FAQs
The FW FP Certifier and Auditor Appointment Programme
Freshwater Farm Plan system changes / Government review
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Since late 2024, the national Freshwater Farm Plan (FW FP) system has been paused, with the exception of the Southland region. The Government has been working on improvements to the FW FP system during this time. Farmers will not be required to submit a FW FP for certification in paused regions while changes to the system are made.
The certifier and auditor appointment programme remains open for applicants, with national training available online. However, before you apply, please note you may not be able to proceed to the appointment stage in your region if the FW FP system is currently paused there. Please read the latest updates here and contact your Regional Council for further information.
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While there is uncertainty at present, the Government has signalled that Freshwater Farm Plans (FW FPs) will continue to be a key tool for improving freshwater outcomes and a robust system that builds trust and confidence for all stakeholders will be required. We are confident that a certifier and auditor appointment process provides a sound capability assessment and base of knowledge for those working in the future FW FP system.
While we wait for further information on how the Government review will affect the certifier and auditor appointment programme, you have several options. You can:
Take a wait-and-see approach. Your application remains open and valid, and any deadlines to complete training do not apply.
Continue working through your training. If your region is currently paused, you may switch your application to another region where the FW FP system is operating. Note that you would then be appointed to work in this region.
Withdraw and you may be eligible for a pro-rated refund for the unused portion of your training.
If you would like to talk through your options, please email: farmplancertifiers@asurequality.com
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No – we are taking a flexible approach while we wait for further information. If there are changes to national training and you have paused part-way through, you may be required to re-start the updated national training package. Please note that you cannot progress to Regional Training without first passing the national training.
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Yes - your application remains valid and active unless you advise AsureQuality otherwise. You do not need to do anything.
Working as a FWFP Certifier or Auditor
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AsureQuality manages the national appointment process for Freshwater Farm Plan certifiers and auditors on behalf of the Ministry for the Environment. As the Appointment Process Manager (APM), AsureQuality manages:
the appointment application process and training services
application assessments and recommending suitable applicants for certifier and auditor appointment to Council
maintaining the national register of appointed certifiers and auditors
the quality assurance process for the appointment system
the continued practice requirements for certifiers and auditors
disputes and complaints against certifier and auditor conduct. For more information, log in to the Farm Plan Certifiers Portal found here.
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No – once appointed, certifiers can certify a Freshwater Farm Plan for any type of farm in the region(s) that they are appointed. However, a certifier can choose to only offer their services to a particular type or types of farms if they feel that is where they will provide the best quality of service.
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Yes – you can be both a certifier and an auditor. The requirements to become a certifier and an auditor are different, and these are explained on the relevant pages of this website. Please note that you cannot audit a Freshwater Farm Plan that you have certified. Reduced fees apply if undertaking both the auditor and certifier appointment programme, please contact us before submitting your second application: farmplancertifiers@asurequality.com
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This depends on a number of variables including your own personal work-rate, and the amount you choose to charge farmers and growers for your services. The amount of work available will vary by region, although once the Regulations take effect most farmers and growers will be required to submit a Freshwater Farm Plan (FW FP) by the deadline(s) specified within those Regulations. The Ministry for the Environment website contains further information on who will need a FW FP.
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It is expected that certifiers and auditors manage their risks as independent contractors on farms.
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Not yet, but many industry groups and professionals are looking to support farm operators to develop their Plans.
The Application Process
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You can find information on the certifier and auditor application pathways, competencies, and professional conduct standards on this website using the navigation menu options. For more information regarding certification and audit guidance, visit the Ministry for the Environment website.
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If you fail any part of the appointment process, you will be directed to resources or training to help you upskill. You can then reapply after completing the necessary requirements. For more information on costs refer to the programme fees page of this website.
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To work as a Certifier or Auditor, you must be appointed in the region you intend to work. If you wish to work in multiple regions, make sure to select each region in your initial application.
One region is included in the application fee, and additional regions will incur a regional fee. For more information on costs refer to the programme fees page of this website.
Note that if you have applied for multiple regions, you will only need to complete the national training once.
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Yes – all applicants must complete the training.
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You will need to contact the tertiary institute where you completed your qualification(s).
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AsureQuality will keep in touch with you throughout each stage of the process to communicate updates and progress.
Once your initial application is approved and you move onto national training, you will be sent log-in details and instructions on how to access the training.
Please contact farmplancertifiers@asurequality.com if you need more guidance at any point.
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You will need to pay a non-refundable application fee along with programme fees should your application be accepted. Fees vary depending on whether you are applying to be a certifier or auditor, or both, and if you are applying within multiple regions. For more information, refer to the programme fees page of this website.
The Training
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No – training is not sector specific. It is expected that certifiers will already have farm systems knowledge. The training focuses on the role of the certifier in certifying Freshwater Farm Plans.
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The training will not cover all the required knowledge to be an effective Freshwater Farm Plan certifier or auditor. It is expected that you have prior knowledge of:
farm systems (you do not need to have specialist knowledge of all farm systems, but a basic level of understanding is expected)
agricultural contaminants and how they impact freshwater and freshwater ecosystems
relevant freshwater legislation and regulations
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National training consists of a series of online modules and assessments that are completed in your own time, within 4 weeks of being issued the training. A training pack is provided to guide you through the course.
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National training can take between 8-16 hours depending on your prior knowledge and the number of attempts to complete the related assessments.
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National training for certifier applicants consists of nine compulsory modules and one optional communication module. Modules are to be completed in order. After finishing each module, you will be required to complete an assessment before you can progress to the next module.
Auditor applicants are to complete the nine certifier modules, however will not be assessed at the end of these modules. They must also complete another three auditor-specific modules which are assessed.
Each module assessment consists of a series of questions. The module contains the information you need to answer these questions, so it is important to read all the information carefully before beginning the assessment.
The required pass rate for every assessment is 100%, and you will be given three attempts to successfully answer all the questions for each module assessment. If you fail the assessment on the third assessment attempt for any module, your account will be locked, and you will need to contact farmplancertifiers@asurequality.com to request your account be unlocked. You can have a maximum of two failed modules throughout the duration of the course. If you fail a third module however, your application will be declined.
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Training is usually to be completed within 28 days of commencing however, we are currently taking a flexible approach while changes to the Freshwater Farm Plan system are made.
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Yes – if you fail a module assessment you will need to contact farmplancertifiers@asurequality.com to request your account be unlocked, so you can re-attempt the assessment.
You can have a maximum of two failed modules throughout the duration of the course. If you fail a third module however, your application will be declined.
Recommendation and Appointment
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Once you have completed your training, AsureQuality will prepare and submit a formal recommendation to the relevant Regional Council who will make the final decision on your appointment. Once a decision is received from the relevant Regional Council, we will be in touch. If you are appointed by the Regional Council, we will also confirm your details for the National Register.
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National Register details can be updated directly in your portal profile. Please ensure that you have signed up using the unique code provided to you by the team at farmplancertifiers@asurequality.com
Once logged in, follow these steps:
Select your name located at the top right corner of the screen.
From the drop-down options, select ‘My Profile’.
Scroll down to the section named ‘National Register Information for Appointed Certifiers and Auditors’ and fill in the sections that you would like shown publicly. Select the save button, located at the bottom right of the screen.
I’ve followed the above steps and it’s not showing as updated on the National Register. What should I do?
There are several possible reasons for this. Please review the troubleshooting information below. If your issue is not resolved, please contact the team at: farmplancertifiers@asurequality.com
Correct account login
Ensure that you have logged in using the account created via the unique link provided by the Farm Plan Certifiers Team. This step is required to ensure your existing application, training, and appointment information are connected to your login. If you do not follow this step, updates you make on your profile will not reflect on the national register.Privacy settings
With considerations for information privacy, the default setting is to only include required information as per the Regulations on the national register.
For applicants who applied prior to 2026: At the time of your appointment, you were asked via email to confirm the level of information to be published. If you selected minimum required information only, this setting may still be applied. Ensure your portal profile is up to date, then contact the team to request publication of additional details.
For applicants who have applied from the start of 2026 onwards: Your application form included a question about whether to display minimum or additional information on the National Register. If you selected minimum information only, this setting may still be applied. Ensure your portal profile is up to date, then contact the team to request publication of additional details.System processing time
Changes may take a few minutes to appear on the National Register.
If updates are not visible, try:
Performing a hard refresh (Ctrl + F5 or Cmd + Shift + R)
Clearing your browser cache
Logging out and back in again
If the issue persists after completing the above steps, please contact the team for further support.
Ongoing Requirements
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Certifiers are required to participate in ongoing training and calibration activities. The time commitment for each session will be no more than three hours, and these sessions can occur four times a year.
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There is no expiry date for your appointment as a certifier or an auditor provided you complete the compulsory continuous practice requirements, and pay the annual programme fee. If you fail to meet these requirements, your appointment will be discontinued.
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Yes – certifiers and auditors will pay an annual programme fee to help cover the costs of operating the appointment process. Fees vary depending on whether you are an appointed certifier or auditor, or both, and if you are appointed in multiple regions. For more information, refer to the programme fees page of this website.
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Yes – Regional Councils can discontinue the appointment of a certifier or an auditor if they fail to meet the:
appointment criteria,
practice proficiencies (regulated competencies), or
attributes of professional conduct.
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Yes – file reviews will be conducted to assess the proficiency and professional conduct of appointed certifiers and auditors, ensuring that quality standards are maintained. File reviews will occur at least annually for appointed certifiers and auditors.
Complaints, Disputes, and Feedback
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Before submitting your complaint, please ensure it falls within the scope of this programme. The Appointment Process Manager (APM) will only investigate complaints that relate to its defined responsibilities. Specifically, complaints must concern a Certifier or Auditor not meeting one or more of the following, as set out in the Regulations:
The appointment criteria,
Practice proficiencies, or
Professional conduct expectations
If your complaint relates to any of the above, please proceed to raise your concerns via the Portal:
Create a portal login (if you do not already have one)
Navigate to ‘Issues and Feedback’ in the main menu.
Select Case Type of: Complaint
Complete the required form fields.
If you would like a response, please indicate this in your submission. Where a response is not requested, one cannot be anticipated. We may contact you if further information is required.
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There is a comprehensive complaints process that is managed by AsureQuality. If a complaint is received the relevant Regional Council and the certifier or auditor who is the subject of the complaint will be notified. An initial assessment is provided to the Regional Council advising them whether the complaint is, or is not, within scope for further investigation.
Complaints will only be investigated if they are within the scope of AsureQuality, as the Appointment Process Manager, to investigate. A complaint will be considered in scope if it relates to a Certifier or Auditor not meeting any of the below, as specified in the Regulations:
The appointment criteria,
Practice proficiencies, or
Professional conduct expectations.
Complaints raised which fall outside this scope will not be investigated.
In-scope complaints are investigated and recommended actions provided to the Regional Council. The Regional Council will then inform all parties of their final decision, which could include discontinuing the certifier or auditor’s appointment, commencing a performance review, or other options depending on the investigation findings.
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A dispute can be raised if you wish to challenge a decision regarding your application, training, or appointment status. Disputes must be raised within 30 days of receiving the related decision. To raise your dispute via the portal:
Login to the portal, or contact farmplancertifiers@asurequality.com for a unique portal sign-up code to link your application/training/appointment information to your login profile.
Navigate to ‘Issues and Feedback’ in the main menu.
Select Case Type of: Dispute
Complete the required form fields.
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We appreciate your time in providing your feedback on the Freshwater Farm Plans Appointment Programme. Your input plays an important role in helping us improve. Feedback can be shared via the portal:
Login or sign up
Navigate to ‘Issues and Feedback’ in the main menu.
Select Case Type of: Feedback
Complete the required form fields.
If you would like a response, please indicate this in your submission. Where a response is not requested, one cannot be anticipated. We may contact you if further information is required.