New rules for winter grazing
Farmers are being given different rules to manage winter grazing, after Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and Environment Minister David Parker last week announced changes to regulations.
‘‘The amendments will require grazed annual forage crop paddocks to be re-sown as soon as conditions allow, instead of by a set date,’’ O’Connor said.
Specific requirements around the depth of pugging had been removed and replaced with a duty for farmers to take all reasonably practicable steps to minimise the effects of pugging (when wet pasture is trampled by cows) on freshwater, O’Connor said.
A new condition has been added in which critical source areas in winter crop paddocks would need to be identified and not cultivated or grazed. The changes will help protect the soil and waterways by placing greater importance on paddock selection and ensuring land was suitable for winter forage crops, O’Connor said.
‘‘Our economy depends on our environment. Cleaning up our winter grazing practices protects our freshwater resources, the welfare of our animals, and our exporting credentials,’’ O’Connor said.
‘‘The changes will take effect from November 1, in time for farmers to plan for the 2023 winter grazing period.’’
This was a delay from a previous effective date of May 1.
Parker said evidence showed soil loss increased if winter forage crops were planted and grazed on slopes of more than 10 degrees.
‘‘Under the changes, farmers who want to undertake intensive winter grazing on slopes more than 10 degrees will need to outline their controls to prevent soil loss and mitigate risks, either by applying for resource consent, or in a certified freshwater farm plan,’’ he said.
David Burger, Dairy NZ general manager for sustainable dairy, said his organisation welcomed the changes.
‘‘The two rules we were most concerned about were the mandatory resowing date and the pugging standard,’’ Burger said.
‘‘We felt that a pugging standard of 10cm, or a maximum 20cm for no more than half the paddock, held no scientific justification, and there was no guidance as to how it would be achieved.’’
Managing the effects of pugging by managing critical source areas, and using a farm environmental plan to identify a property’s specific risk areas, was a better method of tackling the issue, Burger said.
The removal of the fixed sowing date was also welcome, he said. ‘‘The intent of the fixed resowing date was to make sure that there was no environmental damage through erosion from paddocks to waterways,’’ he said.
‘‘You don’t want to reseed paddocks in the middle of winter as you create erosion. It’s a pragmatic outcome,’’ Burger said.
Parker said new intensive winter grazing regulations were part of the Essential Freshwater package, which required farmers to improve on-farm practices.
‘‘This package introduced rules for stock exclusion, stockholding, nitrogen fertiliser, rivers and wetlands, as well as other regulations designed to protect freshwater and control highrisk practices,’’ Parker said.
O’Connor said the freshwater farm plan system, due to be introduced from later this year, would provide another practical way for farmers to identify and mitigate environmental risks.
‘‘We recently announced a $25 million package, which will expand and strengthen the farm advisory sector to help farmers with an integrated approach to farm planning,’’ O’Connor said.
Following a report by the independent 2019 Winter Grazing Action Group recommendations were made to ministers and changes have occurred.
‘‘I set up the group to focus on the importance of animal welfare in intensive winter grazing,’’ O’Connor said.
‘‘The group’sfinal report shows farmers have made progress, however there is still work to do and we will continue to support farmers to refine their practices.’’