Freshwater farm plan update - September 2022
Update from the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry for Primary Industries, on progress towards implementing the freshwater farm plan system.
FW-FP are a key tool within the Government’s Essential Freshwater package to help farmers and growers identify and manage environmental risks to freshwater on their farm and within their catchment. Regional and unitary councils will lead the implementation of the freshwater farm plan system.
FW-FP are expected to start coming into effect from 2023, with full implementation across all regions expected to take several years. They will be dependent on key system features, including workforce availability.
Freshwater farm plans are provided for under Part 9A of the Resource Management Act, which sets out the architecture of the system. In the second half of 2021, MfE and MPI undertook targeted engagement and public consultation on options for the detailed design of the system. An analysis of the consultation was published on the MfE website earlier this year.
The Cabinet paper sets out the preferred design of the freshwater farm plan regulations and the wider system, which will now be drafted as detailed regulations. The design has been informed by submissions, analysis, and user testing, including extensive on-farm testing.
The drafting process is underway and will be followed by an exposure draft and targeted consultation.
Cabinet paper: Proposed regulations for freshwater farm plans
Introduction of the freshwater farm plan system will be phased in over several years. The regulations will take effect region by region, with the rollout schedule for the 16 regional and unitary council areas informed by:
- Existing farm planning infrastructure
- The investment needed in capability and capacity
- Regional council alignment with and progress on the development of new freshwater regional plans as required under the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020.
The first regions for 2023 are Southland, Gisborne, and Waikato. We are currently running pilot projects in these regions to test FW-FP at a catchment level. These are joint projects between the relevant regional council, iwi, hapū, and rūnanga, MfE, and MPI.
Subsequent regions for rollout are set out below; these remain indicative, noting regulations will not formally take effect in a region until they are activated by a Ministerial decision (the dates for rollout in these regions has yet to be confirmed):
- Southland
- Waikato
- Gisborne
- Hawke’s Bay
- Otago
- West Coast
- Bay of Plenty
- Greater Wellington
- Horizons
- Taranaki
- Marlborough
- Tasman/Nelson
- Environment Canterbury
- Chathams
- Northland
- Auckland
Councils will prioritise catchments within their own regions for the introduction and implementation of FW-FP, including a transition from any existing regulated farm environment plans to the new system.
Industry programmes will play a key role in enabling effective implementation and delivery. FW-FP will allow for the continued use of existing industry programmes, provided they meet the regulations. We are actively working with industry to update programmes where necessary.
Alongside drafting the regulations, we are working to establish key parts of the system, ready the first regions for implementation, as well ensuring the system is practical and fit for purpose:
Key system features and establishment:
- A supplier will be appointed to assist councils and ministries to administer the certifier and auditor appointment process
- Regional councils, as main implementers of the freshwater farm plan system, have committed to investigating the establishment of an Integrated National Farm Data Platform (INFDP) as a core function of data collection, monitoring and reporting
- Workforce planning is underway in conjunction with MPI’s wider Primary Industry Advisory Services Workforce Strategy.
Regional readiness:
- Catchment context information and accessibility
- Communications and guidance programme
- On-farm support, advisory and extension services.
Ongoing engagement:
- Comprehensive ongoing engagement with regional councils, the primary sector and Iwi, hāpu, and rūnanga.
A webinar will be held next month to answer any questions you may have about the introduction of the freshwater farm plan system.
Please send any questions or topics you would like covered to FreshwaterFarmPlans@mfe.govt.nz.
We will send further information and an invitation to the webinar as soon as we have confirmed a date.