Find out about sector-based farm environment plans, and also the range of farm and property plans available from the Taranaki Regional Council.
It's considered industry best practice to prepare and implement a farm environment plan. The Council currently has no regulatory requirement for such plans. However, the Council has for many years worked with willing landholders to prepare a range of farm plans.
Farm environment plans may become a requirement throughout the region in time.
What is a farm environment plan?
A farm environment plan (FEP) summarises the potential environmental risks in a farming operation, and describes how these risks will be managed and reduced over time. The Council is dedicated to continuous improvement with farm planning, and planning for good farming is always a desirable practice.
The farm environment plan includes:
- Maps of your property.
- Identification of environmental risks.
- A nutrient budget and stock exclusion plans.
- Good management practices (GMP) or actions you intend to take to reduce environmental risks.
Recommended guidance & templates
The Council recommends the guidance and templates provided by the following sector-based organisations:
Beef+Lamb(external link) | DairyNZ(external link) | Deer Industry NZ(external link) | Foundation for Arable Research(external link)
Horticulture NZ(external link) | Irrigation NZ(external link) | Pork NZ(external link)
Who can help?
Primary industry sector representatives can help you prepare a farm environment plan. Opus International Consultants(external link), FarmIQ(external link), Fonterra,(external link) Ballance(external link) and Ravensdown(external link) all have expertise in the preparation of such plans.
Need an aerial photo of your property? Go to our LocalMaps GIS property map(external link) then zoom in on your property and use the Print button.
The Council's farm plans address:
- Riparian (streamside) management on the ring plain.
- Soil erosion in the hillcountry (including the STRESS scheme).
- Biodiversity - protecting wetlands, bush remnants and other valuable habitats on your property.
- Eradication of possums, which threaten agricultural production and native biodiversity.
You can also download fact sheets on these plans - see the list at the bottom of this page.
The Government has signalled a move toward Freshwater Farm Plans. The regulations relating to these plans are still under development and are not yet finalised or in effect.
We will provide more information on Freshwater Farm Plans once they become available.