15. Resource Quality (Water, Air, Soil) Volume One [R, C, D] 15.M.21 Information Provide information, including guidelines, to landowners, resource users and the public: • to generally promote awareness of water quality issues; and • to encourage the adoption of appropriate land management practices to minimise non-point source discharges. Although the focus of this method will be on rural resource users, the information will also be applicable to residential situations (in both rural and urban environments). Provide information on the benefits of retiring and planting riparian margins. This will include information on the appropriate width of riparian margins and suitable plant species, taking into account the variation in the nature of waterbodies/coastal waters and the adjoining rural land uses. Information on options for formally protecting retired riparian margins can also be provided. [R] 15.M.22 Research Where appropriate, support research into the cumulative effects of land use (including land use intensification) on water quality and improved land management practices. Undertake investigations to gain a better understanding of the impact of particular rural land use activities on water quality and encourage rural industry groups to participate in the investigations. [R] 15.M.23 Advocate Advocate to the manufacturers and suppliers of agrichemicals and fertilisers to strengthen the education and information provision role they play with a view to minimising the likelihood and potential effects of agrichemical and fertiliser application on water quality. [R, C] 15.M.24 Codes of practice and industry guidelines Advocate to rural industry groups that they, locally or nationally, prepare and adopt codes of practice or other guidelines aimed at reducing the effects of non-point source discharges where they do not already exist. [R] 15.M.25 Management plans for dairy farming Water Quality Management Plans can be used as a means of demonstrating on an ongoing basis that any adverse effects on water quality resulting from dairy farming will be avoided, remedied or sufficiently mitigated. They provide the ability to consider all farm management practices with the potential to adversely affect surface or groundwater quality or wetlands and manage these risks in an integrated way. This also enables the dairy farmer to progressively plan farm upgrades based on priority or in the case of new farms, at the time of establishment. Water Quality Management Plans can be used to support applications for land use consent to convert the use of land to dairying. Nutrient Management Plans will be required as a means to demonstrate how nutrient inputs associated with dairy farming are to be managed to ensure any adverse effects on water quality will be avoided, remedied or mitigated. Nutrient Management Plans should be written documents that incorporate a nutrient budget developed by an accredited nutrient adviser using OVERSEER® or similar. This should describe how the major plant nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur and potassium) and any other nutrients of importance to specialist crops will 15 – 28