Otago Regional Council is encouraging farmers to apply now for their intensive winter grazing consents.

The new requirements are part of the national ‘Essential Freshwater’ package designed to stop further degradation of freshwater, start making immediate improvements so water quality improves within five years, and reverse past damage.

Under Essential Freshwater, farmers will soon need to have an intensive winter grazing management plan as part of applying for a consent. 

While the deadline is a few months off, ORC consents manager Joanna Gilroy is encouraging farmers to act now to prevent stress down the line.

“In most instances we are encouraging farmers to apply for consent for the next three to five years,” Joanna said. 

“Farmers will then need to update their management plan annually and tell us where they have grazed in the previous year, and where they plan to graze next season.”

Minister for the environment David Parker has ruled out any deferral of the regulations to a later date, Joanna said. 

She thanked the farmers who had already completed their application processes.

“A lot of farmers are being both proactive and innovative and are already working on having their consents applied for and their grazing management plans in place.”

ORC’s catchment advisors teams are happy to do site visits with catchment groups, farmer groups and one-on-one visits.

“The council is here to help and has plenty of resources and people in place to support the farmers and their applications,” Joanna said.

It has introduced a new process aimed at reducing the time and cost associated with

processing intensive winter grazing consents.

“There’s a lot of information on the ORC website to help farmers navigate the consent process.”

Farmers can still undertake the activity without consent, but only if they can meet the

permitted criteria in the regulations, she said.

Find more information at the ORC website or contact the organisation’s catchment advisors on 0800 474 082 to get started.