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Stock Exclusion

Excluding stock from waterways is, in most situations, the single most effective management practice on a farm for improving water quality. Find out more about stock exlusion rules on this page.

Latest update

In April 2024 the government announced they would be removing the low slope map from the stock exclusion regulations.

What does this mean for landowners?

  • The low slope map areas for non intensively grazed beef cattle and deer in the regulations no longer apply for exclusion of stock from waterways and wetlands.
  • If deer, any cattle or pigs are intensively grazed (either on irrigated pasture, break fed or grazing on annual forage crops) exclusion is still required by 1 July 2025 from applicable waterways (Min one metre wide with a defined stream bed).
  • Dairy cattle, dairy support cattle and pigs on any terrain must still be excluded from applicable waterways by 1 July 2025.
  • All cattle, deer and pigs must still be excluded from natural wetland identified in a district plan, or that support a threatened species by 1 July 2025.
  • Any fencing done, whether permanent or temporary, for stock exclusion must have a minimum three-metre setback form the edge bank of the waterway.

Stock exclusion

New regulations under the Essential Freshwater package mean that stock must be kept at least three metres from our waterways within land areas identified in the Ministry for the Environment’s (MfE) low slope map.

In July 2023 MfE consulted on changes to the low slope map to provide more flexibility while still achieving outcomes, these changes were finalised in October 2023.

The stock exclusion rules apply to beef cattle, dairy cows, dairy support cows, pigs and deer, and are slightly different for each. Sheep are excluded from the new regulations.

The dates by which each stock type must exclude from waterways are detailed in the Stock Exclusion rules section below.

For more information, see the Ministry for the Environment's stock exclusion regulations.

Watch our stock exclusion explainer video

stock exclusion brochure

 CON 1022 Whatisawaterway V06 002 Page 1

 

Stock exclusion rules

The Stock Exclusion Regulations 2020 require stock on new pastoral systems to be excluded from lakes and wide rivers (rivers with a bed wider than one-metre) with a three-metre minimum setback.

If a permanent fence was already in place on 3 September 2020, the three-metre minimum setback doesn’t apply.

A permanent fence is defined as a post and batten fence with driven or dug fence posts, an electric fence with at least two electrified wires and driven or dug fence posts, or a deer fence.

Stock must also be fully excluded from wetlands. There is no minimum setback distance.

Rivers and lakes

  • 3 September 2020 – all new beef operations established on or after this date must exclude stock from rivers and lakes.
  • 1 July 2025 – beef cattle that are intensively grazed (see footnote below) on any terrain must be excluded from rivers and lakes.
  • 1 July 2025 – beef cattle on low slope land must be excluded from rivers and lakes.

Wetlands

  • 3 September 2020 – all new beef operations established on or after this date must exclude stock from wetlands.
  • 1 July 2025 – all beef farms must exclude stock from natural wetlands identified (as of 3 September 2020) in Regional Resource Management Plan.
  • 1 July 2025 – all beef farms must exclude stock from natural wetlands that support a threatened species and that are larger than 500m² on low slope land.

FOOTNOTE: for the purposes of the stock exclusion rules intensive grazing is break feeding, or grazing on annual forage crops , or grazing on pasture that has been irrigated with water in the past 12 months.

Rivers and lakes

  • 3 September 2020 – all new dairy farms established on or after this date must exclude stock from rivers and lakes.
  • 1 July 2025 – existing dairy farms must exclude stock from rivers and lakes.

Wetlands

  • 3 September 2020 – all new dairy farms established on or after this date must exclude stock from wetlands.
  • 1 July 2025 – dairy cows must be excluded from natural wetlands identified (as of 3 September 2020) in the Regional Resource Management Plan.
  • 1 July 2025 – dairy cows must be excluded from natural wetlands that support threatened species and that are larger than 500m² on low slope land.

Rivers and lakes

  • 3 September 2020 – new dairy support operations established on or after this date must exclude stock from rivers and lakes.
  • 1 July 2025 – no additional rules apply to dairy support cows on this date.
  • 1 July 2025 – all dairy support operations must exclude stock from rivers and lakes.

Wetlands

  • 3 September 2020 – all new dairy support operations established on or after this date must exclude stock from wetlands.
  • 1 July 2025 – dairy support cows must be excluded from natural wetlands identified (as of 3 September 2020) in the Regional Resource Management Plan.
  • 1 July 2025 – dairy support cows must be excluded from natural wetlands that support threatened species and that are larger than 500m² on low slope land.

Rivers and lakes

  • 3 September 2020 – all new pig operations established on or after this date must exclude pigs from rivers and lakes.
  • 1 July 2025 – all pig farms (including those that existed on 3 September 2020) must exclude pigs from rivers and lakes.

Wetlands

  • 3 September 2020 – all new pig operations established on or after this date must exclude pigs from wetlands.
  • 1 July 2025 – pig farms must exclude pigs from natural wetlands identified (as at 3 September 2020) in an operative regional plan, district plan or regional policy statement.
  • 1 July 2025 – pig farms must exclude pigs from natural wetlands that support threatened species and that are larger than 500m² on low slope land.

Rivers and lakes

  • 3 September 2020 – all new deer operations established on or after this date must exclude stock from rivers and lakes.
  • 1 July 2025 – intensively grazed deer must be excluded from rivers and lakes.
  • 1 July 2025 – deer on low slope land must be excluded from river and lakes.

Wetlands

  • 3 September 2020 – all new deer operations established on or after this date must exclude stock from wetlands.
  • 1 July 2025 – deer must be excluded from natural wetlands identified (as of 3 September 2020) in the Regional Resource Management Plan.
  • 1 July 2025 – deer must be excluded from natural wetlands that support threatened species and that are larger than 500m² on low slope land.

Stock crossings

Stock can cross lakes and rivers if they are supervised and actively driven across the waterbody. Stock cannot cross the same lake or river more than twice in any month.

Where stock will be crossing a river or lake more than twice in any month, a dedicated bridge or culvert must be installed.

Need help? 

If you have any questions about the new Essential Freshwater regulations for stock exclusion, please contact us.

Stock exclusion rules in the Tukituki catchment

  1. Stock exclusion rules apply from 31 May 2020.
  2. You do not need to exclude sheep
  3. You have to exclude all stock (other than sheep) from waterways within paddocks with a slope of less than 15 degrees.
  4. In the Papanui, Porangahau, Maharakeke, Tukipo, Kahahakuri and Upper Tukituki Corridor sub-catchments, stock must be excluded on sloping land greater than 15 degrees unless the stocking rate within the paddock is less than 18 SU/ha (excluding sheep)
  5. If you are not in a priority sub-catchment listed above and you have a stocking rate (excluding sheep), of more than 18su/ha in any paddocks with a slope greater than 15 degrees, and if you feel it is not reasonably practical to exclude stock, you can identify other actions that you will take to reduce phosphorus losses from your farms. Details these in your Farm Environmental Management Plan (FEMP).
  6. You must exclude stock from all flowing permanent and intermittent rivers/creeks, lakes and wetlands in any paddocks with less than 15 degree slope. An intermittent river or creek is a waterway that periodically flows and has a defined river bed that is predominantly un-vegetated and comprised of silt, sand, gravel and similar.
  7. You are allowed to graze fenced-off riparian areas for weed control purposes, however you can only do this between 1 November and 30 April for a total of 7 days.

The rule of thumb is that we do not want to see stock standing in water. This may mean excluding stock all year round or just excluding them in winter.

Do I have to plant the stock excluded areas?

Planting and management of riparian strips alongside waterways is not a condition of the Tukituki Plan Change. It is actively encouraged because it has multiple benefits for both water quality and biodiversity, and can also help with farm management.  The regional council has good quality native plants for sale – further information is provided

What is a stock unit?

The definition of stock unit that the Regional Council uses are the same as those used in the Beef & Lamb survey, and for benchmarking stock classes not included in the survey, the overseer defaults are used.

low intensity stock chart

 

 

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