Otago Regional Council calling for winter grazing plans

Sheep feed on winter swedes near Edievale. Photo / Stephen Jacquiery

The Otago Regional Council is encouraging farmers to apply for the intensive winter grazing areas they want to use in the years ahead.

Farmers are being encouraged to use a winter grazing application and a management plan template provided by the council.

Council consents manager Joanna Gilroy said the intensive winter grazing rules were introduced as part of the wider essential freshwater package and the council was responsible for implementing them.

"We're looking to do this in a way which is practical for farmers, but also recognises the environmental risks of some farming activities and encourages farmers to think about these risks."

As part of applying for a consent, an intensive winter grazing management plan would be required.

These management plans would be a component of any future freshwater farm plan so any plan developed for the consent process would be helpful for farmers when beginning the freshwater farm plan journey in the future.

The application for consent should cover multiple years, with any consents then granted for a specific duration.

In most instances, the council was encouraging farmers to apply for consent for the next three to five years.

"Farmers will then need to update their management plan annually and tell us where they have grazed in the previous year, and where they plan to graze next season."

People could use existing grazing templates, but the council had prepared a template for use, which people could access.

While farmers needed to apply for the paddocks they were likely to graze over the next several years, actual paddock selection and the day-to-day operation of their property were still in the farmer's control.

"We appreciate that the operation of a farm can be fluid and the process we have developed provides for farmers to change their plan in response to the many factors which can influence day-to-day management," Gilroy said.

Council compliance manager Tami Sargeant said there would be some monitoring of farms.

"Once a consent has been issued, the compliance team will monitor the winter grazing practices to check that farmers are complying with any consent conditions."