Feeding the world’s growing population
New Zealand’s reputation as a quality food producer is growing.
The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand promotes and encourages responsible and scientifically-based nutrient management.
Good records for different areas and LMU’s are valuable for assessing success, and should give details of all aspects of the nutrient management plan put into practice, covering:
A property map with LMU’s marked can be a good way to record fertiliser applications (manually or by GPS), with details noted in the appropriate paddocks or blocks. In this way a series of maps covers the year’s fertiliser treatments.
Record keeping serves many purposes but key uses include:
Good paddock records help in calculating nutrient budgets, calculating nutrient and water use efficiency, identifying areas of a paddock with varying productivity, refining production targets and predicting future nutrient requirements. They can also be used to demonstrate that nutrients have been managed for the best production and environmental outcomes.
Accuracy and attention to detail pay off. For example, accurate records of the position of soil sample sites will aid in interpreting the results against yields, soil types, incidence of frosts, water logging, etc. These records also allow future sampling in the same positions. GPS technology is increasingly used for accurate positioning but good records using paddock landmarks and measurement from the landmarks allow relocation of the sites within a few metres. Permanent markers and an established soil sampling routine also help.
Soil testing will commonly be used to check changes in soil nutrient levels and some land managers will also use herbage tests. As long as nutrient applications go as planned, most land managers will not monitor actual environmental indicators (e.g. water quality measures) on their property. Those who apply special nutrients – e.g. those requiring resource consent for particularly high nutrient applications or because of sensitive areas or catchments– may be required to do specific monitoring as a condition of their resource consent.
On dairy farms with high rates of supplements going into the system, effluent sampling for nutrient content is highly recommended.
Most land managers keep fertiliser use records for their own information - to know how their fertiliser programme is going, to assess pasture and crop responses and to relate these results to future fertiliser planning. In addition, by following this Code and keeping accurate records of compliance, regional authorities can have confidence that this Code is being followed. Given that authorities have limited contact with most land managers, proof of good management depends on good records.
Sample templates for recording are provided in Appendix 5.
The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand and Dairy NZ funded development of the Nutrient Management Adviser Certification Programme (NMACP). This industry-wide certification aims to ensure that advisers have the learning, experience and capability to give sound nutrient advice.
17 February 2021
New publication showcasing Seventy years of data from the world's longest grazed and irrigated pasture trials, provides an invaluable data resource to help guide farming practices.
9 December 2020
Aqualinc has been awarded the Irrigation New Zealand Innovation in Irrigation Award for 2020, in recognition of their work for the Fertiliser Association on N-Wise irrigation strategies.
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