Horizons acknowledges freshwater farm plan rollout pause

Horizons Regional Council welcomes central government’s announcement that the rollout of freshwater farm plans will be paused while improvements are made to the system.

Horizons group manager strategy, regulation and science Dr Lizzie Daly says changes to the system, including the rollout pause, were signalled earlier in the year.
 
“The pause provides certainty to farmers and growers in the Rangitīkei-Turakina, Kai Iwi and Waiopehu freshwater management units (FMUs) – the three FMUs in the Horizons Region where freshwater farm plans have already gone live.
 
“This is welcome news as it allows everyone involved to take stock and consider what changes are necessary to make the system more workable and cost-effective while supporting our communities’ aspirations for improved freshwater quality.”
 
Freshwater farm plans are set to be an important part of freshwater management, and the announcement from central government included the point that farmers should keep up their efforts to improve freshwater quality, Dr Daly says.
 
“We know there is a lot of good working happening within catchments and more planned. The more farmers do on-farm now to identify and manage freshwater risks, the easier it will be to get a freshwater farm plan in the future.”
 
Horizons is continuing to work with central government to ensure the freshwater farm plan system will provide markets with assurance of farmers’ and growers’ environmental credibility, be practical on-farm, and achieve freshwater outcomes, Dr Daly says.
 
“We continue to talk to tangata whenua, industry groups, rural professionals, and other organisations involved in the development of freshwater farm plans.”
 
Anyone seeking information about the rollout of freshwater farm plans in the Horizons Region should email FreshwaterFarmPlans@horizons.govt.nz.