A Freshwater Farm Plan (FWFP) will be required for any farming operation with 20ha or more in arable or pastoral use, 5ha or more in horticultural use, or any combination equalling more than 20ha.
This roll-out has an initial focus on Southland and Waikato, which started on 1 August 2023, with the remaining freshwater catchments phased in every six months through to the end of 2025.
Growers need to be mindful that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The national regulations are designed to ensure that FWFP’s are tailored to the unique environment of each growing operation and to the local catchment.
FWFP's require key information, including:
- Identified freshwater issues, along with cultural and community values of the local catchment
- Maps providing key information such as waterways, soils, landforms and land uses
- Identified and mapped risks
- Action plan indicating how risks will be managed
- Consent information
- Any regulation where the FWFP is being used to meet compliance with any other regulatory requirements
Other key points for growers:
- Farm Environment plans (FEPs) can be used as the basis for FWFP’s
- FWFP’s are enforced by regional councils
- FWFP’s must tie into these regional council plans and will be a way for growers to document actions they are taking to meet council requirements
- FWFP’s need to be certified and audited by a council-appointed officer
- Growers in areas where FWFP’s are in effect will have 18 months to prepare their first plan for certification
- FWFP’s will need to be certified every five years
Growers should continue to use any existing Farm Environment Plans to manage environmental risks related to freshwater until the FWFP’s apply to their operation.
There’s a lot of information to help growers on the Horticulture New Zealand and Ministry for the Environment websites.