Select Committee report on the Natural Environment Bill and Planning Bill welcomed

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says the Select Committee report on the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill is a significant step forward for the primary sector.

"These bills are central to this Government's plan to grow the economy and back our farmers," says Todd McClay.

"For too long the RMA has added cost, delay, and uncertainty for the people who grow and produce New Zealand's food and fibre. Replacing it with a system that is practical, proportionate, and focused on outcomes is good news for farmers and for the wider economy."

"I'm pleased to see the Select Committee has listened to the sector and refined how freshwater farm plans will work in practice."

Associate Environment and Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard has welcomed the Select Committee report on the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill, which have been sent back to the House.

"This is a milestone for the Government and another step for the two new bills to replace the RMA, which has held up development and caused frustration for farmers, homeowners, iwi, councils, and others," says Andrew Hoggard.

"There is a role for freshwater farm plans in the new planning system, as a key tool to manage environmental impacts in a way that is proportionate, cost-effective, and risk focused."

There have also been key and welcome changes to the bills as part of the Select Committee process, relating to audits in the freshwater farm plan system. The Select Committee has agreed to amend the legislation to remove the requirement for a non-certified farm plan to be audited.

"This change supports the risk-based and practical approach for farm plans.

Only those farms undertaking activities with a higher identified risk to freshwater will be required to have a certified and audited freshwater farm plan."

Farmers with lower risk activities will still need to prepare and hold a farm plan, and declare they have one to the council, but they will not need to have it certified or audited.

In sensitive catchments, freshwater farm plans may also be used to comply with rules or regulations.

"Farm plans will be straightforward for most farmers to develop, giving them a practical way to identify, manage, and reduce the impacts of farming on their land and freshwater."

Farmers can opt to have their plans certified and audited at any time, if that's required for access to specific markets.

"We've heard from farmers that they want a system that's cost-effective, restores certainty, and provides environmental protections without the delays of the old RMA. I believe we've achieved that," says Andrew Hoggard. ...