2014.

FEPS BECAME COMPULSORY FROM 1 MAY FOR ANY FARM THAT GROWS ANNUAL CROPS SUCH AS MAIZE, SWEET CORN, SQUASH AND VEGETABLES.

“They receive a folder of templates and user-friendly paperwork they can use to assist with gaining certification in the NZGAP Group Scheme, as well as someone to help them prepare for and undergo an audit,” Cath says. “We'll also provide regular training, seminars and field days to keep them up to date with any regulatory changes.”

FEPs are not compulsory in many areas, but under the 2020 Resource Management Amendment Act, will eventually be “mandatory and enforceable

Designed to help growers assess environmental risks, take action where required, and demonstrate progress on environmental objectives, FEPs are not compulsory in many areas, but under the 2020 Resource Management Amendment Act, will eventually be “mandatory and enforceable.”

In Gisborne, the date for when that will apply to producers like permanent croppers is unclear, but the Gisborne Produce Growers Association advises growers to start preparing now. An orchardist herself, Cath says growers don't want to end up in the same situation as some arable and annual croppers who had to scramble to meet their 1 May deadline.

“At this point we don't know when the permanent croppers' deadline will be, but we'd hate to see it fall in the high season when everyone is run off their feet,” she says. “From June, we'll be focusing on supporting those growers because the best time to do this sort of work is in winter.”

To find out more about the Gisborne Growers Group, go to the Gisborne Produce Growers Association Facebook page or contact gisborneproducegrower@gmail.com