Fonterra is making the fencing off of rivers compulsory for its suppliers in a bid to force the industry’s slackers to play ball. 

From the start of next season farmers who wish to keep supplying Fonterra have just 18 months to fence off waterways which are deeper than a red band gumboot, wider than a stride, and which flow permanently.

Federated Farmers dairy spokesman Willy Leferink says reports show Fonterra’s suppliers have made significant moves to fence off their stock from waterways since the voluntary Clean Streams Accord was introduced in 2003.

He says about 80 percent of waterways bordering Fonterra farms are now fenced and now the co-op is ensuring the rest gets done.

"But yet a lot of farmers have to finish off that last little bit and with that Every Farm Every Year we’ll get to the last bit of it.

"There’s still a period where they can finish it off, it doesn’t have to be tomorrow, but you know we now have a stick behind the door to say, ‘hey come on mate’.

Fonterra’s sustainable dairy advisors will be working with farmers to ensure they comply and to give them advice.  

And the news has gone down well in environmental quarters.

New Green MP, Stephan Browning, says it’s simply fantastic news.

"It’s Fonterra meeting up to its responsibilities and it will go a long long way to cleaning up the rivers, and lowland rivers in particular, and lakes in New Zealand."

Mr Browning says dairying is the dominant cause of river pollution in New Zealand and while Fonterra still has a long way to go, it’s a step in the right direction.

However, he says the move does not deal with intensification and nitrogen leaching and these are areas Fonterra also needs to focus on.