'A handful' of properties are in line for follow up visits after last week's Environment Southland's (ES) aerial surveillance operation to check on farmers' winter grazing paddocks.

Staff were looking for crops that had little or no buffering from waterways, were on steep slopes or planted within critical source areas.

ES general manager catchment integration Paul Hulse said their main priority was to help farmers comply with the winter grazing rules in the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater that come into effect on 1 May (2023).

These rules mean farmers may need a consent or to be granted a deemed permitted activity.

One of the key triggers for landowners needing a winter grazing consent was slope, Hulse said, and ES was encouraging landowners to check the slope of their cropped paddocks.

“We appreciate the hard work farmers have already put in this year to prepare for winter."

"Our flights have shown careful planning has gone into cultivation across the region and that puts farmers in a good position before animals go onto crop, " he said.

“While we are pleased to see how well prepared farmers are, there is always the need to remain vigilant as we can never be sure what weather winter will bring.”

Following the flights and roadside assessments, ES land sustainability and compliance teams will work together to determine the manner in which they follow up directly with farmers who have paddocks identified at risk.

ES expects to complete its roadside inspections in the coming weeks.