With farmers spending more on fertiliser than ever before, it’s good to know they have somebody in their corner helping them get the best bang for their buck, Federated Farmers vice president Colin Hurst says.
Although volumes were down, New Zealand spent nearly $1.5 billion on fertiliser and raw ingredient imports in 2022, the most ever in a single year.
While the spikes in the cost of some fertilisers in 2022 and 2023 have come back down, prices remain well above pre-pandemic levels and fertiliser is still a significant component of farm budgets.
Hurst says farmers are keenly interested in maximising benefits of their fertiliser use for cost, production and environmental reasons.
The Fertiliser Quality Council have a big role to play in supporting that mission, he says.
“Federated Farmers were the founder member of the FQC when it was incorporated in 2001. The council probably flies under the radar more than it should.
“Now comprising over 30 representatives from across the agricultural industry, it’s an important forum to drive the strategic direction of fertiliser product quality and application,” Hurst says.
The FQC promotes Fertmark (independent auditing of fertiliser quality and awarding the Fertmark tick) and Spreadmark (the accreditation scheme driving proper and even placement of fertiliser for maximum agronomic benefit, and protecting the environment from undesirable ‘off-target’ waste).
Hurst says independent auditing sits at the heart of Fertmark.
“Fertiliser is unusual in that you can’t tell the nutrient content by how it looks – so the importance of independent validation and assurance is clear,” he says.
Increasingly, the FQC is widening its mandate to include new products and additives, “checking they do what their makers claim they do”.
As well as farmers looking for value for money, regulators are looking for the confidence that Spreadmark certification brings.
“Regional councils are increasingly concerned that fertiliser doesn’t end up in waterways.
“Using one of the 75 operators with Spreadmark certification is a good way of giving them assurance the operators know what they are doing.”
Newly appointed FQC director, Tyler Landford, has honed her strengths on the Federated Farmers Dairy Council advocating for legislation that is practical for farmers.
With every piece of compliance farmers are made to fill out, Langford points out that that is another committee meeting or school event they can’t support.
“So, providing clear, accurate, and verifiable information, to foster accountability in the fertiliser industry is of critical importance.”
Federated Farmers, New Zealand’s leading independent rural advocacy organisation, has established a news and insights partnership with AgriHQ, the country’s leading rural publisher, to give the farmers of New Zealand a more informed, united and stronger voice. Federated Farmers news and commentary appears each week in its own section of the Farmers Weekly print edition and online.
