Paul Turner & Bernadette Hunt | March 09, 2021 from GlobalHQ on Vimeo.
DairyNZ is calling for a decision to be made soon on the changes recommended by the Southland Advisory Group on intensive winter grazing, saying farmers need certainty ahead of winter.
A government spokesperson says it will respond to the “in the near future”.
“Pending Cabinet approval of the planned response, it will be announced in coming weeks,” the spokesperson said in response to questions from the Farmers Weekly.
“We are pleased farming leaders and others in the group accept that intensive winter grazing practices need to improve and we are working constructively with them to achieve that.”
DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel says the farming sector has engaged in good faith and is now calling on the Government to respond in kind with a fair and timely outcome.
He says farmers need certainty and to enable them to start working to meet the new requirements.
The intensive winter grazing advisory group was made up of farmers, Environment Southland, farming bodies and Fish & Game NZ.
They were unanimous in their support for the suggested changes, which are based on adopting an interim winter grazing module until farm environment plans (FEPs) are introduced.
This would enable farmers to identify the specific risks on their property and good management practices to mitigate any impact on freshwater.
The group suggested pugging and resowing date conditions included in the policy be removed and replaced by a focus on the management and protection of critical source areas within intensively grazed areas.
Southland dairy farmer and advisory group member Paul Turner says decisions are being delayed because people are unsure of regulatory changes.
“It is important for farmers to have clarity around what they are doing for next season and beyond in terms of wintering practices, investment decisions and logistics on the farm,” Turner said.
“People are feeling positive about the proposed changes. Replacing sowing date and pugging recommendations with protecting critical source areas will ensure better outcomes for waterway health.”
