Landowners freed from liability for recreational accidents, weather changes ahead as La Niña weakens, and three dairy women vie for prestigious Fonterra award.

Welcome to Proud Country's Early Bird - The top things you need to know that impact rural New Zealand delivered to you by 5am, because who doesn’t need better chat beyond the weather!

 

Landowners freed from liability for recreational accidents

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden has announced plans to free farmers and other landowners from responsibility when people are injured while doing recreational activities on their property.

The proposed change, expected to take effect next year, aims to make it easier for landowners to welcome hikers and other recreational users onto their property without fear of prosecution under health and safety laws. Van Velden described the reform as freeing the great outdoors from health and safety scope creep.

The announcement follows Cabinet's decision to exempt small businesses from certain Health & Safety Act requirements. Further health and safety reforms are expected later this week as part of a broader regulatory overhaul.

Van Velden emphasised the reform as a victory for outdoor recreation, stating New Zealand needs to be less about wrapping people in cotton wool and more about allowing resilience and common sense. She noted that many landowners currently restrict access to their property due to liability concerns under existing work health and safety settings.

Under the proposed changes, organisations managing recreational activities on private land would retain responsibility for those activities. For example, a horse trekking business operating on farmland would be responsible for its own health and safety duties, with the farmer only responsible for risks from farm work happening in the immediate vicinity.

The reforms have drawn mixed responses. Business groups including BusinessNZ and Federated Farmers have welcomed the changes, while the Institute of Safety Management has expressed deep concern about their potential impact on New Zealand's workplace health and safety record.

 

Weather changes ahead as La Niña weakens

NIWA's latest weather outlook shows La Niña is losing its grip on New Zealand, with most ocean measurements now returning to normal ranges although some weather patterns still show La Niña effects.

Weather experts predict an 85% chance that conditions will fully return to normal during April to June, with weather systems likely to bring more northeasterly winds across the country.

Farmers should prepare for possible heavy rain events when tropical air moves south, with significant rainfall expected early this month. This could bring welcome relief for drought-affected areas, though NIWA cautions that regular rainfall will be needed to fully restore soil moisture and river levels in dry regions.

Temperatures are expected to be warmer than usual for most of the country, particularly on the east coasts of both islands. Rainfall should be about normal for the west and north of the North Island, while eastern regions might see normal to above normal rainfall amounts.

Soil moisture levels vary significantly across the country. The eastern South Island should maintain adequate moisture, while North Island farmers face potential challenges with below normal soil moisture and river flows – a concern for livestock and dairy operations heading into winter.

Ocean temperatures around the South Island remain unusually warm, and there's still a risk of ex-tropical cyclones affecting New Zealand through April.

 

New tool maps hidden groundwater risks for farmers

Kiwi scientists have developed an online tool to identify areas at risk from groundwater flooding - a hidden threat that could significantly impact rural properties and farming operations across the country.

The Shallow Groundwater Screening Tool maps areas vulnerable to water table rises, providing crucial information for farmers and rural landowners before visible flooding occurs. NIWA Chief Scientist Scott Stephens says the tool will help decision-makers understand which areas face the greatest risk, particularly as sea levels continue to rise.

Unlike surface flooding that can be managed with stopbanks and seawalls, groundwater flooding emerges from underneath, saturating soil and structures while weakening infrastructure. This hidden hazard contributed to South Dunedin's flooding last October and poses significant challenges for agricultural land in coastal and low-lying areas.

For farmers, the implications are substantial. Rising groundwater can destabilise farm roads, damage buildings and eventually make farming uneconomic in some areas. The tool incorporates 2.4 million real-life groundwater readings from across the country, with machine learning filling gaps based on factors like land elevation, soil type and proximity to waterways.

Kōmanawa Solutions founder Zeb Etheridge describes the system as a risk screening tool to guide adaptation planning for existing land use and future developments. The research team is already working on further updates, including projections of rising water tables as sea levels increase and the risk of groundwater becoming saline through seawater infiltration.

A link to the tool can be found in this episode's description: www.niwa.co.nz/shallow-groundwater-tool

 

Three dairy women vie for prestigious Fonterra award

Dairy Women's Network has announced three exceptional finalists for the 2025 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year award.

Canterbury farmer Frances Beeston, Waikato sustainability advocate Jo Sheridan, and Waikato sharemilker Lara Sutton have been selected from a pool of candidates who demonstrate outstanding leadership and contribution to New Zealand's dairy sector. The trio exemplifies the diverse talent driving positive change in rural communities while championing innovation across the industry.

DWN Trustee and judge Jenna Smith highlighted how this year's nominations reflected impressive breadth across the sector. The nominations showcased strength from hands-on farmers, emerging leaders and rural professionals combining community values, environmental care and commercial insight.

The judging panel, which included 2023 winner Donna Cram alongside representatives from Fonterra, Rural Leaders and Ballance Agri-Nutrients, evaluated candidates on their community contributions and understanding of the sector's potential. Smith praised Frances for her people-centric advocacy, Lara for her ability to connect and lead, and Jo for her authentic passion and clear vision for the dairy industry.

The winner will receive a valuable scholarship to the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme covering fees, travel, accommodation, mentoring and access to industry platforms. The winner  will be announced at the Conference Gala Dinner on May 1st, where the dairy community will gather under the theme "Success through Inspiration."

New leadership for charity bridging farms to food banks

Nick Fisher has been appointed as the new Chair of Meet the Need, New Zealand's farmer-led food charity tackling food insecurity across rural and urban communities.

Fisher brings extensive agricultural sector experience to the role, with deep roots in the meat industry through his family's business, Fishers Meats. He later built a career in rural media, becoming Head of Rural at MediaWorks before joining the Meet the Need Board in April 2023.

The appointment comes as founding board member Julia Jones steps down after four years as Chair to take up a new role as General Manager of Agri-Women's Development Trust. 

Increasing public awareness tops Fisher's priority list as he takes the helm. Despite the organisation's important work connecting farmers with food banks, he believes many New Zealanders remain unaware of Meet the Need's role in addressing food insecurity.

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