Update – 23 April 2024
Repealing intensive winter grazing regulations
The coalition Government has announced it intends to make changes to resource management laws.
A Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) is expected to be introduced to Parliament in May and passed into law later this year.
As part of the changes, the Government is proposing to remove national intensive winter grazing regulations in time for the 2025 winter grazing season. Existing regulations will remain in place until the RMA Bill is passed.
Media release
Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment Bill – Beehive
What is intensive winter grazing?
Intensive winter grazing is a farming practice where livestock are grazed on paddocks planted with forage crops.
When done poorly, it can have serious negative effects on animal welfare and the environment.
Grazing regulations
Intensive winter grazing regulations were introduced in the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020 (NES-F) as part of the Essential Freshwater reforms.
They were amended in April 2022 to make them more practical for farmers and effective in lifting environmental outcomes.
The updated regulations came into effect from 1 November 2022.
Improving paddock selection
The regulations help protect the soil and waterways by placing greater importance on paddock selection.
The key changes are around:
- resowing annual forage crop paddocks
- pugging
- protecting and not cultivating or grazing critical source areas
- using land with a slope of more than 10 degrees.
Find out more about the amended regulations – Ministry for the Environment
Intensive winter grazing module
A training module is available to help farmers improve intensive winter grazing practices.
It highlights practical solutions to mitigate the effects of grazing livestock on forage crops between 1 May and 30 September.
Importantly, it outlines farmers' requirements under the current regulations.
The updated module can be used to inform intensive winter grazing components of existing and new farm plans. It will also enable the components to be tested and incorporated into wider freshwater farm plans as they are rolled out.
Intensive Winter Grazing Module [PDF, 4.4 MB]
Intensive Winter Grazing Module – Template [PDF, 5.5 MB]
Further support
Technical guidance has been published to support people who monitor or advise on managing intensive winter grazing activities.
Guidance on critical source areas, pugging and ground cover – Ministry for the Environment
Extra resources on winter grazing
Intensive Winter Grazing – DairyNZ
Forage Crop Grazing – Beef + Lamb NZ
Animal management: Winter grazing and mud
Who to contact
If you have questions about intensive winter grazing, email info@mpi.govt.nz
