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August 2019 CANTERBURY FARMING
Fertiliser quality on the agenda The New Zealand Fertiliser Quality Council (FQC) is reassuring farmers and growers that discussions around achieving common standardisation for the physical quality of fertiliser products are firmly under way.
Anders Crofoot ❚❚by of the ❚❚Chairman Fertiliser Quality Council ❚❚
The FQC already has in place standards for the content of fertiliser products through its Fertmark programme. Fertmark is a voluntary scheme which independently verifies the product ingredients so farmers know that what they are purchasing is true to label. However, it is now time to focus on the shape and size of product particles. Varying physical quality can pose problems for farmers and growers who need consistency of fertiliser, every time, to ensure accurate and even placement, minimum environmental impact and maximum plant growth. Unfortunately, the physical quality of some fertiliser products can differ from batch to batch. This is particularly problematic for the arable sector, where nutrient spreading needs to be even more exact than spreading for pasture growth. Consistency of physical product quality is also needed for compliance and proof of accurate placement, both of which are becoming increasingly important for farmers as we all focus more on precision agriculture. Furthermore, our ground spreaders are also encountering issues with physical quality,
Store well: Good storage and handling of fertiliser is essential to maintaining the products’ physical form.
particularly as they start to use even more sophisticated spreading machinery. The highspec spreading equipment they use is ultrasensitive to particle size. Where product quality varies, this means frequent and timeconsuming re-calibration. It is worth bearing in mind that fertiliser quality is affected by many variables, not least the many different types of products on
the market – from single nutrients to blends, compounds and enhanced products such as slow release varieties. This means that while there is no quick fix, we are in discussions with the major fertiliser manufacturers to find a solution for our farmers. Other key variables affecting the physical characteristics of fertiliser include the way products are stored and handled.
Particle strength, shape and size all affect the durability of the product as it moves through the processes of handling and storage. For example, small particles can crumb and are also more likely to attract moisture during storage. It is hoped that as we progress the idea of categorising physical quality, the supply chain can then tailor how best to handle and store products according to their physical components. The FQC recently issued a set of guidelines for storing and handling bulk fertiliser. This includes information and advice on receiving product in store, bagging off, transporting, avoiding caking and segregating products. The guidelines, which be downloaded from wwww.fqc.co.nz, printed as poster-size and displayed in fertiliser distribution centres, are currently being adapted for farmers to display on farm. Anders Crofoot is the Chairman of the Fertiliser Quality Council. The Council was set up for farmers, by farmers in 1992. It comprises over 30 executives from across the agricultural spectrum and is responsible for both the Fertmark and Spreadmark schemes.