Freshwater farm plans help farmers and growers identify, manage, and reduce the impact of farming on the freshwater environment. The tool was introduced as part of the Essential Freshwater Package.
These regulations haven't started for our region yet. But as early as now, you should get familiar with the process and start thinking about how you can manage and ease environmental risks on your farm.
The freshwater farm plan regulations are being looked at to make sure they're cost-effective and practical for farmers and growers. It will take time to do this which might make things uncertain for now. The Government still support these rules because they help improve freshwater outcomes.
Ministry for the Environment suggest a light touch approach. We will keep an eye on any updates and keep you informed. In the meantime we will continue to advocate for our region's needs.
Developing your own freshwater farm plan
You will be required to have a plan in place if you have:
- 20 hectares or more in pastoral or arable use
- 5 hectares or more in horticultural use
- 20 hectares or more of combined use (i.e. two or more of the land uses described above)
This includes owned and leased land that may be contiguous (adjoining) or non-contiguous.
Anyone can develop a freshwater farm plan, but there are four general pathways:
- Develop your plan through an industry programme.
- Engage an advisor, consultant, or other rural professional to help.
- Take your existing farm plan - you can use your Farm Environment Plan (FEP) and adapt it to meet the freshwater farm plan requirements.
- Develop your own from scratch.
Each plan will need to be checked by a certifier. You have 18 months after the rules start in your area to send your plans to the certifier. After the plans are approved, they have to be checked again by an auditor within 12 months of certification. Council will provide contact details of certifiers once available.
Figure 1: Freshwater farm plan development process
Your plans should include:
- Administrative details for you and your farm
- An on-farm risk identification and assessment
- An outline of existing and additional actions (if required) to manage / mitigate risks
- A 5-year action plan
Each plan will be tailored to your farm's specific landscape, farming practices, and local catchment.
The Catchment context, challenges, and values (CCCVs) document will provide you essential information about each region's focus catchments to help draft your plans. It will include information about the physical features like soils, climate, and water quality. It will also identify areas of cultural significance and sites and species that are important to tangata whenua and the community.
These documents will help you understand the unique environmental and cultural aspects, current environmental health, and important recreational sites of your focus catchment(s).
We are currently compiling relevant information and will publish individual documents for each focus catchment over the next 12 to 18 months. These will be accessible on the website as they are completed.
Responsibilities in the plan
We do not have a role in writing, certifying, or auditing plans. We will:
- Write and publish the Catchment context, challenges, and values documents
- Support the implementation of the plans
- Develop and administer a regional training programme for certifiers and auditors
- Publish and maintain a list of regionally trained certifiers and auditors
- Enforce the freshwater farm plan requirements
Councils will involve tangata whenua in the regional freshwater planning process under the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM). Tangata whenua will:
- Contribute in the collation of the Catchment context, challenges, and values information
- Prepare and deliver certifier and auditor training
- Oversee the system - including review and monitor effectiveness
Certifier
The certifier evaluates whether a plan meets the certification requirements. The key focus is on correctly identifying and assessing on-farm risks to freshwater, choosing appropriate actions to manage these risks, and ensuring alignment with the Catchment context, challenges, and values document at each step.
The certifier may also be a plan developer – acting as a consultant offering plan-development services. For instance, you may contract a certifier to help develop your plan, and then certify that the plan meets the certification requirements.
Auditor
The auditor assesses whether the action plan has been implemented within the required timeframes.
Both the certifier and auditor are also responsible for working with you to administer either the certification or audit process, and for reporting information to the relevant regional council.
Compliance and implementation
Benefits and alignment
What are the benefits of having a plan?
- Provides a record of past, present, and future environmental actions.
- Can support the development of an integrated farm plan.
- Links your farm to community and/or catchment group priorities.
- May provide assurance to suppliers and customers.
- Can list your existing resource consents and conditions.
- May help to inform future regional plans.
How do freshwater farm plans align with existing farm plans, industry programmes and assurance schemes?
Farmers and growers will already have an industry plan or farm plan in place – such as the Farm Environment Plan (FEP). These can form the basis of a freshwater farm plan but you may need to add, amend, or update information in the following areas:
- catchment context information,
- the risk assessment approach, and/or
- the selected actions to manage identified risks.
Many existing industry assurance schemes and digital farm planning services will update, or have already updated, their programmes to meet certification requirements by the time the regulations apply.
Please check your service provider if their programmes are updated. You may also ask if they will be able to help you develop your plan or whether their programmes are right for you.
Regulatory compliance and requirements
Do you still need a consent if you have a Freshwater farm plan?
Yes, you will still require resource consents for certain activities. However, there will be activities that you may be able to include in your farm plan and have certified.
For example, this can happen where a rule in the regional plan states you can use a freshwater farm plan as an alternative compliance pathway for certain activities instead of obtaining a consent.
- The alternative compliance pathway option is being looked at in the Tairāwhiti Resource Management Plan (TRMP).
- Alternative compliance pathways can only be used once freshwater farm plans are turned on in your area.
- It is recommended that you touch base with the Land Management or Resource Consents Team prior to using an alternative compliance pathway if you’re unsure about the process.
How will councils know if people are meeting the requirements?
Council compliance teams are required to monitor farm operators and their freshwater farm plans under these regulations.
The focus on the compliance will be around educating and supporting farmers to understand the requirements.
If non-compliance is identified, appropriate action will be undertaken in accordance with the Resource Management Act (RMA) Compliance and Enforcement Policy.
Council is working alongside Te Uru Kahika and other regional councils across New Zealand to develop our approach to support best practice and consistency across the regions.
Implementation and practicalities
Is there a freshwater farm plan template?
There is no specified format or template for freshwater farm plans in the regulations. You can use existing plans or tailor a document to your own farm(s).
How much will it cost to get the plan prepared, certified and audited?
The costs will vary depending on factors such as farm size and complexity of farming / growing activities.
The main costs of the plan will be in engaging a certifier and an auditor. You can choose to pay someone to prepare the plan with or to do it yourselves.
Preparing your Freshwater farm plan will require some time and thought but your industry group and Council are here to support you. There are also guides and other resources available to simplify the process.
Why do the certifier and auditor have to be different people?
The system was designed to balance workforce demands and potential conflicts of interest.
Certifiers can both develop (or assist you in developing) and certify the same freshwater farm plan. This is to ensure that there is enough workforce to support both plan development and plan certification – considering that the skillset required for both tasks is very similar.
Auditors will be checking if you're implementing the plan as intended. To manage the risks of system capture (e.g. via conflict-of-interest), the plan can't be certified and audited by the same person.
One person can be appointed as both a certifier and an auditor, but they cannot certify and audit the same plan.
You can use the same certifier and auditor for recertification and the following audits.
What training do freshwater farm plan certifiers and auditors have to complete?
Certifier applicants must take three key training segments - the national training, regional training, and a practical assessment.
Auditor applicants undertake the national and regional training but not the practical assessment.
Council will be developing regional training which will be undertaken by those applying to become certifiers and auditors in the region. Council will determine the content of the regional training based on the key knowledge and capabilities certifiers and auditors will need to be effective in their role for the region.
The practical assessment will include an applicant ‘certifying’ a farm plan and an assessor writing a report on their performance.
Council, in partnership with iwi, must be satisfied that the applicant meets all their requirements before appointing them. Both will have a final say on appointing certifiers and auditors.
What happens with the data provided in the plan?
Data will be stored on a national data platform. Some information will need to be supplied to Council by certifiers and auditors. This information is limited and includes:
- Administrative details
- The certified action plan
- A statement of where the plan is being used to meet other regulatory requirements
- A conflict-of-interest declaration
- Audit report and audit grade
We're here to help you
If you have any questions or unsure how these changes may affect you, please call or email us. We will answer your questions as soon as we can.
- ph: 0800 653 800 or email service@gdc.govt.nz attention: land management team
Additional helpful information
- Visit the Ministry of Environment website for more information - Freshwater farm plans
- Get further guidance from Te Uru Kahika guides below
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