Little dairy intensification since changes: papers
In the same week the government released consultation papers on changes to freshwater regulations, statistics show there has been little dairy intensification throughout Glenavy and South Canterbury over the five months since the previous government's regulations ended.
The National Environmental Standards for Freshwater temporary agricultural intensification regulations controlling the conversion of land to dairy farmland expired on January 1 this year.
Since then, the government introduced restrictions on plan changes that would have given effect to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020, meaning consent was no longer needed for a change in land use to dairying.
Responding to questions from the Oamaru Mail, Environment Canterbury (ECan) regulatory implementation general manager Paul Hulse said while the council no longer processed applications for "dairy conversions", since January 1, four consents had been granted to discharge dairy effluent on farms that were not previously operating as dairy farms.
"If dairy effluent discharge permits are used as a proxy for dairy farms in Canterbury authorised prior to January 1, 2025, the numbers of new conversions and dairy farm expansions are less than 1%," he said.
However, the council still recognised a problem in farming contributing to declining water health in the area.
"As a regulator, our role is to manage the region's natural resources sustainably.
"We need to follow the consenting process set by the RMA and the direction of our own plans established through public consultation.
"Our science work gives us a picture of the kinds of plans, regulations and restrictions we need to put in place.
"These in turn tell us the kind of consent conditions, compliance and land management work that is required," Mr Hulse said.
"Our plans and regulations are shaped by long-term trends.
"Currently, our science is telling us that nitrate concentrations are high and getting worse in some parts of Waitaha/Canterbury.
"We know that intensive farming is contributing to this.
"This is vital information for guiding our on-the-ground action now and setting new regulations."
A replacement National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management now under consultation gives new national directions on managing water quality, but a spokesperson for Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard confirmed to the Oamaru Mail that the freshwater package did not include anything to replace the expired intensification regulations.
"So consenting requirements for dairy conversions or dairy extensions will continue be managed by regional councils," the spokesperson said.
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