Freshwater Farm Plan Regulations began their roll out in the Middle Waikato, Upper Waikato and West Coast-South areas on 1 January 2024. Read on to find out what this means for you.
Freshwater Farm Plan Regulations began their roll out in the Middle Waikato, Upper Waikato and West Coast-South areas on 1 January 2024 (shown in purple on the map below).
Farm operators in these areas – who have 20 hectares of land in pastoral or arable use, five hectares or more in horticultural use or any combination of these land uses equal to or greater than 20 hectares – will need to develop a freshwater farm plan.
If this applies to you, it means you have 18 months from 1 January 2024 to prepare your plan. While that’s plenty of time, we’d recommend checking what’s required and setting yourself a reminder to make a start at a time that’s convenient for you.
You’ll need to make sure your plan is submitted for certification by 1 July 2025. Here are some handy links to get you started.
If you have any questions about our regional freshwater farm plan rollout, please contact our Primary Sector Support and Engagement team at pie@waikatoregion.govt.nz or call 0800 800 401.
