Former West Coast-Tasman MP Damien O’Connor says the government’s move to suspend the rollout of freshwater farm plans has left farmers in limbo.
The West Coast Regional Council has paused its farm plan process following the government’s recent amendment to the Resource Management Act.
“West Coast farmers and growers will not now have to comply with the national freshwater farm plan system and submit a farm plan by the date specified,” the council confirmed this week.
The West Coast is one of several regions that have already begun implementing the plans, tailoring them to local catchment conditions.
But the government has pressed pause on the process, saying it wants to simplify the environmental rules set by the former Labour-led Government, and make them more cost-effective and practical for landholders.
Mr O’Connor - a Labour MP and former Minister of Agriculture and Trade - said that was confusing for farmers.
“I think the decision is a stupid one. Farmers have had conflicting signals - we said we need to get on and do this stuff and we’re prepared to help, and this government says you don’t need to do any of this.”
Freshwater farm plans, tailored to individual catchments, were intended to ensure each farm met environmental and other standards demanded by New Zealand and international markets, Mr O’Connor said.
The integrated farm plan would address issues across water quality, biodiversity, health and safety and labour, he said.
“It is an administrative burden but a necessary one to address the needs of future customers.”
Farmers around the Coast have been working towards farm plans for some time, with support from the Regional Council.
But by May this year, the council was preparing to suspend work on the expensive project.
“Given the current complexity and the high cost associated with the Freshwater Farm Plans … any changes to the regulations could be substantial.
“Under the circumstances, it is risky for the Council to continue … any farm plan developed and certified may have to be changed substantially or the entire process could even be potentially redundant,” staff warned.
Mr O’Connor said the government’s directive was unfortunate.
“No-one likes change, but people accepted that direction of travel was the right one and the investment that’s already been made, it should not be wasted.”
However, it won’t be - according to West Coast farmer and former Federated Farmers president Katie Milne.
“Many of the groups who’re already working on Farm Plans will carry on, and they’re doing a lot of catchment work in their areas.”
The biggest problem for West Coast farmers had been the previous government’s “one size fits all” approach to freshwater rules, Ms Milne said.
"Our rivers have huge volumes at times and eat fences like chewing gum - it’s just not practical to fence some areas.”
Despite that, all but one dairy milking platform on the West Coast had fenced its waterways, Ms Milne said.
“I know those farmers involved with catchment groups are quite happy to carry on with the parts that make sense.”
“I’m not overly unhappy that I spent $2m on the barn because it’s paying for itself in production, but as a farmer it’s just disappointing that we don’t know quite where we’re heading.”
He had also started putting in a water supply on a dry stock block, on the expectation that cows would not be allowed to drink out of creeks or cross them more than once or twice a month.
“It doesn’t matter a damn here if they do - there’s so much water, any impact is undetectable. But now that rule may change.”
Some of Labour’s freshwater rules had to go, he believed.
“Because they were so damn stupid - one size doesn’t fit all. But the problem is now, they’ve chucked everything out and we’ve got nothing in its place. “
It should be relatively simple to write new rules, Mr O’Regan said.
“You’ve only got to go to Fonterra or Dairy NZ - they’re way ahead with what they require their farmers to do. I would have thought this government might have been a bit further down the track with some rules.”
One thing everyone agreed on was that farm plans were the way to go, because they were specific to each farm, to ensure it met the same environmental standards, Mr O’Regan said.
“Now we are in limbo, Damien’s right about that. It’s one thing to chuck things out but not much use if you don’t know what you’re going to put in.”
Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard defended the need to press pause.
“Otherwise, a lot of effort and resource put in by councils would be wasted, and we’ve had enough of that over the last six years,” he told LDR.
The Government’s second RMA Amendment Bill introduced to Parliament this week gives the Minister the power to certify a range of industry farm plans as certified government plans, reducing the potential for duplication, Mr Hoggard said.
“Under the old system, farmers would have done plans for their dairy company or meat processor and then have to redo another one just to make the government standard.
“So we’re bringing in the ability for the Minister to say ‘this industry plan meets the requirements, so you don’t have to do this thing twice'.”
For farmers who do not have an existing plan through their processor, the government expects to clarify early next year who will require one and what the changes might be, Mr Hoggard said.
“And in terms of those farmers who are doing plans at the moment, go ahead - do it. It’s a good idea. I am going to make sure none of that work is wasted.”
The government would be talking to companies providing existing farm plans and would work to ensure they were all at the same stage, the Minister said.
To the best of his knowledge, no farm plans had been so far completed that met the freshwater criteria, Mr Hoggard said.
- By Lois Williams
Local Democracy Reporter
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
