Policy

Over the last 30 years, the New Zealand Government has made International and Domestic commitments to ensure New Zealand reduces its greenhouse gas emissions in line with other developed countries.

The Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord was launched in July 2013 and built on the work that began under the Clean Streams Accord.

The agricultural intensification rules apply where you want to increase or change some types of land use including dairy farm land, irrigated land and dairy support land.

Intensive winter grazing (IWG) means the grazing of livestock on an annual forage crop at any time in the period that begins 1 May and ends 30 September of the same year. Generally, winter crops (where fed in situ) come under the IWG regulations.

The regulations set rules which apply to feedlots and other stockholding areas such as feed pads, stand-off pads, winter pads and loafing pads.

Any person who owns or controls stock must follow the stock exclusion rules. Stock must be excluded from rivers, lakes and wetlands within certain timeframes depending on the type of stock, slope, and intensity of grazing.

These rules cover works within, or within 100 metres of wetlands, as well as structures in rivers (culverts, fords, dams, weirs, flap gates).

Applying synthetic nitrogen fertiliser to grazed land is limited to 190 kilograms per hectare, per year. Dairy farmers also must report annual nitrogen use.

Water metering regulations were introduced in 2010 and require any consented water take of 5 litres per second or more to measure and report their water take.

Here is a summary of common questions relating to the national freshwater regulations.