MEDIA RELEASE

Appropriate timing of fertiliser application more cost effective for farmers

For immediate release: 3 August 2009

Environment Bay of Plenty is reminding farmers of the importance of applying fertiliser and effluent at appropriate times – for both cost saving and environmental reasons.

Environment Bay of Plenty’s Regional Water and Land Plan sets out the rules permitting fertiliser use in a way that ensures that it doesn’t get into the region’s waterways, in particular groundwater.

Rule 20 Permitted – Application of Fertiliser to Land states that “all practicable measures shall be taken to avoid runoff of fertiliser to streams, rivers, lakes or wetlands” and that “fertiliser shall be applied at an appropriate time, rate and volume that avoids leaching of nutrients to groundwater”.

Environment Bay of Plenty Sustainable Farming Officer John Paterson said farmers were well aware of the seasonal influences on their farms and the land’s ability to utilise applied effluent and fertiliser.

He said farmers should avoid fertiliser application in the winter and early spring months as leaching to groundwater at this time was inevitable and there is greater risk of runoff to surface water bodies in contravention of Rule 20.

“When soils are cold and wet and grass growth is minimal it is not an appropriate time to apply fertiliser; it’s an unnecessary waste of money and fertiliser from the farmers’ point of view and also increases the likelihood of leaching into groundwater and surface runoff into streams, lakes and rivers,” Mr Paterson said.

Fonterra Sustainable Dairying Advisor Geoff Neilson supports appropriate timing of fertiliser application.

“It is sound farming and environmental practice to time fertiliser applications to correspond with periods of good pasture and crop growth. Farmers need to plan their fertiliser programmes well in advance to ensure the nutrients applied match their plants’ needs. The foundation of any programme is regular soil testing and nutrient budgeting.”

Soil moisture and temperature monitoring results are available on Environment Bay of Plenty’s website www.envbop.govt.nz under the Knowledge Centre > Live Monitoring > Public Data > Land. The monitoring uses data from local climate stations.

ENDS

Rule 20 Permitted – Application of Fertiliser to Land
The discharge of fertiliser to land where the contaminant or its by-products may enter water, where the fertiliser is applied using ground-based operations, is a permitted
activity subject to the following conditions:
(a) There shall be no direct discharge of fertiliser to groundwater, streams, rivers, lakes or wetlands.
(b) All practicable measures shall be taken to avoid the runoff of fertiliser to streams, rivers, lakes or wetlands.
(c) The fertiliser shall be applied at an appropriate time, rate and volume that avoids leaching of nutrients to groundwater.
(d) Fertiliser must be stored and used in a manner that complies with (a) to (c) above.
(e) Where the discharge of fertiliser is within 10 metres of a lake, river, stream or wetland, all reasonable steps shall be taken to apply the fertiliser accurately, and confine the fertiliser to the application site. This activity is also subject to the requirements of the rules in section 9.4.

© Scoop Media