Southland farm plan timeframe extended

Environment Southland says the Government has given Murihiku Southland farmers an extra 18 months—until November 2027—to complete and submit their farm plans for certification.

Without this extension, Southland farmers would have needed to submit their farm plan for certification by the end of 27 May 2026.

Chair Jeremy McPhail said the extension gives farmers and growers more time to finalise strong farm plans and make good use of the support available as the updated national settings are finalised.

“Farm plans remain an important part of improving freshwater outcomes, and this extension gives farmers extra time to continue developing plans that are practical, well-informed and tailored to their property and catchment.”

“Farm plans are here to stay, and most farm operations in Southland will still need one.”

Chair McPhail said Environment Southland had supported the need for farm plans for a long time as a way for farmers to demonstrate environmental responsibility and increase the uptake of mitigations.

“These are one of the key tools in Southland for improving water quality across our catchments.”

He said farm plans remain an important tool for identifying practical actions on-farm, reducing environmental risk, and driving year-on-year environmental improvements.

Environment Southland’s Farm Plan team is available to provide advice, catchment-specific information, and support to help farmers take action.

A guide has been created to support farmers who want to develop their own farm plan. This guide can be completed in sections, making it more manageable.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Farm Plan or Land Sustainability team on 0800 76 88 45 or email farmplans@es.govt.nz