Saturday, 25 April 2015 09:58

One Plan working out

Written by 
Bruce Rollison balances life as a grower and HRC councillor. Bruce Rollison balances life as a grower and HRC councillor.

Farmers and Horizons Regional Council were for years at each other’s throats over the infamous One Plan and the council’s stance seen by some as anti-farming.

But the row has died down as some staff and councillor changes – plus work by DairyNZ, Horticulture New Zealand and Federated Farmers – have brought the council to its senses to implement One Plan, with all its imperfections, in a practical way.

Helping in that change is Bruce Rollison who with his wife Stephanie grows vegetables near Ohakune in the shadow of Mt Ruapehu. He is also one of the new people at the table at Horizons Regional Council – a first time councillor representing the Ruapehu Ward. 

Rollison says today staff, councillors and farmers work positively to find practical solutions, especially in priority catchments where there is intensive dairying and commercial growing.

“They’re meeting regularly so that the steps Horizons executive and staff are taking have practical understanding of farmers’ needs,” he told Rural News

“That’s the key point – understanding the practicality of farming and weighing up whether regulations do or don’t fit in a particular area. The aim is to allow the farmer to maintain and build their business and for Horizons to ensure the regulatory framework of One Plan is adhered to and that the environmental outcomes are positive.” 

As a regional councillor Rollison is required by law to act in the best interests of the region – not just a particular sector. At the same time, he and other councillors bring their own expertise to the debate. Rollison says, as a grower, he listens carefully to what others have to say and makes sure that when he speaks he takes the interests of others into consideration. 

“I am not going to put up a debate that is so left- or right-field that someone could say, ‘hey Bruce that was a ridiculous statement and you are not taking into account these other issues’. You have to maintain the professionalism of upholding standards while ensuring that progress can happen.” 

Rollison says even before One Plan was unveiled, many farmers were adhering to strict environmental codes and good agricultural practices. He believes this is why there was a lot of ‘push back’ to One Plan, with farmers questioning the need for more regulations. He says the authors of One Plan should have taken more notice of this and their failure to do so helped cause the impasse between the council and farmers. 

But Rollison says this is now history and the focus is on making the plan work and trying to reduce the red tape for farmers working positively on environmental issues.

He adds that many councillors think, for example, if a dairy farmer is monitoring the environmental plan on his farm, why have three organisations call to check on him? 

“So we are moving to a point where those farmers who are showing a good adherence to One Plan could be doing something of a self-audit. But if there is someone not adhering to the rules and there are issues then Horizons will continue to monitor them.”

More like this

'Clip board' council out of touch

Commercial grower Bruce Rollison says he's spending a lot of time dealing with existing regulations and planning to deal with new ones that keep appearing.

Cut the red tape - Feds

Federated Farmers says it is pleased that Horizons Regional Council (Manawatu-Whanganui) has recognised the need to get work done on-farm by empowering them to fix infrastructure without getting consents.

Certainty on the 'Horizons'?

After more than a decade of at times acrimonious wrangling, it seems that peace is breaking out on how to manage the environment in the Manawatu, Whanganui and Rangitikei districts.

Let there be peace in the hills and valleys

After more than a decade of at times acrimonious wrangling, it seems that peace is breaking out on how to manage the environment in the Manawatu, Whanganui and Rangitikei districts.

Featured

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

SIDE 2025's new schedule, venue

Annual farmer gathering, the South Island Dairy Event (SIDE), is set to make history as it heads to Timaru for the first time.

Taranaki piggery goes solar

Installing 400 solar panels at their Taranaki piggery and cropping operation will have significant environmental, financial and animal welfare benefits for the Stanley family.

Editorial: Keep FTAs coming

OPINION: The dairy industry will  be a major beneficiary of a new free trade deal between NZ and the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC).

National

Food charity to hold online auction

Meat the Need, New Zealand’s dedicated charity delivering locally sourced protein meals to food-insecure communities, is launching an online National…

Machinery & Products

An ideal solution for larger farms

Designed specifically for large farms that want to drill with maximum flexibility, efficiency and power, the new Lemken Solitair ST…

Landpower increases its offering

Landpower and the Claas Harvest Centre network will launch the Claas Scorpion and Torion material handling solutions to the market…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Leaky waka

OPINION: Was the ASB Economic Weekly throwing shade on Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr when reporting on his speech in…

Know-it-alls

OPINION: A reader recently had a shot at the various armchair critics that she judged to be more than a…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter