That is one of the key findings of the Otago Regional Council's latest annual survey to monitor the level of understanding and uptake among farmers about meeting their responsibilities under the water plan.
In last year's survey, only 7% of sheep, beef and dairy farmers said they needed more information on how to comply with the rules.
That figure had since doubled to 14%, independent survey company Versus Research has found.
More than half the farmers who responded to the survey said they had an excellent (13%) or good (39%) understanding of what was needed to comply, the same as in the two previous years.
Council chief executive Peter Bodeker said the increased interest in gaining information showed farmers were ''not being complacent'' about their farming impact on water quality.
People who might previously have assumed they knew what was required had now realised they had to be better informed.
Many farmers were responding positively to ''our unique, effects-based approach to water quality compliance''.
''We are committed to ensuring that those who are unclear or confused get the targeted information they need to do the same,'' he said.
The survey results will be discussed today at a meeting of the council's communications committee.
Overall, 11% of survey participants said they had made all the changes they need to ensure their operation was compliant.
A further 38% said they had made most of the required changes (up from 28% in 2015 and 35% last year).
Thirty-five percent said they had made some of the changes (up from 31% last year), and just 14% said they had not changed their farming practices (down from last year).
Mr Bodeker said the figures relating to land management changes should be viewed in context, given that farmers reported they were mainly carrying out fencing and changing effluent systems.
These tasks were ''costly and time-consuming''.
Some farmers were still unclear about the rules in the water plan and the changes they needed to make to comply.
Many farmers wanted more support and advice and planned council initiatives included:
Developing a more comprehensive and user-friendly guidebook to replace a fact pack previously distributed to farmers.
Council staff attending field days, and a roadshow planned to visit 15 locations around Otago in the next financial year.
Subject to confirmation of the council's annual plan, the council proposed offering an Environmental Risk Assessment service to individual farmers.
