For farmers
Within this topic:
• Permitted activity guides
This page provides links to all of the information on Environment Waikato's website which is relevant to and useful for farmers. You can also read the Waikato Regional Plan online.
On this page:
- Managing farm run-off, fencing waterways and wetlands
- Effluent management
- Farm management
- Nutrient management planning
- Guide to farming in the Lake Taupo catchment
- Guide for best practice when converting forest to farm
- Pugging and compaction
- Tracks and raceways
- Resource consents
- Useful links
- What farmers are doing
Managing farm run-off, fencing waterways and wetlands
- Find out how managing wet areas on your farm can benefit you
Managing farm run-off plays an important part in good farm management. Keeping stock out of waterway margins and wet areas reduces stock losses, improves stock management and health, and improves water quality. It also helps keep dirty farm run-off out of streams and rivers. - Work out your fencing and planting costs
Use our online calculator to work out your fencing and planting costs.
Effluent management
Rules for farm dairy effluent discharges
- Know the rules
Learn about Environment Waikato's rules and regulations for farm animal effluent discharges. - View or print a PDF version of the effluent irrigation rules poster.
Effluent irrigation rules poster
(339.3 kb, about 1.5mins to download, 56k modem)
- Report an illegal effluent discharge
Please let us know about any effluent discharge that may be harming our environment. Use our online form to report the activity, or call Environment Waikato's Freephone 0800 800 401. Provide details about where and when the incident or activity took place and, if possible, the offender.
Applying effluent to the land
- Applying effluent to the land
Learn more about applying to land and find out the nutrient values of effluent. - Work out effluent application depth
Use our online calculator to work out the effluent application depth you'll need for your farm. - Work out effluent application rates
Use our online calculator to work out the application rates for effluent on your farm.
A Guide to Managing Farm Dairy Effluent
This hands-on guide, produced jointly by Dexcel and Environment Waikato, shows you how to get the best value out of your farm dairy effluent, protect the environment, and comply with the rules, all at the same time. This guide is available from the Dexcel website.
Managing Farm Dairy Effluent - Dairying and the Environment Committee manual
revised and updated edition 2006
This manual addresses the safe, hygienic, economic and practical aspects of effluent management including technical details and specifications of the various systems available. It provides current technical information for consultants, contractors, dairy farmers and regional councils. You can download the chapters of the Dairying and the Environment Committee Managing Farm Dairy Effluent Manual.
Farm management
Farm Management Issues - Dairying and the Environment Committee manual
revised and updated edition 2006
This manual compiles current knowledge and gives practical recommendations on sustainable dairying and best management practices in a farm system context. It provides a wealth of information for consultants, contractors, dairy farmers and regional councils. You can download the chapters of the manual below.
Preface
(107.4 kb, less than 1min to download, 56k modem)
Chapter 1: Sustainable Dairying
(509.9 kb, about 2mins to download, 56k modem)
Chapter 2: Soil and Pasture Management
(1.9 mb, about 8.5mins to download, 56k modem)
Chapter 3: Nutrient Management
(2.1 mb, about 9.5mins to download, 56k modem)
Chapter 4: Water Ways, Natural Features and Planting
(2.6 mb, about 11.5mins to download, 56k modem)
Chapter 5: Irrigation, Energy and Emission Efficiencies
(1.8 mb, about 8mins to download, 56k modem)
Chapter 6: Structures, Earthworks and Races
(3.4 mb, about 15.5mins to download, 56k modem)
Chapter 7: Chemicals and Farm Waste
(891.4 kb, about 4mins to download, 56k modem)
Nutrient management planning
- Nutrient management plan guidelines
A nutrient management plan must be used to plan fertiliser application where nitrogen fertiliser is applied at rates greater than 60 kg N/ha per year. - Managing farm nutrients
Managing nutrients carefully can save you money and improve farm decision-making. Find out how you can use a nutrient budget to assess farm fertiliser requirements, targeting nutrients where you most need them. A nutrient budget provides valuable information about potential nutrient losses from the farm system. Use our nutrient management plan guidelines to find out how to reduce and mitigate these nutrient losses. - Phosphate budget for dairy farmers: online calculator
Use our online calculator to help work out a phosphate budget for your farm. - Nitrogen budget for dairy farmers: online calculator
Use our online calculator to help work out a nitrogen budget for your farm. - Wise Use of N Fertiliser on Hill Country Project
This project aims to encourage nitrogen use practices that enhance long-term farm profitability whilst minimising potential adverse environmental effects. This project is run by AgResearch and funded by the MAF SFF, Fert Research, Meat and Wool NZ, Ravensdown Co-op Ltd, Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd and PGGRC.
Guide to farming in the Lake Taupo catchment
New rules adopted by Environment Waikato in March 2007 cap the amount of nitrogen leaching from rural and urban properties into Lake Taupo. Find out more by reading our Guide to farming in the Lake Taupo catchment pages.
Guide for best practice when converting forest to farm
Over the past three years EW has worked with a group of farmers, scientists EBoP and industry to come up with some best practices for minimising short term effects of forest conversion. This project was funded by Sustainable Farming Fund (MAF) to define solutions for farmers in a practical sense. Three farm workshops were held as part of the project alongside creation of this guideline document.
You can download this document in pdf format below or contact us for a printed copy.
ForestryToFarm(1.3 mb, about 6mins to download, 56k modem)
Pugging and compaction
- Pugging and compaction
Find out how pugging and compaction damage soils, and which soils are more susceptible. Learn how land use and climate makes the Waikato region especially vulnerable to pugging and compaction.
Tracks and raceways
- Tracks and raceways
Find out how well-designed and maintained tracks and raceways are one of the secrets to a productive farm business. They make it quicker and easier to get around the farm, reduce wear and tear on farm vehicles, and help prevent lameness in stock. Good tracks and raceways also improve water quality by keeping dirty runoff out of waterways.
Resource consents
- Activities requiring consents
You may need resource consent from Environment Waikato if you wish to carry out an activity that will affect the quality and/or quantity of our coasts, water, soil and air. Find out more about the activities that may need consent. - Report a pollution incident
Please let us know about any activity that may affect our region's coastal, water, soil or air resources. Use our online form to report the activity, or call Environment Waikato's Freephone 0800 800 401. Provide details about where and when the incident or activity took place and, if possible, the offender.
Useful links
What farmers are doing
- Landcare groups
Check out our information on Landcare in the Waikato region. Find out about Landcare, how it works, how to start your own group, and Environment Waikato’s role. - On-farm examples (Farm Environment Awards)
The Waikato Farm Environment Awards aim to encourage sustainable agricultural practices in the Waikato region. They are held annually and are administered by the Farm Environment Award Trust. Check out the recent award winners.
