Covered stand-off pads Composting barns

Composting barns are gaining a lot of interest in the Horizons Region. This webpage contains some important information to ensure you stay compliant with regulations.

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Regulatory position

National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020

Composting barns fall within the definition of wintering barns and are therefore exempt from the stockholding area regulations.

Horizons One Plan

  • LF-LAND-R6 – Site preparation: Large-scale land disturbance, including earthworks over 2,500m2.

  • LF-LW-R20 – Stormwater: Discharges of water to water are permitted where they do not cause flooding of neighbouring property, scouring/erosion, alteration of a waterbody’s natural course, discharge to rare/threatened/at-risk habitats, or exceed applicable temperature standards.

  • LF-LW-R10 – Stock feed/feed pads: Not applicable because a composting barn is neither a feed store nor primarily used for feeding stock.

  • LF-LW-R12 – Composting material/litter: Discharge of poultry or pig farm litter and associated temporary stockpiling is a permitted activity subject to certain requirements.

  • LF-LW-R16 – Farm animal effluent: Not applicable where no effluent is generated or collected.

LF-LW-R12: Permitted Activity key requirements

  • Maximum discharge rate of 150 kg N/ha/year and 60 kg N/ha in any 24-hour period.

  • No direct discharge or runoff to surface water, waterbody beds or artificial watercourses.

  • Minimum separation distances:

    • 150 metres from residential buildings, public places, amenity areas and educational facilities;

    • 50 metres from property boundaries and rare/threatened/at-risk habitats;

    • 20 metres from bores, surface waterbodies, artificial watercourses and the coastal marine area;

    • 50 metres from identified historic heritage.

  • An OVERSEER® nutrient budget must be used to plan the discharge and minimise nitrogen leaching. It must be consistent with any required nutrient management plan.

  • No offensive or objectionable odour or dust beyond the property boundary.

  • Temporary stockpiles must prevent runoff entering water and prevent surrounding catchment runoff entering the stockpile area.

Bedding material and nutrient considerations

Composting barn bedding is predominantly woodchip, shavings or sawdust mixed with animal manure. The source material notes similarities with poultry and pig litter.

Material

 

DM

Total N

P

K

Poultry litter

 

50–70%

1.5–3.0%

1.0–2.5%

1.0–2.0%

Pig solid manure

 

20–30%

0.5–0.8%

0.4–0.9%

0.5–1.0%

Carbon-rich pads

Wood chip

30 %

0.35%

0.08%

0.1%

Bark - covered

49%

0.32%

0.08%

0.19%

Deemed Permitted Activity

Deemed Permitted Activity (DPA) is where an application for consent is submitted, but rather than issuing a consent, we assess against the DPA criteria and issue a ‘Deemed Permitted Activity Notice’ document.

If composting barn bedding is demonstrated to be comparable to or less than typical poultry or pig litter, and LF-LW-R12 standards can be met, the effects may be considered comparable to a permitted activity. The Resource Management Act allows for DPA consents where the environmental effects of an activity can be described the same as a permitted activity. This should be addressed and supported in the consent application.

Environmental and farm benefits

  • Reduced nitrogen leaching by keeping cows off pasture.

  • Reduced soil compaction and overland-flow contamination risk.

  • Improved cow comfort and welfare during wet, cold or hot conditions.

  • Very low risk of effluent runoff when appropriately designed and managed.

  • Good management is essential to maintain compositing performance, environmental outcomes and cow comfort.

Key takeaways

  • Good management is essential to maintain compositing performance, environmental outcomes and cow comfort.

  • Exempt from stockholding regulations as a wintering barn.

  • LF-LW-R10 does not apply.

  • LF-LW-R16 does not apply where no effluent is generated or collected.

  • Spreading/disposal of composting material must be assessed against LF-LW-R12 and may potentially qualify for Deemed Permitted Activity consent, subject to the relevant requirements.

  • Nutrient content and application rates must be appropriately established and managed.

References

  • Ministry for the Environment (2022), Stockholding Definition Guidance.

  • Woodford, K., Roberts, A. & Manning, M. (2018), Dairy composting barns can improve productivity, enhance cow welfare and reduce environmental footprint.

  • Houlbrooke, D. et al. (2011), Characterising dairy manures and slurries.

  • Pitman, G. (2022), Comparing a covered stand-off pad for on/off grazing during winter with conventional winter block grazing.

  • Whole systems impact of composting shelters, OLW Rural Professionals Fund (2021), PerrinAg.