The Otago Regional Council’s annual series of farmer workshops for intensive winter grazing (IWG) consenting gets underway next month, with 14 workshops scheduled across 12 locations over six weeks.

The workshops begin at Tarras and Omakau on 15 February, followed by workshops through to late-March

at Weston, Palmerston, Lawrence, Millers Flat, Owaka, Clinton, Milton, Tapanui, Middlemarch and Ranfurly.

The previous two years of workshops proved successful and were well attended across the region, says

ORC’s Acting Manager Consents Alexandra King.

“The focus of these hands-on workshop sessions is for the ORC team to help people with advice on the

IWG consent process, grazing plans and management practices,” she says.

Ms King says if farmers are unsure of how to put an IWG resource consent together, they can attend a workshop

and should be able to complete their consent applications “on the spot”.

She highlighted the workshops were not only for new consent applications, but also for farmers to update their

existing consent management plans - which is a condition of their existing consents.

IWG applications should be lodged with ORC by mid-April, to ensure consents are in place by 1 May this year.

Otago had one of the highest rates of IWG resource consents issued last year, she says.

Ms King says while farmers continue to be proactive, ORC wants to remind them get their consent applications

in or think about how they will be a permitted activity.

She says farmers should bring their whole farm map and individual paddock maps of forage crops for 2024 to

the workshops.

It would be useful, but not strictly required, if farmers could also bring any relevant Farm Plans, Grazing

Management Plans and information on soils and slopes, such as that from consultants Beef+Lamb, DairyNZ

and NZ Farm Assurance Programmes.

The IWG consents applied for can be for up to the next three to five years, but they must be in place by 1 May this year.

“We encourage people to come along to the workshops or contact us if they have any questions about being

a permitted activity or help with the consents process,” she says.

Farmers must register to attend any of the workshops, so the event can be staffed accordingly, with up to 20

places available at each event.

“While the target audience to attend is primarily farmers, rural professionals and consultants may also see

value in attending these workshops,” Ms King says.

The new regulations around IWG started on 1 November 2022 and applications for winter 2024, and beyond,

should be in by mid-April 2024 to ensure consents are in place by 1 May 2024.

ORC’s Intensive Winter Grazing Workshops

To register for your preferred workshop, go to: www.orc.govt.nz/iwgregistration

Tarras - Thursday 15 February

Venue: Tarras War Memorial Community Centre, 1 workshop, 10am-12pm

Omakau - Thursday 15 February

Venue: Omakau Golf Club, 1 workshop, 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Weston - Wednesday 21 February

Venue: Weston Hall, 1 workshop, 10am – 12pm

Palmerston – Wednesday, 21 February

Venue: Palmerston Community Centre, 1 workshop, 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Lawrence – Thursday 29 February

Venue: Simpson Park Hall (Lawrence), 1 workshop, 10am – 12pm

Millers Flat - Thursday 29 February

Venue: Millers Flat Hall, 1 workshop, 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Owaka - Tuesday 5 March

Venue: Owaka Community Centre, 1 workshop, 10am – 12pm

Clinton - Tuesday 5 March

Venue: Clinton Community Centre, 1 workshop, 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Milton - Tuesday 12 March

Venue: Tokomairiro Rugby Club, 2 workshops, 10am – 12pm and 1pm – 3pm

Tapanui - Tuesday 19 March

Venue: West Otago Community Centre, 2 workshops, 10am – 12pm and 1pm – 3pm

Middlemarch - Wednesday 27 March

Venue: Strath Taieri Community Centre (Middlemarch), 1 workshop, 10am – 12pm

Ranfurly - Wednesday 27 March

Venue: Maniototo Golf Club (Ranfurly), 1 workshop, 1:30pm – 3:30pm

What farmers need to bring;

1. Whole Farm Map
2. Individual Paddock Maps of Forage Crops for 2024
3. Any existing relevant Farm Plans, Grazing Management Plans and information on soils, slope i.e. from consultants, Beef+Lamb, DairyNZ, NZFAP etc. Please note this is not needed but if you have this information already it may be useful to bring along
4. Existing IWG consents, if you already have some

Other resources

• ORC OtagoMaps
• IWG resource consents application form:
  Online (requires registration)
  PDF format
  Word format
• IWG resource consents application guide video
• Intensive Winter Grazing Management plan (Word format)
  Intensive Winter Grazing Management plan (PDF format)
• Dairy NZ Winter Grazing Planning
• Deer NZ Wintering feed systems
• Beef + Lamb Winter Grazing Knowledge Hub
• MPI Intensive winter grazing

To register directly go to www.orc.govt.nz/iwgworkshops

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