Information request relating to the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Freshwater) Regulations 2020

Details of the request

This question relates to the requirement to report synthetic nitrogen fertiliser use under clause 36 of the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Freshwater) Regulations 2020 (the NES-F). I also refer to our previous request on this
topic (OIAD-745).

We understand that MfE has arranged to receive weekly data from Councils’ combined database which contains farm reporting data from each region.

Could you please let me know:

1. How many people/contiguous landholdings have submitted reports under clause 36 of the NES-F, in each region, for the reporting period that ended on 30 June 2023?
2. Does MfE have an estimated number of dairy farms in each region?
3. If so, how was MfE able to obtain this number of dairy farms? For example, perhaps this has been estimated from the number of dairy effluent consents granted in each region?
4. Can MfE use these figures to provide a percentage of farms or a percentage of contiguous landholdings, which have reported under clause 36, in each region?
5. What is the total percentage of farms which reported across New Zealand?
6. Did problems arise when comparing the number of reports received under clause 36, with the number of dairy farms? For example, was it difficult to estimate how many people hadn’t reported, when comparing contiguous landholdings with dairy farms, as farms can include more than one contiguous landholding?
7. In addition, your response to our previous request mentioned that MfE is progressing a review of nitrogen management settings. Could you please let us know if there is still a plan to review the nitrogen cap in clause 33 of the NES-F? If so, what are the timeframes for, and scope of, the review? Or is this yet to be decided?