Funding to Keep Stock Out of Waterways

Farmers are being urged to apply to a local authority fund which may help them cover some of the cost of keeping dairy cattle out of the Northland’s streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands.

The Northland Regional Council (NRC) funding – which can meet up to 50 percent of project costs - is available through the Council’s annual $500,000 Environment Fund to help farmers meet Dairying and Clean Streams Accord targets.

The Accord is an agreement between dairy giant Fonterra, Regional Councils (including the NRC), the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to work together to achieve clean, healthy water in dairying areas.

Debbie Johnson, a Land Management Advisor with the NRC, says farmers can apply for a share of the fund now, but must ensure projects which are funded are completed before June next year.

The Accord aims to ensure regions have water that is suitable (where appropriate) for:
• Fish
• Drinking by stock
• Swimming (in areas defined by Regional Councils).

To achieve this, the Accord aims to see:
• Dairy cattle excluded from 90% of streams, rivers, lakes and estuaries by 2012
• 90% of regionally significant wetlands fenced by 2011
• 90% of points regularly crossed by stock to have bridges or culverts by 2012.

When it was established in 2004, the Accord also called for all dairy farms to have systems to manage nutrient inputs and outputs by 2007 and all farm dairy effluent discharges to comply with resource consent and Regional Plans immediately.

Ms Johnson says NRC staff continue to work with farmers - offering both advice and financial help - to help them achieve the various Accord targets.

“We encourage farmers to give our Land Management staff a call and discuss options for their sites.”

She says the cost of meeting Accord targets depends on a variety of factors including terrain, stock type and numbers.

“However, these costs don’t need to be prohibitive. Excluding stock from waterways, for example, may be achievable with a simple one or two wire electric fence.”

Ms Johnson says Council staff are happy to work with landowners to discuss which option (or options) is best for their property.

Information about the Environment Fund is available from Ms Johnson on (0800) 002 004 or (027) 471 0170 or by visiting the Council’s website via: www.nrc.govt.nz/environmentfund

The website also includes information on the Accord itself via: www.nrc.govt.nz/streamsaccord

ENDS

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