Further consultation on new dairy conversion regime to begin immediately
Posted on Wednesday, 14 December 2011 05:28 p.m.
Environment Southland has committed to introducing a policy that will require new dairy conversions to gain a resource consent from next April, and to consult intensively between now and then on the details.
Councillors voted today to accept a transitional policy on the effects of new dairy farming, because they accepted that new dairy farms could have adverse effects on water quality.
They agreed to defer the implementation of the new regime after hearing from farming representatives, the dairy industry and rural professionals who spoke at today’s Council meeting.
Chairman Ali Timms said that consultation would focus on how the new rules will be applied, rather than whether there should be rules on new dairy conversions at all. “We need to set good rules that will give us the improvement in water quality that the Southland public and iwi are asking for,” she said.
Last month the Council signalled that it could require new dairy conversions to get a resource consent as early as this Saturday.
However, after extensive discussion today, they have instructed Council staff to embark on an immediate and limited period of further consultation. Chairman Timms said this was the opportunity for key stakeholders including Federated Farmers and the dairy industry to take part in the active and constructive consultation that they had sought.
The outcome of the consultation will be confirmed at a special meeting on 4 April 2012, and the new regime will come into effect on 14 April 2012. The public will then have the opportunity to make submissions, followed by a period when submitters can make further comment on other people’s submissions.
The new policies will bridge the gap until further policy is developed as part of the Council’s response to the cumulative effects of land use in the region.
The proposed transitional policy is to manage the risk of adverse effects of new dairy farming on water quality by requiring a resource consent for the establishment and operation of new dairy farms and by requiring each farm to have a management plan that will address any environmental effects.
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Environment Southland is the brand name of Southland Regional Council.