Flights to check that farmers are abiding by Intensive Winter Grazing regulations are resuming this week, Otago Regional Council (ORC) says.

The flights, over farms, forests and waterways in general, assess land uses across slopes of more than 10 degrees, critical source areas, wetlands, gullies, and fencing from waterways.

They will also be looking for large land disturbances around forestry and any machinery working in or around streams, rivers and wetlands, ORC compliance manager Tami Sargeant said.

“The ORC undertakes compliance flights every year to gain a bird’s eye view on land use in districts around the region to identify any potential risks to water quality,” she said. 

Tami said the flyovers would begin at the end of this week and continue in the coming two weeks.

Following the flyovers, staff will assess the information and undertake site visits on any potential high-risk sites to ‘ground truth’ and check compliance, she said.

Even though the government has signalled pending changes around consents, Otago farmers should still continue with their best management practices under their current consents, as any government changes will not come into effect until winter next year.

“We know farmers are well set for this winter and grazing is underway,” Tami said. “Please keep your consents; they’ll give you all certainty during this time and still apply to this winter.”

Farmers who do not have a consent should continue to strive to meet the permitted criteria for the regulations and have a grazing management plan in place which will support good on-farm decisions around grazing, she said.

“ORC’s compliance programme will continue for this winter, with a continued focus on education and assessments of any on-farm risks to the environment,” she said.

“We’re expecting farmers, forestry contractors and earth moving contractors, to have plans drawn up for managing sediment which is likely to be mobilised and sediment controls in place to keep sediment from getting into Otago waterways.”

Anyone who sees pollution of a waterway is encouraged to call the ORC’s 24/7 pollution hotline on 0800 800 033, or email [email protected].

PHOTO: Supplied