increase font size
Doug Leeder.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council is offering free resource consents to landowners to move to the next stage of a plan change associated with reducing nitrogen leaching into Lake Rotorua.
The offer is available to landowners of properties over 40ha in the Rotorua catchment since July and closes on September 30, waiving estimated fees of about $1000. The recently adopted plan change 10 to the Regional Water and Land Plan introduced rules aimed to reduce on land the lost nitrogen that then enters the lake.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council chair Doug Leeder says to date 32 landowners have registered for a free consent.
“A fair majority of the farmers in our catchment have been well aware of the rules for some time. Some of them were instrumental in the development phase and just want to get on with it. Our environment won’t wait, so we want to help them do so.”
Most farms over 40ha will need resource consent. A requirement of the consent is to produce a nutrient management plan (NMP) that outlines how they will meet their nitrogen discharge allocation by 2032.
“We will pay for farmers to work with approved independent land use advisors to develop an NMP. We’re offering to help with the paperwork required by the rules so they can get on with the real work -- managing their farms.”
The former chair of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and farmer, Doug Leeder, says rural communities' biggest fear right now is the lack of long-term certainty over environmental regulations.
It's been a bumper season for maize and other supplements in the eastern Bay of Plenty.
Maori dairy farmers are being urged to enter the BNZ Maori Excellence in Farming dairy competition.
Engaging, thought provoking speakers, relevant seminars and relatable topics alongside innovative produces and services are the order of the day at the 2026 East Coast Farming Expo.
Farm supplies trader Ruralco has recovered from two consecutive years of losses to post a $1.25 million profit for the 2025 financial year.
Naki Honey, a New Zealand manuka apiary company, has crafted what is believed to be the world's most expensive honey.
OPINION: Wool farmers believe the future of strong wool still holds promise.
Applications are open for Horticulture New Zealand's (HortNZ) 2026 scholarship programme, with 20 funding opportunities available.
OPINION: Farmers are being asked to celebrate a target that changes nothing for the climate, wastes taxpayer money, and ignores real science.
OPINION: Microplastics are turning up just about everywhere in the global food supply, including in fish, cups of tea, and…
OPINION: At a time when dairy prices are at record highs, no one was expecting the world's second largest dairy…
