Tools

Cadmium Balance Model Decision Support Tool (CadBal)

A web-based tool to help land managers make decisions on how to manage cadmium accumulation in agricultural soils

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Tiered Fertiliser Management System

The Tiered Fertiliser Management System for the application of phosphate fertilisers is an integral part of the Cadmium Management Strategy for New Zealand.

This system seeks to ensure that soil cadmium remains within acceptable limits over the next 100 years and beyond.

Download Tiered Fertiliser Management System

Overseer

Overseer is an agricultural management tool which helps farmers and growers make better farm management decisions to improve their farm's environmental sustainability and productivity.

Much like a financial budget, a nutrient budget tells you how much is coming in and how much is going out and to where. By using Overseer, you can see:

• how efficiently nutrients are being used on a farm
• expected nutrient and greenhouse gas losses to the environment
• the likely impacts of changes in farm management practices or farm systems.

Overseer allows farmers and their advisers to test the potential impacts of different approaches before investing time or resources in big changes.

The tool is managed by Overseer Ltd, which was established as a not-for-profit organisation to administer the software. FANZ has invested in Overseer and our shareholding is held by the New Zealand Phosphate Company. The other owners of Overseer include the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and AgResearch Limited.

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N-cap data reporting tools

Dairy farmers milking cows on a farm area of more than 20 hectares are required to record synthetic nitrogen use on their dairy platform land, including a zero-kilogram record if no synthetic nitrogen is used.

The regulations require data to be submitted by 31 July of each year for the preceding year ended 30 June. Regional and unitary councils have been working with Ravensdown and Ballance to deliver a consistent method for storing and reporting the synthetic nitrogen fertiliser data in line with the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020.

There are three tools available to help farmers with their reporting. It is a farmer’s choice which tool to use to help comply with the Regulations. The tools are:

• Ravensdown’s HawkEye app
• Ballance’s MyBallance app
• The regional sector’s web portal named N-Cap

Nutrient management planner

Our interactive nutrient management plan (NMP) template can be used or adapted to suit your circumstances. Please familiarise yourself with our Code of Practice before using it.

The below diagram sets out the steps involved in preparing and using the nutrient management plan template.

A good NMP: ensures that nutrient management meets all legal and industry requirements includes a nutrient budget which compares nutrient inputs from all sources with all nutrient outputs achieves desired changes in nutrient levels and production (e.g. increasing soil fertility from a poor base to support a higher stock carrying capacity; altering soil nutrient status to suit future crops) minimises the cost of supplying nutrients and avoids wasted spending on unnecessary or unused nutrients minimises the risk of damage to the environment considers the land manager’s personal objectives. Download our Nutrient Management Planner