Feeding the world’s growing population

New Zealand’s reputation as a quality food producer is growing.

Optimising food production

Over the next 50 years farmers around the world will need to produce more food than has been grown over the past 10,000 years.

Best use from a limited resource

Fertiliser helps farmers produce food efficiently by replenishing the soil. But fertiliser needs to be used responsibly.

Responsible and sustainable nutrient management

The Fertiliser Association invests in research and tools to ensure farm profitability while minimising nutrient losses to the environment.

The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand promotes and encourages responsible and scientifically-based nutrient management.

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Submissions

The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand regularly makes submissions on issues related to the fertiliser industry.

Regulation of Inhibitors used in Agriculture

25 June 2020

Many New Zealand farmers are looking for ways to reduce their nutrient losses and greenhouse gas emissions. A range of new and also well-established inhibitor products provide very significant environmental benefits. Therefore, their use and application is expected to increase. However, the inhibitor products are not well defined in the legislation, which applies to agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines. The review of inhibitors was supported, including amending the regulatory oversight of inhibitors so that the primary sector is better able to confidently, safely and effectively use existing and new inhibitors to mitigate environmental, sustainability and climate change issues. Declaring 'Inhibitors' as agricultural compounds is favoured and a modified version of the proposed definition is presented. There is support for a managed transition for existing products plus adequate resourcing to support registration of new products within the proposed legislation.

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Reforming the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme Proposed Settings

11 March 2020

FANZ has submitted a submission to the Ministry for the Environment, with feedback on Section 2 of the 'Reforming the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme: Proposed settings - Consultation document'. We continue to support development of a predictable transition pathway for reducing carbon emissions for New Zealand agriculture. We also believe that the reduction in emissions will be dependent on policy development and implementation programmes, which drive the adoption of additional mitigations.

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Climate Change Response Emissions Trading Reform Amendment Bill Submission

22 January 2020

FANZ has released its submission on the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Reform) Amendment Bill. We continue to support development of a predictable transition pathway for reducing carbon emissions for NZ agriculture. Farmers and growers should have choice about the most effective way of managing emissions on their land and we continue to support farm scale accounting for greenhouse gas emissions, including nitrogen fertiliser.

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Action for Healthy Waterways Submission

23 October 2019

FANZ has released its submission to the Ministry for the Environment on Action for Healthy Waterways. It welcomes the Government's aspirations and is calling for the Government to take a pragmatic, phased and balanced approach to achieving these goals. FANZ believes that aligning environmental, social, cultural and economic objectives should be the Government's first step.

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Action on agricultural emissions

14 August 2019

The feedback in this submission to the Ministry for the Environment considers the factors that are critical for New Zealand to successfully meet our commitments to the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a manner that does not threaten food production. If adopted globally, New Zealand's leadership, working in partnership with the primary sector to achieve sustainable, low emissions food production, could achieve a significant reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions.

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Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill

31 July 2019

We support establishing an independent Climate Change Commission and provide suggestions for the selection of members. We also advocate a split-gasses approach, including offsets for short term gases, to achieve net zero emissions. This submission provides suggestions for transitioning successfully to a low emissions economy, while providing for certainty and consistency to allow for business investment and development.

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Draft National Planning Standards

21 August 2018

While we support an approach to achieve national consistency in Planning Standards, we are opposed to the proposed definition of fertiliser in this document. We see this definition as too broad, and suggest some revised wording.

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Zero Carbon Bill

19 July 2018

We seek a firm climate change target, enabling transition and business certainty – and permitting use of international credits. We support achieving net zero emissions for long-lived gases and stabilising emissions for short-lived gases by 2050, while maintaining social and economic well-being. We recommend provision for ‘intensity’ based measures (emissions per unit production) and the flexible review of emissions budgets.

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Feedback on Draft Ruamahanga Whaitua Implementation Programme

11 July 2018

We support this plan’s overall approach and recommendations but suggest changes regarding nutrient management. This includes opposition to the control on choice of land use, avoiding recommending what constitutes appropriate allocation approaches in 10 years and amending the proposed activity status where there is an increase in farm system contaminant losses.

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Draft Report on Low-Emissions Economy

8 June 2018

The feedback in this submission to the New Zealand Productivity Commission focusses mostly on the findings and recommendations relating to agricultural emissions. In particular, it provides feedback on the chapters about emissions pricing, short- and long-lived gases, and land use.

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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.

Find out more

15 March 2023

The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand has published a revised and updated Code of Practice for fertiliser nutrient management, replacing the previous version published in 2013.

The Code was launched at an event in Wellington on 13 March 2023, attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Hon Damien O’Connor.

Minister O’Connor welcomed the publication of the Code, saying it was important good guidance is available for all farm inputs for farmers and the wider sector.

He described farming – producing food for communities and the world – as the most noble of professions. Farmers were dealing with challenges every day and providing them with tools and knowledge was important, he said.

The Code is a key resource tool for the management of nutrients on arable and pastoral farms, horticulture and viticulture blocks, and market gardens.

Association Chief Executive Vera Power says the revised Code provides clear principle-based guidance on supplying nutrients for growing healthy food and fibre.

“Following the Code provides users, regulatory authorities and markets confidence that the nutrients used in Aotearoa New Zealand primary production are managed in a way that minimises adverse environmental impacts,” says Dr Power.

“We believe all New Zealand farmers and growers want to meet societal and their own high expectations for growing healthy food while minimising environmental impacts. Supporting all our aspirations remains at the heart of the guidance provided by this Code.”

The revised Code has had extensive input from  agricultural and scientific experts, regulators and industry groups. It can be downloaded from the Association website at www.fertiliser.org.nz

7 September 2022

The 2022 AgriTechNZ Baseline of Digital Adoption in Primary Industries report was released in August.

Created as part of a study by AgriTechNZ and insights partner Research First, the report was co-designed with partners The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand, Zespri, The Foundation of Arable Research and DairyNZ. It was also supported by the Ministry for Primary Industries as part of the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures initiative (SFFF).

The 60-page report looks at digital adoption, including key drivers and barriers across the dairy, horticulture, arable and beef/sheep sectors.

You can download the report here.

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