New rule changes proposed for new dairy conversions
Posted on Thursday, 10 November 2011 01:00 p.m.
New dairy farm and related land use conversion will face a tougher test under rule changes proposed by Environment Southland.
The Council has passed a draft-policy change for new dairy farms, associated dairy support grazing, and their related activities, to be classified as a discretionary activity that requires resource consent conditions be complied with before it is carried out.
Any of the land uses and activities will also have to have a minor or less than minor effect on the environment to meet the requirements under the draft.
Chairman Ali Timms said the Council acknowledged the new rules would be challenging for some in the farming community but it was important to note that the changes were only in draft form.
The rules were likely to come into effect before Christmas but there will be an ongoing consultation with key stakeholders in the farming community, including a submission process until the end of March, 2012, she said.
Dairy effluent discharges were already a consented activity in Southland however the Council wanted to ensure new land-use conversions were able meet standards, in that they would not be detrimental to the environment, before they began operation, she said.
Councillor Maurice Rodway had raised the matter at a Council meeting in September when he suggested that land use changes for dairy purposes be changed to a non-complying activity.
However Chairman Timms and Council Chief Executive Ciaran Keogh said staff have been working on the proposed policy changes for some time and the proposed changes have been carefully considered.
“The recent State of the Environment Report andOffice of the Auditor General report on water have told us we need to be doing more to protect our freshwater resources – and this is part of that,” Ms Timms said.
Mr Keogh said making it a discretionary activity allows for future development but in an environmentally sustainable manner.
“We have effectively used up the ability for the environment to absorb wastes but haven’t realised the full potential for development in Southland but we needed to establish a mechanism for management of off-farm effects.”
As a discretionary activity land use changes for dairy would have meet certain criteria including having Farm Management Plan, Nutrient Management Plan, and a Winter Grazing Plan based on soil risk parameters.
Environment Southland is the brand name of Southland Regional Council.