Farm Environment Plans (FEP)
Farmers are the stewards of the land and strive to improve the land. Now, this must be shown to the wider community.
Farm environment plans (FEP) are the means to do this. A FEP identifies environmental risks on your property and sets out plans and actions to manage those risks.
By completing the risk assessment, having plans to manage, and following the plans means you can achieve Good Management Practice (GMP).
WIL require you have a FEP for your property.
Why
The WIL water take and nutrient discharge consents require:
- all properties associated with these consents to have a FEP
- all FEP’s are audited – WIL administer and manage this program for you
- all properties complete an annual Overseer Nutrient budget
All this is done as part of WIL Environmental Management Strategy to maintain our commitment to environmental improvement and environmental stewardship.
The Waimakariri zone is going through a sub-regional planning process to determine the quantity and quality limits for the many waterways, lakes and rivers which feature in our region. The information collected using FEP’s across the WIL catchment will be invaluable going into the sub-regional planning process.
FEP’s will demonstrate how the use of natural resources is being actively managed to achieve high standards of environmental performance and responsible water use.
The FEP covers the six farm management areas and objectives are set for each of these topics and farmers retain flexibility as to how they achieve them.
The six key risk management areas that farmers must consider.
- Irrigation Management,
- Nutrient Management,
- Soils Management,
- Collected Effluent Management,
- Riparian, Wetland and Biodiversity Management.
- Mahinga Kai
How
Waimakairiri Irrigation uses an online, Environment Canterbury approved, Farm Environment Plan (FEP) template to capture, track, and improve farm management practices. All FEPs must use this template. The online tool allows shareholders to log on and complete or update their plans from any computer.
WIL have contracted Paul Reese, Environmental consultant with Water Strategies ltd, to manage the FEP and audit program.
On farm advice and one on one discussions alongside scheme wide initiatives will all play a part in achieving GMP and improving our environmental impact.
WIL is assisting shareholders to develop FEP’s specific to each property and providing ongoing support, funded through the annual water charges.
For more information on the FEP and audit program Paul can be contacted on 0277 31 44 33 or paul@waterstrategies.co.nz
FEP Login for Existing Users
Please use the following link http://plan.wil.co.nz/login
