Farmers in limbo over One Plan

Farm advisers are ‘‘sitting in limbo’’ as Horizons Regional Council sorts out weaknesses in the One Plan.

After the Environment Court ruled it was not taking a strong enough stance on farm runoff enforcement, the council, in April, imposed a 12-week halt on approving and processing new intensive land-use consents. Although the halt is officially over, farmers are none the wiser about what’s expected of them when they apply for consents.

The council was taken to court by environmental lobby groups Fish and Game and the Environmental Defence Society. They successfully argued Horizons was going too easy on farms by allowing for high levels of nitrogen to be discharged under the enforcement of the One Plan. The council has said it took a ‘‘practical approach’’ to the plan’s enforcement.

The plan was signed off in 2014, after a decade-long process of consultation. It came with a pricetag of almost $10 million. The halt ended early this month, but farm advisers and their clients are still waiting to see what changes will be made to consent requirements.

Manawatu-based BakerAg farm adviser Gary Massicks said he was sitting in limbo during the holding period, waiting to see what Horizons’ expectations and requirements for consents would be. ‘‘We don’t know what to do. We are just sitting on our hands.’’

The consultancy company had about 25 consents on hold. Massicks said he could plan with his clients, but nothing could be completed. Even with the 12-week freeze over, Massicks predicted some farmers would hold off on applying for consents until the council clarified what was needed in an application.

Horizons chief executive Michael McCartney said an evaluation of the One Plan and the court process revealed weaknesses in the plan. ‘‘This is unsurprising for a plan that started its development back in 2005. Knowledge, policy and scientific approaches have progressed in the intervening years.’’

A software program, Overseer, used to help farmers make informed decisions about nutrient use, had changed since the One Plan was created and it needed to be reassessed, he said. But any changes to the One Plan would need to be considered by the council and would have to go through consultation with the community.