Fonterra’s move to make it compulsory for its farmers to fence off all waterways within 18 months has gone down well with some.

Under the Clean Streams Accord Fonterra’s 10,500 dairy farmers must fence their cows back from streams and waterways, to create a buffer zone.

Forest & Bird have congratulated Fonterra.

In a media release, Forest & Bird Advocacy Manager Kevin Hackwell said he welcomed the initiative as part of the efforts to halt the continuing decline in water quality.

And the move has also been welcomed by the Otago Regional Council.

Chairman Stephen Woodhead says this is exactly the kind of outcome the Good Water, Good Farming rural quality strategy envisages.

But Fish & Game Council’s Chief Executive, Bryce Johnston, who is an outspoken critic of the environmental impact of intensive dairy farming, says mandatory fencing waterways won’t stop animal effluent getting into rivers.