Winter grazing rules enforced on all farm types
Posted on Thursday, 29 September 2011 09:31 a.m.
Rules requiring stock to be kept at least three metres away from watercourses during intensive winter grazing are being enforced on all types of farms in Southland, and Environment Southland plans to advertise that fact widely.
Environment Southland Councillor Peter Jones said at today’s Council meeting that many sheep farmers only realised that they were affected by the 3m rule when they received an infringement notice for non-compliance. He said the Council needed to do more education to ensure that all farmers realised they had to comply – not just dairy farmers.
Chairman Ali Timms agreed that more needed to be done to get the message across. “Everyone thinks that we’re talking about someone else, not about them – but we are talking about them,” she said. Sediment and nutrient run-off from intensive winter grazing was a major contributor to poor water quality. “We need more clarity and compliance round the rule,” she said.
The 3m rule was also a minimum requirement based on preventing overland flow across flat terrain. When stock were intensively grazed on sloping land, a wider buffer zone needed to be left between the crop and the watercourse.
Cr Jones suggested the Council’s compliance staff could adopt a more lenient approach. “People who have never offended before should be given a warning and the opportunity to fix it,” he said. However, Cr Timms said that the Council had given its compliance staff a clear direction to enforce rules rather than focusing on education first, although education was still important. This meant that if the breach was serious enough, first offenders could receive an infringement notice.
Cr Ross Cockburn said that the Council had to be seen to be consistent in the enforcement of its rules and not just target dairy farms. All farms had to comply, he said.
Environment Southland’s land sustainability staff provide a free advisory service so any farmers wanting help in complying with the intensive winter grazing rule should call 0800 76 88 45 or e-mail service@es.govt.nz
Environment Southland is the brand name of Southland Regional Council.