$40 million on offer for lake clean-up

The voluntary scheme had its first success this month: the Bay of Plenty Regional Council announced it had struck a deal with an unidentified dairy farmer (confidentiality is part of the deal).

The dairy farmer agrees to convert to dry stock support and cut feed and export it off farm. This deal will prevent 5.75 tonnes of nitrogen from entering the lake.

The council expects to achieve 100 tonnes of nitrogen reductions via voluntary land-use change. It is one of four schemes underway to prevent 320 tonnes of nitrogen entering Lake Rotorua by 2032.

The Lake Rotorua Incentives Board has the task of negotiating with landowners; its chair, Rotorua chartered accountant Judith Stanway, is confident of more deals in the coming weeks.

“We are close to finalising another deal and we hope to announce it before the council’s term ends,” she told Dairy News.

Stanway expects more farmers around Lake Rotorua to reach agreements now that the first deal has been announced.

She reports a mixed reaction from farmers.

“The fact that the rules are not completely established at this point has meant some are holding off and waiting... for the first deals to happen.

“Now that we have announced the first deal, I expect a lot more interest.”

Stanway says the board's negotiations with the dairy farmer were “quite prolonged”; both parties had issues to sort.

“But the farmer was good to deal with; both parties were focussed on getting the best deal for the landowner.”

Improving the health of Lake Rotorua is a top priority in the region. Apart from being important to tourism and local residents, the lake has the most landowners in its catchment.

Stanway says farmers understand the importance of cleaning up the lake.

“The quality of the lake is the primary concern and they understand change must occur, though they may not like it.”

Stanway says the board is determined to reach the 100 tonne target.

“We are going to get it, and there’s $40 million to go back into the catchment. That’s a good thing and I’m sure farmers don’t want that to go begging.”

The board is talking to eight other farmers around Lake Rotorua.

“We have begun negotiations with eight other landowners which could mean up to 28 tonnes of nitrogen secured by the end of the financial year.”

Regional council chief executive Mary-Anne Macleod says the landowner’s decision to engage with the Lake Rotorua Incentives Board and convert to a lower-nutrient farm system is a big step towards sustaining the lake water quality.

Cleaning the lake

· 100 tonnes of nitrogen reductions will be achieved via voluntary land use change; $40 million is available to compensate landowners

· 140 tonnes of nitrogen reductions will be achieved via regulatory rules

· 30 tonnes of nitrogen reductions will be achieved via voluntary gorse conversion

· 50 tonnes of nitrogen reductions will be achieved via engineering initiatives.