CHANGING POLICIES, CHANGING FARM MANAGEMENT
CANTERBURY WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
In 2009 the Canterbury Water Management Strategy was introduced. It focuses on a collaborative approach to addressing water issues, with partnerships between the Canterbury regional and local councils, Ngai Tahu and other stakeholders, with interests in water.
The CWMS identified ten water management zones. Each zone has a committee comprised of community appointees and council representatives. It intends to collaboratively manage water resources within each of the zone with regard to meeting the goals under the ten target areas. The targets are: ecosystem health and biodiversity; drinking water; kaitakitanga; braided rivers; recreational and amenity opportunities; …show more content…
They must utilise a farm environment plan by July 1 2017.. This intends to cause a reduction in discharges of phosphate, nitrogen, sediments and microbes. By January 2022, any farming activity that has nitrogen losses of more than 15kg/ha must reduce these by 30% for dairy, which is halfway between the best management practice and maximum feasible mitigation. The use of good management practices will enable this. Firstly, the farm will need to create a nutrient budget using OVERSEER. They must annually review the input data into OVERSEER to ensure the budget reflects the system. Every three years the farm must have a new budget, unless the land use changes. In this case a new budget must be created at the end of that year. Secondly, famers must ensure their fertiliser application meets the necessary standards including the 2007 Code of Practice for Nutrient Management and the 2014 Spreadmark Code of Practice or using spreading equipment that meets that standard. Thirdly, soil tests, nutrient budgets and fertiliser application records must be retained, and supplied to Environment Canterbury, if necessary (Environment Canterbury, 2015). Finally, Ron Pellow (personal communication, April 2, 2016), said that farmers may need to look at different strategies to achieve the nitrogen loss limits. One suggestion being implemented at the LUDF is the use of a plantain, chicory, ryegrass intercrop. This has been reported to reduce urine nitrogen concentration, which contributes to a reduction in nitrogen excretion, thereby reducing environmental impacts (Busch,
CANTERBURY WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
In 2009 the Canterbury Water Management Strategy was introduced. It focuses on a collaborative approach to addressing water issues, with partnerships between the Canterbury regional and local councils, Ngai Tahu and other stakeholders, with interests in water.
The CWMS identified ten water management zones. Each zone has a committee comprised of community appointees and council representatives. It intends to collaboratively manage water resources within each of the zone with regard to meeting the goals under the ten target areas. The targets are: ecosystem health and biodiversity; drinking water; kaitakitanga; braided rivers; recreational and amenity opportunities; …show more content…
They must utilise a farm environment plan by July 1 2017.. This intends to cause a reduction in discharges of phosphate, nitrogen, sediments and microbes. By January 2022, any farming activity that has nitrogen losses of more than 15kg/ha must reduce these by 30% for dairy, which is halfway between the best management practice and maximum feasible mitigation. The use of good management practices will enable this. Firstly, the farm will need to create a nutrient budget using OVERSEER. They must annually review the input data into OVERSEER to ensure the budget reflects the system. Every three years the farm must have a new budget, unless the land use changes. In this case a new budget must be created at the end of that year. Secondly, famers must ensure their fertiliser application meets the necessary standards including the 2007 Code of Practice for Nutrient Management and the 2014 Spreadmark Code of Practice or using spreading equipment that meets that standard. Thirdly, soil tests, nutrient budgets and fertiliser application records must be retained, and supplied to Environment Canterbury, if necessary (Environment Canterbury, 2015). Finally, Ron Pellow (personal communication, April 2, 2016), said that farmers may need to look at different strategies to achieve the nitrogen loss limits. One suggestion being implemented at the LUDF is the use of a plantain, chicory, ryegrass intercrop. This has been reported to reduce urine nitrogen concentration, which contributes to a reduction in nitrogen excretion, thereby reducing environmental impacts (Busch,