October 24, 2014

MEDIA RELEASE

AgriBusiness farm environment plan template approved

Environment Canterbury has announced its approval of another farm environment plan template under the proposed Land & Water Regional Plan.

The template was developed by The AgriBusiness Group (TAG) for delivery to its clients. TAG works with both individual farm businesses and farm groups, particularly irrigation schemes.

Acknowledging the quality of the template, Environment Canterbury Chief Executive Bill Bayfield said TAG had met all the requirements of Schedule 7 of the proposed Land & Water Regional Plan.

“We hope the farm environment plans that come from this template are valuable both for TAG client farmers and for its farm consultants,” Mr Bayfield said. “TAG has evidently focused its extensive experience using farm environment plans over a six-year period to develop the template.

“The Plan is a primary delivery mechanism of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy. It is therefore reassuring to see in this template a methodology that will enable development of plans identifying actual and potential environmental effects and risks to properties, addresses those effects and risks, and has a high likelihood of appropriately avoiding, remedying or mitigating them.”

TAG consultant Sue Cumberworth said she was delighted that the farm environment plan had been recognised as meeting the standard set by Environment Canterbury.

“Our philosophy is to focus on outcome rather than output, meaning completing the plan is only the first step in the process and we would consider it a failure if this output simply sat on the shelf without achieving good environmental and other outcomes,” Ms Cumberworth said. TAG operates a rigorous process with its clients involving workshops, site visits, advisory meetings and independent audit.

Under the proposed Land & Water Regional Plan, a farm environment plan will need to be produced in any circumstances where an application for consent to farm is required.

“There are several situations where a consent will be required at different times in future, depending on how at risk water quality is in the zone where the property is located,” Bill Bayfield said.

“Irrespective of the rules, we encourage all farmers to prepare farm environment plans. They will help identify environmental and business risks and planning for their management. International markets are increasingly demanding proven sustainability, and farm environment plans are one way to demonstrate this.”

Under Schedule 7 of the proposed Land & Water Regional Plan, farm environment plans can be prepared either by landowners themselves or via industry-prepared templates and guidance material.

Minimum content is specified, and all farm environment plans must include an assessment of the adverse environmental effects and risks associated with the farming activities and how those effects and risks will be managed, including irrigation, application of nutrients, effluent application, stock exclusion from waterways, offal pits and farm rubbish pits. Farm environment plans must be auditable.

For more information on the proposed Land & Water Regional Plan, go to www.ecan.govt.nz/lwrp

For information specifically on farm environment plans, www.ecan.govt.nz/lwrp-farmers

For information on TAG, go to www.agribusinessgroup.com

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