The Trust - Our Role

Benchmark (with EW) nitrogen discharge allowances (NDAs)


How we benchmark

  • Gather farm information to determine landowner NDA
  • NDA is essential to manage N loss off farm and for LTPT purchase N
  • NDA is used to develop your N management plan
  • N management plan forms the basis of your consent

Note

  • Information necessary or conservative values assigned
  • Alternative is to accept permitted activity levels (8 kg/ha/y)
  • A NDA is required before the Trust is able to purchase your N
  • No consent = non compliance and open to regulatory response from EW - not the Trust

Purchase N (20 %)

We need to reduce manageable N from the Lake Taupo Catchment by 20% over next 13 years. This means:

  • 183 tonnes N at the land surface
  • 100 tonnes N to the lake


Potential methods are:

  • By land purchase and converting land to low N land use (e.g. forests)
  • Purchase NDA directly, secure with changes to resource consent (decrease NDA) - this may be surplus N from land use change e.g. farm to low N horticulture, forestry or from use of nitrogen reduction technologies, e.g. wintering off, feedpads

Note that other factors need to be considered in the decision to purchase N (e.g. Carbon offsets, public access benefits).

The Trust is required to purchase N cost effectively. Landowners can approach the Trust directly when they are benchmarked and consented. The Trust may tender or auction for N. There will be an annual allocation of funds unless a large amount of N is offered.

Note There may be a different $ value for N depending on the farm system or circumstance. There will be no floor price for N. Permanent reductions are required - The Trust will not lease N.

Facilitate N reduction with land owners

N offsetting is important to allow flexibility and the limited N is to be used to advantage. Land owners may buy, lease or sell NDAs to each other. Any purchase, lease or sale needs to be authorised by a change to a condition of a resource consent under s127 of the RMA.

For any application under s127 to increase an NDA there must also be an application under s127 to decrease an NDA. Purchase, lease or sale price is a matter for individuals to determine. The Trust can also use the nitrogen offsetting mechanisms to purchase NDAs.

Support applied research to reduce N in the catchment

The Trust will fund research into alternative low N leaching land uses and improved low N pastoral systems by:

  • granting funds ($250,000 per year) for applied research
  • making $5,000,000 available (60% to alternatives, 40% to low N pastoral systems)
  • trials done on land in the catchment


Note evaluation criteria includes relevance, effectiveness, leverage, risk, state of technology, cost, innovation and reputation of the research organisation.