The Otago Regional Council’s annual series of farmer workshops for intensive winter grazing (IWG) to promote good management practices gets underway from next week, with six workshops scheduled across six locations over six weeks.

The previous four years of workshops proved successful and were well attended across the region and proved very successful, says ORC’s Environmental Delivery portfolio co-lead, Councillor Robbie Byars.

“We thank farmers for their efforts and management of this activity,” Cr Byars says.

The ORC’s workshops will visit Cromwell, Milton, Outram, Weston, Ranfurly and Tapanui.

ORC’s Intensive Winter Grazing Workshops for 2026

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

There are six in-person workshops, all held at 11am at the following locations:

Update on changes to IWG regulations

As with last year, for this winter farmers will need to meet the regulations around:

• Minimum setbacks of 5 metres from the bed of any river, lake, wetland or drain (regardless of whether there is any water in it at the time).
• No grazing within critical source areas, maintaining ground cover over the critical source area, and no cultivation, or harvesting of annual forage crops in critical source areas.

“The focus of the workshops is on helping people to prepare grazing management plans and to implement good management practices, but the team will also be there to help with any questions about the changes to the regulations and how they apply to their farm. We are happy to be able to provide this support again for winter 2025.” Cr Byars says.

What do I do if I already have a Resource Consent for IWG?

If farmers already have a resource consent for IWG, they don’t need to follow the regulations about not grazing in Critical Source Areas and distances from waterways, if their consent specifically allows them to graze in a CSA or within the 5m distance. This applies if:

1. The land use consent and discharge permit were in place before 25 October 2024 (the date the new rules took effect); or
2. If your land use consent was granted under the Regional Plan before 25 October 2024.

The Key Points for Farmers

• Follow Good Management Practices: continue to follow good management practices, including having a grazing management plan in place.
• If You Don’t Have a Consent: Meet the standards as outlined in the new regulations.
• If You Have a Consent: Check it allows you to graze within CSAs, or the 5m distance and keep following the conditions of your existing consent.
• Grazing Management Plan If you are using your consent for this winter, you will need to prepare and send in your grazing management plan. If you are not using your consent, you are still encouraged to do a management plan.

Farmers must register to attend any of the workshops, so the event can be staffed accordingly, with up to 20 spots 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,” Cr Byars says.

During the winter of 2026, ORC will continue to monitor IWG activities, as part of the annual flyovers that monitor land disturbance activities such as IWG and forestry.

We recommend you bring the following to an IWG workshop:

1. Your existing IWG management plan.
2. Whole farm map(s).
3. Aerial imagery of your IWG paddocks for winter 2025.
4. Existing IWG consents (if you have one).

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

© Scoop Media