A farmer's guide to Farm Plans in the Wellington Region
Certified Farm Environment Plans are a practical way for farmers and growers to identify, manage and reduce the impact of farming on the freshwater environment. Healthy freshwater supports healthy communities, a healthy environment, and a healthy economy.
This page has information and resources to help farmers develop their Certified Farm Environmental Plan (cFEP).
Certified Farm Environment Plans (cFEP)
The regional rules (the Natural Resources Plan) are designed to help protect the environmental values of our region. Farmers in priority catchments require a Certified Farm Environment Plan that meets the requirements of our regional rules by the dates listed below (PDF 95 MB) .
| Catchment | Certified Farm Environment Plan completion date |
|---|---|
| Land in the Waitawa and Parkvale catchments | 30 December 2023 |
| Land in the Otukura, Mangatārere, Waipoua catchments | 30 September 2024 |
| Land in the Kōpuaranga, Makahakaha and Taueru catchments | 30 June 2025 |
Freshwater Farm Plans (FWFP)
Freshwater farm plans have been legislated under Part 9A of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and the Resource Management (Freshwater Farm Plans) Regulations 2023 (the regulations).
What is the difference between cFEP and FWFP?
We’ve been working hard to ensure that our regional cFEPs were consistent with the national FWFP requirements to help prevent duplication.
The Government is formally pausing the roll out of FWFPs until improvements to the system are finalised.
Despite the formal pause on FWFPs, cFEPs are still required in priority catchments.
For more information on Freshwater Farm Plans check out the Ministry for the Environment website.
Getting started on your cFEP
You can develop parts of a cFEP yourself, or you can engage a certifier to complete the plan for you.
Option 1: Certifier to complete plan
Steps:
- Find a cFEP Certifier and Certified Farm Nutrient Advisor
- Work with chosen Certifier to complete cFEP
Option 2: Do it yourself
*Note: a certifier will still be required to complete your plan.
Steps:
- Download and fill in the cFEP template using the guidance document to get started on your cFEP
- Browse our other handy online tools and resources below, including the online map building tool, to continue developing your plan
- Gather your existing plan (if applicable) and other information required to send to your certifier
- Attend a GW workshop/get in contact with us for further support or information farmplans@gw.govt.nz
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Certified Farm Environment Plan - Guidance (PDF 1.1 MB) | This document provides guidance on what information to include in each section of the Certified Farm Environment Plan template available above. |
| Certified Farm Environment Plan Template (DOCX 732 KB) | This template makes it easy to compile the key information needed to create a Certified Farm Environment Plan. |
| Certified Farm Environment Plan - Landowner checklist (PDF 484 KB) | This checklist can be used to identify gaps in the information you currently hold and to see if you Certified Farm Environment Plan has addressed all the elements required under our regulation. |
| Certified Farm Environment Plan Map Legend (PDF 123 KB) | This template is for people who prefer to hand draw the elements of their farm on a map. Your Greater Wellington advisor can help you with generating a base farm map to use alongside of this template. |
| Certified Farm Environment Plan Example - Dairy Farm (PDF 4.4 MB) | Here is an example of a Certified Farm Environment Plan for a Dairy farm. This example can be used alongside the Farm Environment Plan template and Guidance documents. |
| Certified Farm Environment Plan Example - Sheep and Beef Farm (PDF 3.2 MB) | Here is an example of a Certified Farm Environment Plan for a Sheep & Beef farm. This example can be used alongside the template and guidance document. |
This tool is intended to help farmers create maps required for cFEPs. It can also be used to determine whether a property is included in the cFEP priority catchment boundaries.
The CCCV tool provides catchment context, challenges and values for catchments in the Greater Wellington region. This information can be included in farm plans.
Still need more information?
See the answers to some of our most commonly asked questions. If you want to find out more about farm plans, get in touch with our team at farmplans@gw.govt.nz.
Want to find out more about funding assistance opportunities?
Greater Wellington offers various financial grants and incentives to support farmers with their environmental and conservation efforts.
Find further information on applying for these funds
Want to become a Farm Environment Plan Certifier and Certified Farm Nutrient Advisor?
It's our responsibility to appoint certified farm planners (Farm Environment Plan Certifiers and Certified Farm Nutrient Advisors), and we are working with providers to get them in place quickly.
Want to become a Freshwater Farm Plan Certifier or Auditor?
In preparation for the Freshwater Farm Plan (FWFP) rollout in the Greater Wellington Region, we’re gathering expressions of interest for people who might like to become a FWFP certifier and/or auditor. This does not mean you have to become a certifier and/or auditor, however it will assist in our planning for resources when the time comes.
Get in touch
- Phone:
- 0800 496 734
- Email:
- info@gw.govt.nz