An FEP audit is approaching
You have received an audit notice, need to check what is required or need an approved independent auditor.
Support for Canterbury farmers
Farm Environment Plans, audits and consents in Canterbury.
Talk directly with Erin about environmental and consent matters for dairy and other Canterbury farms, including Farm Environment Plans, independent audits, effluent, water takes and land use.
1997
Established in Canterbury
Local
Canterbury owned and Kaiapoi based
Direct
Speak with a senior consultant
Approved
Environment Canterbury-approved Farm Environment Plan auditor
When to bring us in
Call Erin when the environmental side of the farm needs a clear next step.
You do not need to have the consent or technical answer worked out before you call. Start with the situation as you understand it.
Your dairy or livestock effluent system is changing
Farm dairy effluent storage, discharge areas or other livestock infrastructure are being added, altered or reviewed.
A consent needs attention
A consent is coming up for renewal, its conditions need review, or the proposed activity has changed.
ECan has been in touch
You have received a request for information, a monitoring query or notice of a possible compliance issue.
You are buying or changing a farm
You need to understand existing consents, conditions and environmental obligations before making a decision.
You have a water question
A bore, water take, water-availability assessment, pumping test or stream-depletion effect needs technical assessment.
Farm services
Farm Environment Plans, audits, effluent and water-consent services.
The useful starting point depends on the farm, the existing approvals and the decision or deadline in front of you.
Read the video transcript
Bowden Environmental has worked in the industry for nearly 20 years.
We help farmers and farm managers with the consent process for their land from start to finish.
The rural industry has to comply with new and increasingly more restrictive rules and regulations, especially for irrigation and nutrient management.
So it’s our job to take the stress away from the farmers’ workload so that they can do what they love: farming.
Farm Environment Plans & independent auditing
Practical plan and audit work shaped around the farm system and relevant consent conditions.
- Farm Environment Plan preparation and review.
- Environment Canterbury-approved independent FEP audits.
- Support to understand requirements and prepare for an audit.
An auditor who provides advice or input while a farm is preparing its FEP, audit or nutrient budget cannot then audit that same farm. We will confirm the role and any independence conflict before accepting the work. Where an audit is required, it will be completed by an Environment Canterbury-approved Farm Environment Plan auditor who is independent of the preparation work. Read Environment Canterbury’s FEP guidance.
Farm dairy & other animal effluent
Consent, investigation and assessment support for farm dairy effluent and other livestock discharges.
- Dairy, piggery and other livestock effluent consents.
- Effects assessment and practical mitigation options.
- Site and water-quality investigations.
- Effluent storage pond seepage testing.
Water takes, groundwater & aquifer testing
Technical investigation and consent support for farm water takes, bores, groundwater effects and aquifer performance.
- Groundwater and surface-water availability assessments.
- Pumping and aquifer tests, including step and constant-discharge tests.
- Stream-depletion and groundwater-interference effects.
- Water-take and bore consent applications, renewals and variations.
Land use, renewals, variations & ECan liaison
Advice for farming activities and land-use changes, review of consent requirements, coordination of application material and practical communication through council processes.
Farm environmental due diligence
Review of relevant consents, conditions and environmental obligations before a farm purchase or significant operational change.
Useful details
Have these details handy if they are available.
Do not delay calling if something is missing. These details simply help us understand the context more quickly.
- The farm name and location.
- Relevant consent numbers and expiry dates, if known.
- Any recent ECan letter, email or FEP audit notice.
- A description of what is changing and the timing involved.
- Existing plans, monitoring records or the current FEP, where relevant.
Common questions
Useful starting points for Canterbury farmers.
Requirements depend on the farm, activity and existing consents. These answers are general starting points rather than advice for a particular property.
Can Bowden help me prepare for an FEP audit?
Yes. We can prepare or review a Farm Environment Plan, clarify the relevant requirements and review the information available before an audit. If that support is provided by an auditor, that person cannot then audit the same farm; a different Environment Canterbury-approved independent auditor must conduct the audit. We will make the separation of roles clear before work begins.
Do changes to a dairy or livestock effluent system need consent?
They can. The answer depends on the existing consents, the activity rules and what is changing. It is useful to check before committing to new storage, discharge arrangements or connected infrastructure. We can support livestock effluent consent applications, effects and mitigation assessments, site and water-quality investigations, and effluent storage pond seepage testing. Read Environment Canterbury’s animal-effluent guidance.
Can Bowden help with a water take or bore consent?
Yes. Our work includes groundwater and surface-water consent support, water-availability assessments, pumping and aquifer testing, stream-depletion effects and related technical investigation. Read about our water and groundwater assessment services.
What if ECan has requested information or raised a concern?
We can review the correspondence, consent conditions and technical context, then identify the expertise needed to address the issue.
Can Bowden review a farm before purchase?
Yes. Environmental due diligence can identify relevant consents, conditions and obligations that may affect the proposed purchase or farming operation.
Where does Bowden work?
Bowden Environmental is based in Kaiapoi and supports farmers, landowners and other clients across Canterbury.
Farm question?
Talk directly with Erin.
Bring the farm, consent or ECan issue as you understand it.