Farmers in the lower south are continuing to rail against the rollout of the Government's intensive winter grazing regulations.
The farming practice involves the confinement of large numbers of stock to small feeding areas planted with annual forage crops, the Ministry for the Environment says on its website.
The practice, if done poorly or too extensively, can lead to serious negative effects on animal welfare and the environment.
The new regulations, which come into force from today, mean farmers will eventually have three pathways for winter grazing.
But farmer Dean Rabbidge told 1News the Government's planned pathways are "not ready".
"The Government's promised these pathways for winter grazing for the last few years and it's sheer incompetence that they're not ready yet," he said.
The first pathway allows for grazing if it complies with national environmental standards for freshwater.
The second pathway, which is currently unavailable, requires a "freshwater farm plan" to be submitted to show grazing won't worsen water conditions.
The third will see farmers pay for resource consent through their regional council. In some cases, it could cost at least $1000.
For example, the cost of a resource consent in Southland would be $1725 for the deposit alone.
Federated Farmers Southland's Bernadette Hunt said paying for resource consent means farmers would now need to "jump into a consent regime and go for a resource consent which is a really bureaucratic, complicated, expensive process".
Some disgruntled farmers at a Federated Farmers meeting said they would refuse to obtain a consent until the legislation is fully ready.
"The fact is, these rules aren't going to make a difference because the farmers have already got ahead of regulations and are doing a great job with this stuff already," Hunt said.
A spokesperson for Environment Minister David Parker told 1News the farm plan option was not intended to be in place by now.
They say the regional councils have streamlined the consenting process and advised farmers to get in touch.
Environment Southland's Nicol Horrell said while he could understand farmers' frustration, but the three pathways will give people "legal certainty to carry out their business".
In the meantime, the regional council has an additional pathway known as 'deemed permitted activity' for intensive winter grazing.
It applies to land between 10 and 15 degrees where all other permitted activity criteria have been achieved.
Farmers in Southland can apply if they meet the requirements, but at a cost of $500.
They are encouraged to get in touch with the council to see if the alternative can work for them.
There are now calls to again delay the legislation.
"Why not wait another 18 months and get everything right, get all the boxes ticked before implementing a ridiculous backstop policy that's not going to achieve outcomes," Rabbidge said.
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