Southland Farmers Given 18-Month Freshwater Farm Plan Reprieve
Southland farmers staring down a May deadline to submit freshwater farm plans under current regional plan rules have been given an 18-month reprieve by the Government.
The Healthy Rivers Wai Ora committee says it has endorsed a regional plan change for the rivers going to the council early next year – with public notification soon after – instead of the first suggested date of November this year.
The extension is designed to help the group running the scheme – Healthy Rivers: Plan for Change/Wai Ora: He Rautaki Whakapaipai – to get the information it needs to make it all work.
The committee heard that the group members were concerned that under the original timeline they would not have enough time to assess all relevant information and consult with their people. And the technical people said they needed more time to complete the science. This included information on the amount of nitrogen due to come into the rivers from groundwater, and the time that it takes the nitrogen to travel.
Notification early next year “provides a more realistic timeframe for the group to talk with their sectors on the opportunities and constraints of the limit and target scenarios”.
