Editorial: Long overdue!
OPINION: The Government's latest move to make freshwater farm plans more practical and affordable is welcome, and long overdue.
Describing the current framework as "a complete dog", Feds complain that it is incredibly expensive to write, certify and audit the plans.
To make matters worse, the rules go too far and capture all properties over 20ha, and existing industry or council farm plans are not recognised, creating a frustrating level of duplication with most farmers still required to get a resource consent. in addition to their farm plan.
Federated Farmers wants the Government to put in place a practical, pragmatic and effective system that will improve environmental outcomes while reducing the regulatory burden and unnecessary cost. Now that the Government has finished its first 100-day plan, there is hope attention will turn to righting this flawed plans framework.
