From our Chair: Freshwater Farm Plan pause doesn't change best practice
The government’s decision to pause the rollout of Freshwater Farm Plans (FWFPs) until improvements are finalised may have left some farmers questioning their next steps.
Waitaha Canterbury was set to be among the final regions to get FWFPs, in late 2025 – in part due to our existing Farm Environment Plan (FEP) system. With the rollout now halted, we are no longer working to this timeframe.
In the short term however, nothing changes for Canterbury farmers. The pause in FWFPs does not mean a pause in progress, nor does it mean that efforts to improve freshwater quality to date have been wasted.
Our farmers have made great strides in reducing nutrient and sediment losses to freshwater over the last decade, and while government regulations may change, the need to continue in the direction of minimising our impact on freshwater carries on.
As the government works to refine the FWFP system, Environment Canterbury – working with landowners – will continue to focus on achieving our regional freshwater goals.
FEPs will remain a cornerstone of Canterbury’s commitment to these freshwater outcomes. The gains we’ve made in implementing FEPs have led to improvements in farming practices and have been instrumental in improving water quality across the region. We will therefore keep pushing ahead to enhance our current FEP framework, building on the hard work that’s already been done in this space.
Alongside this, our FWFP team will work with our mana whenua partners, as well as catchment groups, farmers and central government on how we’ll manage a smooth transition from FEPs to FWFPs for when the time comes.
It’s also important to note that the industry-agreed Good Management Practices (GMP) for freshwater are still relevant, and farmers should be aiming for GMP and beyond. This will mean the farm will be well along the path to developing and following the provisions included in a FWFP when the requirements are eventually rolled out.
What you can expect from here is that central government will make minor amendments to the RMA to enable the pause. Environment Canterbury will stay close to officials as things progress.
We realise that uncertainty around the direction of important legislation is never ideal, but in this case, I’ll reiterate that for now nothing really changes. Farmers with an FEP should make sure it’s up to date and be ready for their next audit, and resource consent holders should ensure they are able to demonstrate compliance with their consent conditions at short notice.
Canterbury farmers and irrigation companies have led the way in implementing FEPs, and can be assured these efforts have not been in vain.
This ‘pause’ isn’t about a stop. It’s about pushing on with FEPs and fine-tuning ways to identify and manage freshwater risks.
The Farmers’ Hub section of our website is a great source of information on regulatory changes and what you need to do on your farm.
And as always, please feel free to contact me – email councillor.scott@ecan.govt.nz