NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Environment

Horizons proposes plan change that will get farms compliant

Laurel Stowell
By Laurel Stowell
Reporter·Whanganui Chronicle·
17 Aug, 2018 07:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Brett Cockeram monitors for nitrogen levels. Photo / file

Brett Cockeram monitors for nitrogen levels. Photo / file

In an effort to get intensive farms legally consented, Horizons Regional Council is proposing to change numbers on the maximum nitrogen they can leach in its controversial One Plan table.

The matter was discussed at a strategy and policy committee meeting on August 14, and councillors agreed to a three-staged approach.

Last year the Environment Court told the council it must refuse consent to farmers unable to restrict nitrogen leaching to totals in the One Plan's Table 14.2. The totals were taken from a version of Overseer, a computer system for estimating the amount of nitrogen leaching through soil.

Read more: Editorial: Horizons need to be consistent in regulation

The figures were from a 2007 version of Overseer. It has been updated eight times since, and its estimates of nitrogen leached have increased 60 per cent.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Meanwhile, the council has been steadily checking nitrogen in waterways. It has found some decreases, and no increase anywhere near 60 per cent. Its conclusion is that the nitrogen unaccounted for is being lost as a gas.

Horizons Regional Council is taking a three-staged approach to intensive farming consents and their effect on water, chairman Bruce Gordon says. Photo / file
Horizons Regional Council is taking a three-staged approach to intensive farming consents and their effect on water, chairman Bruce Gordon says. Photo / file

About 90 per cent of region dairy farmers could not meet the Table 14.2 figures, Whanganui Horizons councillor David Cotton said. Yet the intention of the One Plan was to achieve better water quality - "within the means of most farms".

People who could not meet the maximums in the table were given 15 to 25-year consents, Palmerston North Horizons councillor Rachel Keedwell said. They were simply asked to reduce their leaching and use good management practices.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Environment Court found this unlawful, and asked Horizons to stick with the existing maximums. Changing the numbers in the table, in a plan change notified by the end of this year, will make lawful consenting possible.

It could take two years to formally change the plan, and Overseer numbers could change again in that time. But Horizons staff have said further big jumps by Overseer are unlikely, and the changed numbers will allow more farms to comply.

Councillors were assured nitrogen making its way to rivers will not increase with the new numbers.

There could be equity issues though, because farmers who got the earlier consents had an easier time, Keedwell said.

Discover more

Environment

Council chief 'court action achieved nothing'

27 Jul 06:00 PM
Environment

PFAS contaminant a worldwide concern, research ongoing

10 Aug 09:00 PM
Business

$66,500 fine for LMNZ after Whanganui River discharge

23 Aug 09:00 PM
New Zealand

Award for improvement to river appals campaigner

26 Nov 08:00 PM

And there will still be some farmers who cannot meet even the new maximums - horticulturists, for example, who can leach twice as much as intensive dairy farms.

The council plans to notify another plan change next year. It would give those farmers consent, provided they are on track for gradual reduction.

The next stage is a catchment by catchment overhaul of freshwater management, where residents will discuss and agree on water quality targets. It will take until 2025 to cover all seven catchments.

In Cotton's personal opinion, it will be the best long term answer.

"All the rivers have different problems. For the Whanganui, it's sediment, and it needs trees on the hills. For the Manawatū it's nitrogen. We have only got one law for all catchments," he said.

Keedwell isn't so sure a collaborative process will work. She said people in the collaborative Land and Water Forum failed to reach agreement, and environmental groups walked away.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Both councillors say the council is moving in the right direction, though Keedwell said progress has been slow and costly.

Fish & Game is one of the parties that took Horizons to the Environment Court over its previous consenting. Its CEO Martin Taylor said the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is investigating the Overseer programme at the moment.

He didn't know what the committee had decided, but had little faith in the council.

"We are highly sceptical at this stage, if the plan changes make it easier for the people who are polluting to go on polluting. Perhaps instead of focusing on the vested interests of a few dairy farmers they should focus on the environmental health of their rivers and streams, which they have an obligation to do under the Resource Management Act."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Environment

Environment

Waikato eco-sanctuary first site to receive kōkako from Hunua

30 Jun 04:07 AM
New Zealand

Feral goats' days numbered in 'unique' conservation park

25 Jun 07:40 PM
Premium
Opinion

Simon Wilson: Chlöe Swarbrick and the lost lessons of Monopoly

17 Jun 05:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Environment

Waikato eco-sanctuary first site to receive kōkako from Hunua

Waikato eco-sanctuary first site to receive kōkako from Hunua

30 Jun 04:07 AM

Once on the brink of local extinction, the Hunua Ranges kōkako have slowly bounced back.

Feral goats' days numbered in 'unique' conservation park

Feral goats' days numbered in 'unique' conservation park

25 Jun 07:40 PM
Premium
Simon Wilson: Chlöe Swarbrick and the lost lessons of Monopoly

Simon Wilson: Chlöe Swarbrick and the lost lessons of Monopoly

17 Jun 05:00 PM
Auckland's first electric ferry is on the water

Auckland's first electric ferry is on the water

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP