The FW FP Certifier Appointment Programme
AsureQuality manages the appointment programme in partnership with councils. We are committed to ensuring a great experience for all applicants and our team will guide you through each step of the process.
The appointment process includes the following steps:
Update: September 2024
While we await further information on the Government review of freshwater farm plan system and what this may mean for the certifier and auditor appointment process, the status of regional training and practical assessments varies between each area.
Please read the latest update here.
Step 1. Application
There are two pathways to become a FWFP certifier:
Pathway 1: Qualification
You will need a qualification in either Natural Resource Management or Farm Systems. You will be required to upload your official academic transcript during the application step and demonstrate your understanding of the competencies.
Pathway 2: Experience
You will need at least three years of experience in a field related to the competencies required for certifiers. You will be required to provide contact details of at least one referee who will be asked to attest to your understanding of the competencies.
You can also demonstrate that you meet the criteria through a combination of qualifications and experience.
Requirements for the application process
The application should take approximately an hour to complete. The below guidance will enable you to prepare many of your documents and answers ahead of applying to reduce this time. You will need to provide the following:
basic contact details
identification of rural sectors you work in
regions you wish to be appointed in
if you opt for the qualification pathway you will need to upload a copy of your qualification transcript(s). Certificates cannot be accepted in place. If you do not hold a copy of your transcript you will need to request this from your educational institute
if you opt for the experience pathway you will need to provide an overview of your experience and contact details of a suitable referee who can attest to this.
Who can I use as a referee?
Your referee can be anyone who meets the below criteria:
has knowledge and/or experience working within a field related to the competencies for certifiers
can attest to attributes of your professional standards
has known you for more than one year.
can be available for a call or email from the AsureQuality freshwater farm plan appointment process team to verify details about your application
is not related to you or part of your extended family (e.g., a cousin, parent, sister or brother)
is not your partner or spouse.
Demonstrating the competencies for certifiers
You will need to complete a self-assessment of your current level of understanding for each of the competencies for certifiers as outlined within the Freshwater Farm Plan Regulations, and demonstrate your understanding of the competencies using scenarios, explaining key concepts and using technical terminology relevant to the competencies.
Strong answers for the written explanation of each competency will include specific examples linking your qualifications and/or experience to the competencies.
For competencies you have assessed yourself as having a high level of understanding, answers should be provided as either a paragraph summarising how your experience/qualifications have informed your level of understanding, or as bullet points linking facets of the competency to specific courses or experience.
For competencies where you have assessed yourself as having a lower level of understanding, answers should include an outline of your current level of knowledge within the competency and any actions you will be taking to actively upskill yourself on this as part of your ongoing professional development.
The scoring system for the competencies ranges from poor to excellent, use the below guidance when assessing yourself:
Poor
You have no experience or qualifications in a field which aligns to the competency. You may only have a basic surface level of understanding of the topic. Describe your understanding of the competency using its key concepts and any experience you have in the competency.
Please note if you would self-assess yourself as Poor across all the competencies which fall within either, Regulatory, Te ao Māori, or farm systems, risks and actions, your application will not be accepted and will need to upskill before applying.
Fair
You can demonstrate you have experience within the field, or evidence of a junior/entry level position. Describe your understanding of the competency using terminology and key concepts. Describe any scenarios where you have participated in the matters relating to the competency.
Good
You can demonstrate you have 3 years’ experience and/ or a qualification in the field related to the competency. Describe your understanding of the competency using clear terminology and key concepts. Describe scenarios addressing matters relating to the competency where you have directly contributed to key outcomes.
Great
You can demonstrate how you are well established in the field with over 3 years’ experience related to the competency, and/or hold professional memberships or qualifications at a post grad graduate/ NZQA level 7 or above. Describe scenarios you have led that addressed complex matters relating to the competency.
Excellent
You can demonstrate that you have held a senior role and have many years’ experience in the field related to the competency, and/or a higher-level post-graduate qualification level or demonstrated where you have delivered training specific to a competency. Describe scenarios related to the competency where you have led complex issues with multiple stakeholders.
AsureQuality will assess your application using all the information, you and your referee(s) have provided, to assess your suitability for the certifier role.
There is no expectation for applicants to be proficient in all competencies at this stage of the appointment process, as training linking across all the competencies will be provided. However you must:
have strong farm systems knowledge and understand how contaminants from farming activities impact freshwater
read and understand relevant freshwater legislation and the relevant regulatory documents and be familiar with Regional Council planning documents and legal documents such as resource consents
have basic knowledge of the Treaty of Waitangi, and key concepts such has Te Mana o Te Wai and Te ao Māori.
Before you begin
You can check your eligibility for a successful application by using our self-assessment tool, or download an application guide to help you prepare. These are available on the FW FP Certifier Application Form page.
What happens after submitting my application?
You will hear from a member of the AsureQuality appointment process team for next steps,
once your application has been received and reviewed.
Step 2. National Training
You need to complete both national and regional training to become appointed as a freshwater farm plan certifier.
National training consists of nine compulsory modules and one optional communication module. Modules are to be completed in order and once one is finished you will complete an assessment and can then progress to the next module. The training is to be completed within 28 days of commencing.
Each module assessment consists of a series of questions. The module contains the information you need to answer the assessment questions, so it is very important to read all the information in the module carefully before beginning the assessment. The pass rate required is 100% for each module and you have three attempts to submit your answers. You can collect two module fails as you complete the training but if you fail three modules your application will be declined.
National training covers:
the purpose of the freshwater farm plan system, how the system works and how it links with relevant legislation and regulatory documents
the role of the certifier in assessing a freshwater farm plan
the process a certifier goes through to certify a freshwater farm plan
how to identify risks on a farm, and how to select the appropriate action to mitigate them
what is required in an action plan
what a certifier is required to report
detailed scenarios
Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) and its application to freshwater farm planning
Te Mana o Te Wai, Te Ao Māori and other key concepts
skill development to conduct certifications in correct and professional manner.
After completion of the national training, question and answer webinars with subject matter experts can be held on demand.
Step 3. Regional training
Regional training is specific to catchment context, challenges, and values for that region, but may include:
CCCV elements including regional plan rules
common farming activities, risks to freshwater and mitigations of note in the region
how certifiers will interact with councils and existing resource management processes in the region.
If you are applying in more than one region you will need to complete training in each region.
Update: May 2024
While we await further information on the Government review of freshwater farm plan system and what this may mean for the certifier and auditor appointment process, Regional Councils have provided the following information on the availability of regional training and practical assessments in each area.
Waikato Regional Council: Regional training will be provided and practical assessments undertaken so long as there is a demand.
Email: pie@waikatoregion.govt.nz
Horizons Regional Council (Manawatū - Whanganui): Regional training will be provided and practical assessments undertaken so long as there is a demand.
Email: FreshwaterFarmPlans@horizons.govt.nz
West Coast Regional Council: No regional training or practical assessments will be undertaken until there is more clarity on the regulatory requirements.
Email: info@wcrc.govt.nz
Otago Regional Council: No further face-to-face training or practical assessments will be undertaken until there is more clarity on the regulatory requirements. Note: If you have started online training you may complete this.
Email: farmplans@orc.govt.nz
Environment Southland: Regional training including in-person sessions will be undertaken where there is a demand. The same applies to practical assessments, which are also pending internal decisions currently and farm availability.
Email: farmplans@es.govt.nz
Environment Southland Training
Once you have finished your National Training, AsureQuality will advise Environment Southland that you are ready to begin your Regional Training. There are three learning modules which cover:
CCCV
Regulatory and legal
Applying Treaty Principles to Farm Planning in Murihiku
Once applicants have finished the modules, they will be required to attend an in-person workshop day. Applicants need to have completed the required readings and come prepared. Workshops are held in Invercargill and involve approximately six hours of training. After the workshop applicants will be required to complete an open book assessment with a mixture of short answer and multi-choice questions within 5 days of the end of the workshop. To pass the training you must get 80% correct score for the assessment and maintain a good level of participation during the workshop.
es.govt.nz
Waikato Regional Council Training
Once you have finished your National Training, AsureQuality will advise Waikato Regional Council that you are ready to begin your Regional Training. You will need to sign up at Home (wrctraining.co.nz).
Modules to complete include:
Introduction to the Waikato Region
Tangata Whenua
Land and Soils
Waterbodies
Effluent
Once you have completed the online modules then you move to the on-farm training. This includes:
Attendance on a webinar
Completing a pre-on-farm assessment
Attendance at the on-farm day
Completing a post on-farm assessment
Once you have completed your Regional Training, Waikato Regional Council will advise AsureQuality that you are ready to progress to your Practical Assessment.
Otago Regional Council
Once you have finished your National Training, AsureQuality will advise Otago Regional Council that you are ready to begin your Regional Training. The Regional Training for Otago will be available from late February 2024 to complete. There are six modules which include:
Dairy Effluent
Science 101
Intensive winter grazing
Water, waterways and wetlands
ORC Regional context
Once applicants have completed the modules they will be required to attend an in-person training day. The in-person day will be focussed on tangata whenua values and applicants will be required to have completed the pre-reading material and assessment. These in person training days will be based at a marae within Otago and following the training there will be a post training assessment that will need to be submitted and passed. You must also actively participate in the training day in order to pass.
INFDP / Bridge training
Certifiers and auditors will also be trained in the use of the Integrated National Farm Data Platform (INFDP) Bridge, the freshwater farm plan data collection, storage and reporting tool. The INFDP Bridge is an interim solution until the permanent INFDPv1 solution is delivered in 2025. Certifiers and auditors will use the INFDP Bridge to input the regulated freshwater farm plan data including action plans and audit grades for regional council to access for compliance monitoring and reporting. Timing for the delivery of the INFDP Bridge training will vary by region and may be delivered in conjunction with the council’s training or by council staff.
Once you have completed your National and Regional training you will need to undertake a practical assessment. The practical assessment needs to be done in a catchment area where the freshwater farm plans regulations have come into force - check with your Regional Council.
The type of farm needs to match your own farm type experience, and you will need to ensure you have prior agreement with your farm operator.
On the day of the on-farm assessment, meet your assessor and farm operator as agreed and undertake your process for certifying a plan. The assessor is looking to see that you demonstrate:
practice proficiency and professional conduct
knowledge of inherent vulnerabilities and action
knowledge of catchment context, challenges and values (CCCV)
people and communication skills.
Once the on-farm visit is completed, you then follow the process to get the plan certified as explained in the certification process. You will submit this to the farmer for review and prepare to submit to council alongside your assessor. The assessor is the person responsible for the certification.
Can I use a farm if I know the farm operator?
Yes, if there are no unmanaged conflicts of interest.
What if I’ve applied to be a certifier in more than one region?
You will only need to undergo one practical assessment regardless of the number of regions you are applying to.
You may choose a region (where the regulations apply) to do your practical assessment.
Step 4. Practical Assessment
Step 5. Recommendation to Council
Once the appointment process is complete AsureQuality will review all the relevant information and submit a formal recommendation for appointment to the regional council advising them that you have successfully completed the appointment process.
The regional council will make the final appointment decision and they will inform you directly of your appointment status. If you are successfully appointed as a freshwater farm plan certifier, a member of the appointment process team will confirm your Certifier Identification Number and your details will appear in the national register of freshwater farm plan certifiers.
If you have applied to be a certifier across multiple regions, you must await confirmation of your appointment from each region before you can begin to certify farm plans within that region.
Step 6. Appointment
Once appointed your details will be visible to members of the public on the national register. This is the list of appointed certifiers and auditors which must be published in accordance with the regulations.
The minimum mandatory details which must be published include:
your name
region(s) you are appointed within.
your unique Certifier Identification Number (assigned to you by AsureQuality).
You may opt to have only the minimum mandatory details published, if for example, you do not wish to be contacted by farm operators once appointed.
Additional selected details which can be published include:
contact phone number
email address
company name
farm types you specialise in
a short professional bio
a photo of yourself.
