Articles tagged with Associate Environment Minister

New Law Streamlines Freshwater Farm Plans for NZ Farmers

3 days ago | 91 views

The Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act, passed into law, has improved the freshwater farm plan system to make it more workable and affordable for farmers, reducing duplication and costs by allowing industry organisations to certify and audit plans. This change recognizes good work done by farmers and industry groups in managing risks, focusing on actual on-farm risks and practical actions to reduce them. The Act increases the minimum farm size requiring a freshwater farm plan to 50 hectares for certain land uses, removing the requirement for around 8,000 smaller, lower-risk farms, supporting environmental stewardship and growth in the primary sector.

Tags: Government freshwater farm plan system Resource Management Act Agriculture Minister Todd McClay Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard industry organisations farm plans environmental stewardship growth RMA.

Government Acts to Prevent 'Stop Work' Order for NZ Farmers: RMA Reform Bill Update

1 week ago | 121 views

The Government has intervened to prevent potential stop work notices for thousands of New Zealand farmers due to water discharge rules under the RMA, affecting 2,800 Waikato farms. Various regional councils raised concerns, leading to amendments broadening permitted water discharges in the Resource Management Amendment Bill. The changes aim to support farmers, ensure water quality improvement, and avoid hindering economic recovery, with the bill set to pass into law soon.

Tags: Chris Bishop Todd McClay Andrew Hoggard Government New Zealand farmers RMA Reform Minister Agriculture Minister Associate Environment Minister Waikato Regional Council Resource Management Amendment Bill