Videos to help Rotorua farmers protect water quality

A series of 10 short videos has been produced to help farmers protect water quality in the region.

The farmer education project has been funded by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Low Nitrogen Land Use Fund.

The Good Management Practice videos, that run for three to five minutes, have been produced by Landconnect, and feature farmers from the Lake Rotorua Primary Producers Collective talking about various initiatives they have implemented to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loss from their land.

Proposed rules to help protect Lake Rotorua will require most local farmers to substantially reduce nitrogen losses by 2032.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council integrated catchments general manager, Chris Ingle, said the videos would help other farmers in the catchment as they made changes on their own farms to improve their nutrient management practices.

"It's a great initiative as farmers in our catchment work together to improve water quality," Mr Ingle said.

Jo Carr from the Lake Rotorua Primary Producers Collective said the project was guided by the principle of 'by farmers for farmers', with collective members contributing their time and expertise.

"The videos and support information will help farmers assess what practices might suit their farm.

"The impact of good management practice is explained in plain English. The videos showcase the willingness of Rotorua farmers to share their experiences with other farmers, not only locally but across New Zealand," she said.

View the Good Management Practice video series here.