Federated farmers members surveyed on 'low slope' maps

The drawn lines show hilly land on Federated Farmers High Country Chairman Rob Stokes’ farm at Amberley captured by the new "low slope" maps. Photo / Supplied

Federated Farmers says it is highlighting the case for a review of land deemed "low slope" for the purposes of stock exclusion from waterways.

"We're about to survey our members to get more specific information on where the Ministry for the Environment's final low slope maps are wrong, so we can advocate for the best way forward," Feds water spokesman Chris Allen said.

According to Allen, the low slope maps take in some hill and high country that is so steep, farmers would need to pay for helicopters to lift poles and other supplies in order to fence off the waterways.

"The government requirements as written have come as one hell of a shock to low intensity/high country farmers given the obscene costs it will take to comply."

More deemed "low slope" land on Newhaven Farms, in the Oamaru District. Photo / Supplied

Federated Farmers says the pastoral land now defined as "low slope" has increased from the 3.8 million hectares consulted on by the government in 2019, to 6 million hectares in the MfE maps now published.

This pushed the total cost to around $4.4 billion - four times what the government estimated it would cost in their cost/benefit analysis, Allen said.

"Federated Farmers supports the intent of excluding cattle, deer and pigs from waterways on intensively grazed low slope land and when strip grazed, - but unfortunately this is another instance of the final regulations being well off the mark."

Landowners can check out how much of their land is defined as low slope land here.