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217H: Audit of farm for compliance with certified freshwater farm plan
or “A farmer must let someone check if they're following the rules to keep water clean on their farm.”
You could also call this:

“Regional councils make sure farms follow the rules about water and can check their plans.”

Regional councils have important jobs to do with freshwater farm plans. They need to make sure people follow the rules about these plans. They do this by using their powers under the law.

You should know that regional councils watch to see if farm operators are doing what they should. They get notifications when freshwater farm plans are certified. They also choose people called certifiers and auditors to help with this process. These details are explained in section 217K.

The councils receive reports from auditors about the plans. If they need to, they can ask a farm operator to show them a certified freshwater farm plan.

All of these tasks help regional councils make sure that freshwater farm plans are being used correctly to protect our water.

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Next up: 217J: Records that must be kept by regional council

or “The regional council must keep track of important information about farms and their water protection plans.”
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Part 9A Freshwater farm plans

217IFunctions of regional councils

  1. For the purposes of this Part, a regional council has the following functions:

  2. to enforce the observance of the requirements of this Part and regulations to the extent that their powers under this Act enable them to do so; and
    1. to monitor compliance by farm operators with their duties under this Part and with any requirements in regulations; and
      1. to receive notifications of freshwater farm plans that have been certified; and
        1. to appoint certifiers and auditors under section 217K; and
          1. to receive audit reports and related notifications from auditors.

            1. A regional council may require a farm operator to produce a certified freshwater farm plan for inspection.

            Notes
            • Section 217I: inserted, on , by section 64 of the Resource Management Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 30).
            • Section 217I(ca): inserted, on , by section 805(4) of the Natural and Built Environment Act 2023 (2023 No 46).