Freshwater farm plans (under review)

What is a Freshwater Farm Plan?

A Freshwater Farm Plan (FWFP) is a tool to help growers understand and manage the risks their operations may pose to freshwater.

In 2020, Part 9A of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) introduced provisions to support a consistent approach to freshwater farm planning. Plans include:

  • An on-orchard risk assessment, catchment information, and areas of vulnerability.
  • List of actions to reduce or manage freshwater impacts
  • Certification by an approved auditor (followed by regular audits and recertification every five years)

Plans are tailored to each property and are intended to build on existing farm environment plans or industry programmes so that previous work is recognised.

 

What’s changed and who needs a FWFP?

FWFPs were originally planned to be rolled out nationwide by the end of 2025. However, the Government paused the rollout in 2024 to make the system more practical and affordable for farmers and growers.

The pause applied to all regions except Southland, where plans are still being implemented. The Government has now amended the RMA to deliver several changes, including making the system proportionate to actual environmental risk, and better recognising existing farm environment plans and industry assurance programmes.

The land-use size thresholds for who needs a FWFP and who must have their plan certified have also changed. FWFPs are now only required for:

  • farms with 50 hectares or more of land in pastoral, arable or mixed land use (currently 20 hectares)
  • farms with 50 hectares or more of land in viticultural or orcharding land use (currently 5 hectares)
  • farms with 5 hectares or more of land in horticultural land use other than viticultural or orcharding land use (currently all horticultural land uses over 5 hectares), or
  • farms that are undertaking commercial dairy supply.

This means that nearly 8,000 smaller, lower risk farms are no longer required to have a FWFP.

For more information check out the Ministry for the Environment website, or the Freshwater Farm Plans fact sheet.

NZKGI will continue to update growers as new guidance becomes available.

Page updated 14 November 2025