That is the view of high country farmers struggling to come to grips with Government’s freshwater policy reforms that are now law.
Federated Farmers high country chairman Rob Stokes is bitterly disappointed over the Government’s approach.
“It’s been a case of rush through the legislation with no proper consultation and the result is an unworkable policy,” he said.
“Maybe listening in the first place would have been a good idea.”
Stokes said farmers have been left to sort the mess with Feds policy staff snowed under as the implications of the blanket approach gains momentum.
Fencing has been underway at his Richon Station in North Canterbury for some time.
“We have made a good start on streams we deemed important, then we got this map with hundreds of creeks coming under the one-metre rule, even heading uphill – where do we start?” he asked.
Many farmers are reporting that even steep parts of their farms are mapped as low-slope in the stock exclusion requirements.
The maps produced by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) are simply not practical, Stokes said.
“It’s totally unworkable. It’s a blanket being thrown over a parcel of land with absolutely no knowledge of the area and no consideration to scale,” he said.
“The map for Richon takes in the low slope land, the flats got picked up, then an area up to 2500 feet, and some blocks in the valleys are not recognised.
“It’s like they have taken a line from the sea to the divide, drawn up a map and taken it to the Cabinet.
Stokes said “the cost will be in the billions of dollars if farmers do everything to the letter of what the policy is saying we have to do”.
On the more extensive properties, farmers could be fencing up to 50 kilometres of river boundary.
“My biggest fear is we will have to put a bridge over the river,” he said.
“For us it will be the end of breeding bulls.
“We are all making an effort, and we are getting good outcomes and yes, we can get better outcomes, but we need to all work together.
“At the moment MfE is on a different page to farmers.”
Meat and wool national executive representative and Mt Somers Station owner David Acland echoed concern.
He said Canterbury farmers under the regional council plan have spent years getting to this point, and while environmental gains are yet to be fully realised, it will happen.
“There’s been so much work done, it’s not realised overnight, it does take time, and then the Government comes in and throws a blanket right over the top,” he said.
Acland said achieving certified farm plans will be a major issue as these plans are not currently identified by the Government or regional councils.
Until these plans exist, farmers do not have an alternative pathway to seeking consent for some activities.
“We don’t currently have the resources or the skilled people to carry out this work and that goes for certifying the plans and farm inspections too,” he said.
“Farmers need to know the details around defining what a certified plan is and how they will be rolled out and we need skilled support processes.”
These certified plans will need to be practical and outcomes-based and recognise the existing industry endorsed farm plans, or alternatively the insertion of a module to existing farm plans where necessary.
Acland said there are requirements within the regulations that if applied in all situations as they are worded, will be very costly and achieve little environmental benefit.
This especially relates to deer farmers who run low-intensity operations with an exceptionally low environmental impact.
Rules applying to them need to achieve the freshwater policy goal with least cost and minimum bureaucracy while reflecting the minimal risk these operations pose to water quality.
“Farming is a positive industry and people will get on and get it done, but we need policy that is fit for purpose, Acland said.
“As farmers, we go by the rules.
“We (also) have rules and don’t need new rules to enforce the old rules, (because) it doesn’t solve the problem, it just creates more frustration.”
