Farm Environment Plan

32 shares from Maerewhenua District Water Resource Company irrigate 35ha (a minimum of 32ha) with 600mm annually allocated with maximum application rate across all irrigation sources not exceeding 4.3mm/ha per day.

Consents:

CRC202697 To use land to store contaminants.
CRC145216 To discharge domestic wastewater into land.

Irrigation Management

Irrigation Scheduling

A handheld Frizzell probe is used to measure soil moisture before irrigation is started, or restarted after rain to ensure soil moisture deficit can accommodate the irrigation application from each irrigation type as determined by bucket testing.

Ngapara soil has 58mm Profile Available Water to 30cm. For a pasture rooting depth of 300mm the Readily Available Water is 29mm. All systems on this soil are applying lower rates, including the K-Line. Refer to soil map.

Irrigation applications are managed only by trained staff and are recorded in an online spreadsheet. Records available for 2021-22 also.

Irrigation Water Optimisation

Grant has done NOIC manager training. On farm training is recorded for each staff member on a template and training resources are available.

K-Lines and pods are being phased out to reduce application depth and environmental risk. K-Lines and pods are shifted twice a day on a seven day return and lines are proactively turned off where there is risk of run off or ponding.

Operations manual for K-Line as well as the installation video are used for training, and the Pivot operators manual is in the door of the control panel.

The fixed grid schedule is optimised to apply more in drier areas and less in wet areas.

Operating Procedures

Irrigation procedures are available online.

Incident Report Procedure

Irrigation is monitored between 5am and 5pm daily. CSA's are monitored for run off in passing.
When a leak, run off or ponding is discovered shut water off to leaking line.
Notify management and source resources needed such as parts, digger etc.
Repair, pressure test and continue to monitor before backfilling.
Record in maintenance.

Maintenance

Preseason checks are undertaken when the water is first turned on.

Light maintenance is carried out by staff and recorded. Previous maintenance records also available.

Bucket Tests are carried out to assess performance of each pivot and Fixed Grid.

Fixed Grid is monitored for correct performance. Software is used to control, schedule and monitor the system. Spare radios and batteries are kept to swap out non-communicative or failed units.

End of season checks include draining lines, detaching K-Lines from hydrants and moving to fence lines, and parking pivots in wind safe spots. Fixed grid units are inhibited to conserve battery life.

Professional checks are carried out annually by Waterforce.

Soils and Nutrients

The farm is managed to minimise the amount of nutrient that escapes the farm and becomes a pollutant, and to maximise the nutrient that stays within the root zone of the plants as a resource. Infiltration rate is optimised to minimise runoff.
Critical Source Areas are managed by only grazing when dry, using a 5m buffer if wet, and monitoring for run off.
The aim is to maintain good soil structure by using the relevant cultivation practices for the given situation, and minimise the period of soil exposure to wind and rain erosion.
P applications don't exceed 100kg P/ha. Waterways are avoided and run off points are monitored.
Olsen P maintained at optimum levels for plant growth; Current Olsen P levels sit in the high 20’s.
There is no winter application of phosphate. P is applied in September when planting a crop and is incorporated into the soil.
Minimum tillage cultivation is used where soil conditions allow, and if full cultivation is necessary slopes are worked across. Steep areas are avoided where possible and weather forecasts are considered when deciding on cultivation timing. Care is taken not to work soil into fine aggregate sizes and a 5m buffer is maintained to waterways. There is minimal delay between cultivation and sowing to minimise the time that soil is exposed.
An understanding of nutrient loss is gained from Overseer.
Mainland Groundspread apply all capital fertiliser on the farm; they have GPS tracking and provide proof of placement.
Non-target areas are avoided.
Overseer & Nutrient Budgets:
Overseer
Nutrient Budgets
Soil Type:
S-Map
Ngapara Silt Loam
Nutrient decisions are informed by agronomist recommendations and soil tests.
- Recommendations
Kverneland calibration charts are used to check performance of the Kverneland spreader.
Proof of Placement is recorded in the tractor.
A winter grazing plan mitigates risk while on crop.
Cropping rotations are managed to help maintain good soil structure.
Aeration techniques are used when and where appropriate to address any compaction issues.
All efforts made not to compact the ground with machinery.

Effluent

See effluent management plan.

The effluent system consists of a two-pond system with sand trap. There is approximately 30 days storage available.
Effluent is injected into the irrigation mainline and spread through one pivot, covering 35ha.
A backflow preventer is installed and is certified annually.
Standard Operating Proceduress and an Effluent Management Plan have been developed for the operation and maintenance of the effluent system and any repairs and maintenance are recorded online.
No effluent is spread, over drains or water races, within 50m of bore, within 20m of public road, or within 150m of residential dwelling.
No effluent is applied within 20 metres of any rivers, streams or drains.
The system is operated in compliance with Discharge Permit CRC202693.
Solids spread by Wilton.

Storage

The effluent system consists of a two-pond system with sand trap. There is approximately 30 days storage available.
Sufficient storage capacity is available to ensure that effluent does not need to be applied when soil conditions are near field capacity.
DESC
Effluent storage is managed to ensure effluent is only stored when required and the level kept as low as practical, maximising storage availability.
Ponds are managed in such a way to ensure solids are not accumulating and becoming anaerobic in the pond.

Winter Grazing

See winter grazing plan.

Waterway and CSA Management

Waterways

The one permanent waterway on the property is permanently fenced with minimum 10m setbacks of rank grass. The ephemeral waterway (Home Creek) is either temporary fenced or stock are excluded from the area when the waterway is flowing. All stock crossings are culverted. While crop is not grown in any paddocks that have waterways running through them, strategic grazing is implemented if there is a waterway on the boundary of a paddock that is to be break fed.

Fencing is inspected regularly to ensure it is in a good state of repair.
Any maintenance is carried out as soon as issues are identified.
Laneways and gateways are regularly monitored to minimize sediment runoff.

Point Sources

Pit silage is not used. Any ensiled feed is to be individual or tube wrapped baleage.

Offal: Dead stock are disposed of in an offal pit on a high and dry spot in Paddock 4 and are not left in sight of the road. In accordance with regional council requirements, dead stock are buried:

a minimum of 100m from any wells that supply water for domestic drinking or livestock
a minimum of 50m from any waterway, including lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands and groundwater
a minimum of 50m from the closest property boundary
in an area free from ponding, flooding, or erosion
away from any areas used for offal pits within the past five years
away from any areas of cultural, historical, or conservation significance

Waste and by product: only steel and concrete is disposed of by burying on farm.

Household rubbish is disposed of by burning drum, or dropping to a transfer station.
Plastics, tanalised timber and other chemical product is not burned.
Greenwaste, cardboard, and other non-chemical product may be burned in accordance with fire season requirements.
Bale wrap, and chemical containers are recycled. Only a minimum of chemical is used to reduce the amount of toxins stored on farm.
Needles and sharps are collected in a sharps bin and disposed of by the vets.
Sick or injured animals collected for pet food.
Soil, fill and stones used elsewhere for development.
Oil is captured in a container and disposed of at the transfer station.

Critical Source Areas

Critical Source Areas are only grazed when dry.
When rain ponds in paddocks these areas are fenced off with a hot wire to prevent pugging and stock access.
Fertiliser is not spread to CSA's and irrigation is designed to avoid them where practical.
Tracks, troughs and gateways are maintained to minimise their loss of nutrients and sediment. Water tables are maintained to reduce erosion risk.

Water Use

Stock water is supplied via the MDWRC scheme. This is fully reticulated, and use is considered fair and reasonable.
Domestic water is supplied via the Tokarahi Scheme and a restrictor ensures use is fair and reasonable.

Greenhouse Gas Management Plan

See Greenhouse Gas Management Plan.

Mahinga Kai, Biosecurity and Biodiversity

See Biodiversity and Biosecurity Management Plan.

Mahinga Kai Management:

Any vegetation clearance is conducted in accordance with the relevant Regional and District council rules.
All targets in the FEP are met to ensure that there is minimal adverse effect on indigenous vegetation.
Any future riparian plantings will consider indigenous vegetation
All permanent waterbodies are already fenced.
There are no spring heads or wetlands on the property.