Rural

New winter grazing regulations have the environment in mind

Grace Prior

As the winter comes to a close and lambing and calving season begins, the Government has loosened its grip on intensive winter grazing regulations in the Essential Freshwater package.

Environment Minister David Parker and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said last week that proposed changes to intensive winter grazing regulations were being consulted on to make them practical for farmers to comply with while ensuring improved environmental outcomes.

They said that, when done poorly, winter grazing could have serious negative eff ects on water quality and animal welfare.

“The Government has been working with industry representatives and regional councils this winter to roll out on-the-ground support to drive better practices to benefi t freshwater quality and animal welfare,” O’Connor said.

“It’s important that what we develop is workable. That’s why we’re proposing amendments to manage the eff ects of pugging, get paddocks resown as soon as possible, and protect critical source areas.”

Under the proposed changes, farmers would be required to resow grazed paddocks as soon as conditions allow, instead of by a set date. Specifi c requirements around the depth of pugging would also be removed.

Wairarapa Federated Farmers president David Hayes said winter grazing was an important part of the farming systems in our region.

“It looks like these proposed regulations are a lot more practical in order for people to understand what is required and how to do it. It’s a good thing because the frustration farmers had was trying to understand how to do the right thing.”

He said he knew of Wairarapa farmers who had had signifi cant issues when trying to use winter grazing regulations.

Federated Farmers environment spokesman Chris Allen said everyone wanted strong protection for waterways, but from the day the winter grazing regulations came out, Federated Farmers had said several aspects of the rules were simply unworkable.

O’Connor said the Government had been listening to farmers, and earlier this year changed its proposed approach to low slope maps.

He encouraged farmers to have their say on practical ways to improve intensive winter grazing.

“Under the proposal, farmers wanting to undertake intensive winter grazing on slopes over 10 degrees can do so with a certifi ed freshwater farm plan that includes controls to prevent soil loss and mitigate the risks associated with a higher slope,” Parker said.

“Scientifi c evidence shows that with intensive winter grazing at 15 degrees, twice as much soil will be lost than if planted at 10 degrees. If mitigation can prevent soil loss that can be refl ected in farm plans,” he said.

Allen said Federated Farmers would take the change as a “win for common sense”, and for consistent advocacy for pragmatism by Federated Farmers and others.

“We never give up hope that common sense will eventually prevail, especially when covid-19 makes it clear New

Zealand’s prosperity to a large degree depends on our primary industries’ export earnings.” At present the winter grazing restrictions are interim measures, ending on January 1, 2025.

They require that the area of land used for intensive winter grazing on a farm is no greater than the area used on that farm for intensive winter grazing during the reference period, which is from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2019.

The Ministry for the Environment said in a discussion document that there were three “pathways” for farmers to carry out intensive winter grazing.

The fi rst pathway allows intensive winter grazing if a farmer complies with the default conditions set out in the national environment standards for fresh water [NES-F].

The second pathway permits a farmer to carry out intensive winter grazing if a certifi ed freshwater farm plan is obtained. The plan must show that any adverse eff ects in relation to the intensive winter grazing is no greater than those allowed for by the default conditions.

The third pathway would have a farmer needing to obtain a resource consent if neither of the fi rst two pathways can be met.

The proposed new winter grazing rule changes are due to take eff ect on November 2023.

Consultation runs until October 7. The consultation document and online submission forms are available on the Ministry for the Environment’s website at consult.environment. govt.nz/freshwater/ intensive-winter-grazingregulations/

Sheep grazing on a crop. PHOTO/FILE

Cows grazing in the winter. PHOTOS/STOCK.ADOBE.COM

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