What is a FWFP and do I need one?
What is a freshwater farm plan?
Freshwater farms plans are a form of farmer-led risk management tool.
At a basic level, a freshwater farm plan must:
- Identify the risks of adverse effects of farming activities on freshwater or freshwater ecosystems
- Schedule actions to be carried out in certain time frames to avoid, remedy or mitigate those risks.
- Describe how you will meet regulatory requirements, including the synthetic nitrogen cap, intensive winter grazing rules, stock holding, wetland, and stock exclusion rules.
Over time, freshwater farm plans are expected to become the central tool for farmers and growers to manage all their freshwater regulatory requirements.
Who needs a freshwater farm plan?
- All pastoral or arable land use of more than 20 hectares.
- All horticultural land use of five hectares or more.
- Any combination of these land uses equal to or greater than 20 hectares.