Cultivation flights highlight few immediate winter grazing risks

Media Release

2 February 2023

Environment Southland staff took to the skies last week for routine intensive winter grazing inspections, and most properties had good management in place.

Cultivation flights involve flying over areas of Southland to check paddocks in preparation for winter grazing.

Staff were looking for crops that had little or no buffering from waterways, were on steep slopes and for crops planted within critical source areas that need careful management. Staff will also be driving around the region, completing roadside inspections in coming weeks.

Environment Southland general manager catchment integration Paul Hulse said our main priority is to help farmers comply with the winter grazing rules in the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater that come into effect on 1 May. These rules mean farmers may need a consent or to be granted a deemed permitted activity.

“We appreciate the hard work farmers have already put in this year to prepare for winter. Our flights have shown careful planning has gone into cultivation across the region and that puts farmers in a good position before animals go onto crop.

“There are only a handful of properties which will be followed up with as a result of the cultivation flights.”

Following the flights and roadside assessments, land sustainability and compliance teams will work together to determine the manner in which they follow up directly with farmers who have paddocks identified at risk.

“While we are pleased to see how well prepared farmers are, there is always the need to remain vigilant as we can never be sure what weather winter will bring,” Paul Hulse said.

One of the key triggers for landowners needing a winter grazing consent is slope and Environment Southland is encouraging landowners to check the slope of their cropped paddocks.