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Dairying & Clean Streams Accord
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Dairying Clean Streams Accord: Regional Action Plan for Taranaki
The Dairying and Clean Steams Accord focuses on reducing the impacts of dairying on the quality of New Zealand streams, rivers, lakes, ground water and wetlands to achieve clean and healthy water.
The Regional Action Plan adapts the actions outlined in the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord to Taranaki conditions. The Regional Action Plan for Taranaki was prepared by local representatives of the Fonterra Co-operative Group, Federated Farmers, and the Taranaki Regional Council.
In total 1,186 riparian property plans have been prepared, representing 62% of the total dairy farms in the region. Annual monitoring of works completed is conducted onsite by land management staff of the Taranaki Regional Council. In addition, all properties were inspected to monitor dairy shed discharge permit compliance.
By the end of the 2006/2007 year:
- 62% of Taranaki dairy farms had a property plan [Taranaki target: 90% of dairy farms are to have a property plan by 2010] .
- 48% of streambank was protected by fencing. Of that protection, 45% consists of fencing that was already in place at the time of preparing the property plans, 3% consists of new work completed on dairy farms [Taranaki target: 50% of property plans are to be implemented by 2010, 90% by 2015] .
- 42% of streambank was protected by planting and vegetation. Of that protection, 38% consists of vegetation that was already in place at the time of preparing the property plans, 4% consists of new work completed on dairy farms [Taranaki target: 50% of property plans are to be implemented by 2010, 90% by 2015].
- 93% of all regular stream crossings points at the regional level were adequately bridged or culverted [Taranaki target: 50% of regular crossing points are to have bridges or culverts by 2007, 90% by 2015].
- 100% of dairy farms in Taranaki had a farm dairy effluent discharge consent that complies with the Taranaki Regional Fresh Water Plan [Taranaki target: 100% of dairy farms to have a consent that complies with regional plan by 2004].
- 79% of regionally significant wetlands were fenced [Taranaki target: 60% of regionally significant wetlands are to be fenced by 2005, 90% by 2010].
- 65% of dairy farms in Taranaki had a nutrient budget in place [Taranaki target: Fonterra to have 100% of dairy farms with systems in place to manage nutrient inputs and outputs by 31 December 2007].
Overall, the Accord partners and the Taranaki dairy farming community should be satisfied with the progress made to date on most of the targets set out in the Regional Action Plan for Taranaki .
However, an issue that continues to exist is the slow pace of property plan implementation . Performance towards the 2010 target largely relies on existing pre-Accord fencing and vegetation.
However, if plan implementation continues at its current rate the implementation targets will not be met.
The Taranaki Regional Council has continued to make adjustments to its approach to promote wider and faster implementation. However, if the implementation targets are to be met a few years out, other Accord partners and ultimately dairy farmers will need to apply more effort to physical works.
Contact the Land Management Section for information or advice about the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord.
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