Mad council decisions, part 40

Is this another ridiculous application of the Resource Management Act (RMA) asks Federated Farmers, this time it’s about resource consent to remove pasture weeds.

“From the same council that threatened to prosecute a farmer for not discharging effluent to water, comes the need for a resource consent to remove a weed,” says Lyn Neeson, Federated Farmers Ruapehu provincial president.

“While we appreciate the generous offer of free, on the spot consents, it seriously begs the question if Horizons has too many staff in its enforcement team.

“Then again Horizons is sticking to the letter of the law and not its principal.

“It’ll argue this is to protect regenerating native scrub, given farmers need permission to clear two hectares of contiguous scrub and I get that. I also get the need for consent to clear scrub with 70 percent canopy cover.

“But farmers aren’t talking about clearing regenerating native forest or stands of mature manuka. No, it’s about clearing immature manuka on pasture land, using helicopters and grass friendly chemicals.

“To produce succulent beef and lamb in the North Island’s high country we need green grass, not woody vegetation.

“What deeply concerns me is that hill country farmers have been threatened with prosecution for spraying done up to seven years ago. On one hand Horizons claims voluntary sign ups make it a success but on the other, it’s spraying farmers with abatement notices.

“It’s really frustrating when a regulatory authority makes rules with little or no understanding of how farms are actually run. This is the case with Horizons latest ‘mad decision’ requiring resource consent for normal farm and pasture management,” Mrs Neeson concluded.