Southland farmers are raising concerns over unexpected charges following Environment Southland’s winter grazing compliance checks, with some invoices reportedly reaching $4000.
Federated Farmers Southland president Jason Herrick says the problem isn’t the inspections themselves, but the fees issued when no problems are found.
“Farmers understand the need for good environmental practices and compliance.
“But being invoiced for a visit where there are no breaches or problems is incredibly frustrating.
“One farmer I spoke to was charged for nine hours of staff time for a compliance visit where everything was fine.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Environment Southland has been conducting flyovers to monitor intensive winter grazing.
Following these aerial checks, officers have been visiting some farms to confirm compliance with environmental regulations.
Herrick says some farmers have told him visits have come with little to no notice, adding to their frustration.
“I’ve definitely had a few phone calls from farmers upset about the lack of notice, and the charges,” Herrick says.
“They feel blindsided, especially when the inspection confirms everything is in order.”
He says council officials will defend the fees as a way of ensuring compliance costs aren’t passed onto ratepayers.
“They’ll say they’re just charging where the costs are,” Herrick says.
“But from a farmer’s perspective, it feels like being penalised for doing the right thing.”
The current approach also raises questions about the balance between environmental oversight and supporting farmers to comply.
Herrick says the practice risks undermining trust between farmers and the council.
“There really needs to be a fair and transparent process around fees.
“If fees for compliant farms continue, it will erode trust. Farmers want to cooperate, but they also need to feel treated fairly.”
Herrick says many farmers have been unfairly caught out by a change in the Water and Land Plan, which increased the fencing setback for waterways from three metres to five.
The confusion comes from Environment Court wording that requires all winter crop buffer zones next to waterways to be 10 metres from the edge of the water.
The rule was introduced last season, after crops had already been planted, requiring the five-metre buffer to be measured inside the paddock.
But because many waterways had been fenced under the old three-metre rule, farmers who planted to meet the new five-metre requirement ended up with only eight metres in total from the water’s edge – short of the new 10-metre setback.
“Plenty of farmers did the right thing by the old rules, but now they’re being followed up after flyovers.
“Wouldn’t it make more sense for the council to focus on educating farmers about the change and supporting them to adapt, rather than penalising them?”
He says this is particularly important with winter grazing, where crop sowing and fencing decisions are locked in well ahead of time.
“Once crops are in the ground, making changes is difficult, time-consuming and costly.”
The council’s critical source area definition is also unclear and confusing for farmers trying to do the right think, he says.
“The council needs to be much clearer about what a CSA is, as it appears their staff think it applies to any undulation in a paddock leading to a waterway.”
In July, Environment Southland noted on its website that its team had carried out the second of its monthly winter grazing flights.
The council said, “Many farmers have put a lot of work into their winter grazing plans to have a smooth season.
“However, we are still seeing issues of buffers being the incorrect size and critical source areas not being fenced off.
“There were 14 properties identified to follow up, mostly because of buffer sizes and critical source areas. These farmers will be followed up with.”
But Herrick says the number of farmers who’ve contacted him with concerns about Environment Southland’s approach has far exceeded 14.
He’d like to see the council taking more of an educational approach to winter grazing compliance.
“I’ve heard from farmers in other regions like Otago, where councils are managing compliance from a very different mindset.
“They’ve taken more of an educational approach, helping farmers understand what their obligations are and supporting them to lift their standard where needed.
“I think Environment Southland should follow suit. That would help them build more trust with farmers down here, and quite possibly achieve even better compliance.”
