Friday, March 29, 2024

Govt amends freshwater rules amid backlash

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The Government has amended contentious new freshwater rules just three weeks after they were implemented and is hinting other changes will follow.
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The changes to the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater approved by Cabinet this week relate to intensive winter grazing, specifically pugging depths around fixed water troughs and gateways.

“The regulations on pugging depths around fixed water troughs and gateways weren’t practical so we have made some adjustments to make them more realistic,” Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said.

“Discrete areas around fixed water troughs and gateways have now been exempted. We’ve also amended the definition for pugging to provide more clarity.”

Online maps provided by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) to determine topography which provide a guide for winter grazing and fencing requirements, have been roundly criticised as inaccurate and O’Connor says these are also being looked at.

“There will be other regulations that will need to be adjusted as we move forward,” he said.

“For example, Environment Minister David Parker and I are aware of issues with the maps.

“We’ve both met about it and officials from the MfE and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) are working on making the mapping data more accurate.”

Farmers are outraged at the far reaching freshwater regulations, especially as they relate to intensive winter grazing which will obligate many to get resource consent to sow and feed forage crops.

Federated Farmers water spokesperson Chris Allen has welcomed the changes saying it is an acknowledgment that aspects of the law are unworkable.

He hopes this will be that start of many more changes to come.

“Our concerns are not just over one single aspect of the direction or trajectory of the new regulations, but the fact that the new direction is complicated, not clear, and poorly defined,” he said.

“As drafted many farmers will end up being unable to comply, an outcome we are sure is not the Government’s intent.

“The Government at last seems to be more willing to listen to farmers who know how things actually work in terms of production, the seasons, topography and animal welfare.”

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