October 28, 2014

MEDIA RELEASE

Opuha, Waimakariri farm environment plan template approved

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

The template was developed as a joint initiative by Opuha Water Ltd (OWL), Waimakariri Irrigation Ltd (WIL) and web development company Zoom Room Interactive. The application is an online tool for members of their irrigation schemes to use.

OWL supplies irrigation water to some 250 shareholders covering 16,000 hectares in the Opihi catchment in South Canterbury. WIL supplies 200 shareholders covering 18,000 hectares in the Waimakariri District.

Acknowledging the quality of the template, Environment Canterbury Chief Executive Bill Bayfield said OWL and WIL 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 farmers and for the companies,” Mr Bayfield said.

“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.”

OWL Chief Executive Tony McCormick said he was delighted that the farm environment plan had been recognised as meeting the standard set by Environment Canterbury.

“It means farmer shareholders are now able to qualify their responsibilities under the proposed Land & Water Regional Plan as well as meet our standards for best practice irrigation,” Mr McCormick said. “The template will be rolled out over the next few years to all our shareholders.”

WIL General Manager Brent Walton said WIL and OWL had chosen to develop an online template to enable efficient recording, reporting and updating of information. “We believe it could be transferable to other schemes or industry groups,” he said.

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 needed 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, and on farm environment plans specifically, www.ecan.govt.nz/lwrp-farmers

For information on OWL, go to www.opuhawater.co.nz, and on WIL, www.wil.co.nz

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