1. A collaborative proposal for research with Terry Parminter of AgResearch Mairi Jay

2. Originally for soil conservation under pre- 1989 catchment boards; gradually extended to water quality, riparian planting, animal welfare, biodiversity etc. In 2003 M. for E published a document by Blaschke and Ngapo summarising the role and function of farm plans and their potential for improving environmental outcomes. Farm plans increasingly used by regional councils to get farmers to think holistically and strategically.

3.  MfE intention is to encourage self-regulation by farmers and agricultural industry;  Farm plans thought to be a useful tool for self- regulation;  Current issues: ◦ Variable capacities of regional councils ◦ Variable requirements of regional councils; ◦ Variability in the complexity of farm plans; ◦ What should be included in a farm plan? ◦ What do farm plans mean to farmers and how useful to farmers find them?

4.  Soils and land use capability  Soils management  Control of run-off  Stream protection  Water quality  Irrigation management  Use of chemicals  Effluent disposal  Biodiversity Protection of  Pest & weed control  Nutrient management  Energy efficiency  Animal welfare

5.  Uptake of farm plans by dairy farmers is very low;  So what is stopping them?

6.  For dairy farmers:  The complexity created by sharemilking;  Productivist ethos of the industry;  Anti-regulation and anti-council sentiments  For all farmers:  Another layer of complexity;  The plans don’t fit with the mental maps of the farmers;

7.  Do farmers have personal farm plans (in their heads or in writing) that guide their farm management?  What is the nature of farm plans that farmers have? For example: ◦ what do their farm plans relate to (spatially and functionally)? ◦ What is the time-frame? ◦ What degree of flexibility? ◦ How compatible are the personal or informal farm plans of farmers with professionally constructed plans of regional council staff?