Farming
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www.guardianonline.co.nz
Get up to speed for season ahead Andrew Curtis
WATER WORKS
With the arrival of August, IrrigationNZ’s training schedule has resumed. Irrigating farmers are starting to think about preseason maintenance and their expectations for the season ahead. If you operate irrigation, work for a business that supports irrigation activity or are the owner of irrigation infrastructure, it could be time to consider how you can improve your irrigation knowledge base. Launched by IrrigationNZ earlier this year, Irrigation Fundamentals is a threeday course targeting new entrants to the industry and frontline staff of businesses and organisations that provide services to the irrigation
THE
Training opportunities start again this month for irrigators and related industry personnel to get up to speed with new requirements.
industry. The aim is to give people a comprehensive overview of the complexity of the systems that take water from source to paddock. The next course will be held between August 18 and 20 at
Lincoln. Over the past few years IrrigationNZ has been working with industry to develop robust qualifications to encourage skill development and top performance on-farm. Two
new irrigation qualifications will be launched before Christmas providing irrigating farmers with greater confidence that their irrigation is being operated to a high standard. Registrations are now
open for the New Zealand Certificate in Irrigation Performance Assessment which will be held between September 16 and 18 and the New Zealand Certificate in Irrigation Management scheduled for November 5 and 6. Registration details for Irrigation Fundamentals or either qualification can be found at http://irrigationnz.co.nz/ events-training/irrigationtraining/ or by phoning Kate Mills 03 974-1425. The qualifications come at a time when there is more and more call for accountability and their development will prove to regulators and public alike that the irrigation industry is serious about lifting the game and evidence is able to be demonstrated. At a recent scheme forum held in Lincoln, Central Plains Water Ltd announced that moving forward, the scheme will now require accredited designers and also certified performance evaluators. Andrew Curtis is chief executive officer of IrrigationNZ
DIFFERENCE
HydroFix
IRRIGATOR STABILITY SYSTEM
Talk to us about your irrigation system needs Brendan Hawes - 021 347 985 Distributor for T-L Irrigation in New Zealand -
Reduce the worry of windy days on farm this year with this innovative irrigation stability system Sign up today to be part of our Open Field Trial of the new Hydrofix Contact:T-L Irrigation Systems Ben Wright 027 801 2293 162 Dobson Street, Ashburton
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