Catch the Rain: B+LNZ Trials Boost Soil Infiltration
Beef + Lamb NZ funded research has shown that some simple changes to pasture management could help farmers make better use of rainfall and build resilience before dry conditions hit.
However, they caution that the real test will lie in detailed rules that are yet to be written.
A Step Forward From the RMA
Kate Acland, B+LNZ chair, says the current Resource Management Act has become too complex and expensive for farmers, communities and councils to navigate.
The new legislation, she says, creates a room for a simpler, faster and more practical approach to decision-making.
"This replacement legislation is an improvement and creates an opportunity for simpler, faster and more practical decision-making," Acland says.
B+LNZ was directly involved in the Government's reform process, pushing for a workable alternative to the RMA throughout.
One change singled out as a win for the sector is the stronger recognition given to food and fibre production within the new framework — a shift Acland describes as a positive change for sheep and beef farmers specifically.
The Real Work Starts After the Election
Passing the two Bills is only the first stage of reform. According to B+LNZ, the practical, on-farm impact will hinge on a raft of secondary instruments yet to be developed: national direction, National Standards, regulations and regional plans.
That work won't begin until after the general election, and it's this next phase that will determine:
- What farmers can do as a permitted activity
- What triggers a resource consent
- What compliance obligations apply on-farm
B+LNZ says it will keep engaging with the Government and officials as these secondary instruments are developed, to help shape how the new system actually functions in practice.
Concerns Remain Over Freshwater Farm Plans
Despite the broadly positive response, B+LNZ has flagged ongoing concern about how Freshwater Farm Plans will be implemented for low-risk properties.
Acland points out that most extensive sheep and beef farms fall into the low-risk category, and argues the rules need to reflect that reality through proportionate requirements — rather than imposing costs or compliance work that doesn't match the actual environmental risk.
"Farmers need a system that rewards practical environmental improvements, rather than creating unnecessary duplication, cost or compliance burdens," she says.
B+LNZ has set out a clear benchmark for judging the reform's success. For sheep and beef farmers, that means:
- Clear, nationally consistent rules wherever possible
- Fewer unnecessary resource consents
- Lower compliance costs
- Recognition of the practical realities of running a farming business
- Continued, measurable environmental improvement
