Horizons chair Rachel Keedwell says Plan Change 2 seeks an interim solution to address problems with the policy and rule framework for existing land-use activities in its One Plan, including the issue of managing nutrients, sediment and pathogen loss from those activities in target catchments.
“It was identified that these policies were not working in the manner intended at the time the One Plan was made operative,” Keedwell said.
“The One Plan intended for most farms using good management practice to be able to meet the nitrogen leaching maximums table in the plan.”
Horizons Regional Council strategy and regulatory group manager Dr Nic Peet says the proposed plan change is limited to the consideration of existing intensive land-use activities – dairy, commercial vegetable growing, arable farming, and irrigated sheep and beef – in order to ‘hold the line’ on intensification across the region.
On Tuesday the council confirmed a decision by its strategy and policy committee to adopt recommendations made by a panel that heard submissions from about 75 people in October.
Peet says the plan change updates the cumulative nitrogen leaching maximums to reflect the best available Overseer modelling information; provides a workable pathway for existing intensive farming land-use activities to apply for resource consent where they cannot meet leaching maximums within targeted water management sub-zones; and reinforces good management practices as part of intensive farming land-use activities.
The plan change is still in a statutory process.
Peet says the council’s decision will be publicly notified, and submitters and further submitters will be served with a copy of the public notice within the next few weeks.
Submitters may appeal the parts of the decision that relate to their original submission to the Environment Court. There is an appeal period of 30 working days once documents have been served.
Keedwell says the council’s focus is to now implementate the plan change and to continue to improve water quality throughout the region.
“Horizons’ wider programme of work includes reviewing that effectiveness of the One Plan and what is required to give effect to the National Policy Statement – Freshwater Management 2020,” she said.
She acknowledged the plan change process created uncertainty and stress for landowners and that the decision is only an interim measure, with more work needing to be done, including notifying a revised One Plan by 2024.
Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard says the decision will provide some certainty for farmers who have been in limbo.
He says it will provide a pathway for consent for intensive farming land-uses located in 32 targeted catchments, effectively opening the door to farmers shut out from gaining consent as a result of 2017 Environment Court declarations.
Hoggard is pleased the council moved away from using land-use capability as a tool for nitrogen allocation, instead endorsing a Federated Farmers/DairyNZ submission that proposed an alternative approach to nitrogen loss reduction based on actual on-farm and catchment reductions.
“The decision also provides for a controlled activity pathway for farms who make a considerable 20% reduction in nitrogen loss based on actual farm baselines (with those in the top 25% having to reduce to the 75th percentile for N leaching).”
Horticulture NZ chief executive Mike Chapman says new requirements for vegetable growers under Plan Change 2 provide a way forward in the short-term.
“However, to provide for long-term food security, a further plan is required to map out how resource management decisions can provide for both environmental improvements and long-term food supply,” Chapman said.
He says the decision means existing Levin vegetable growers, who provide about 20% of NZ’s fresh vegetables, have a way to stay in production, while continuing to reduce environmental impact.
“The new requirements will require further change, however, growers in the area have already made a good start,” he said.
“Over the past decade, many have invested significant amounts of money and time in reducing their environmental impact, through modern cultivation techniques, less use of fertiliser and water, and sediment traps.
“The soils around Levin, mild climate and good rainfall make the Horowhenua region, like Pukekohe, ideal for growing fresh vegetables for New Zealanders’ tables.”
