With the arrival of NZ-wide competition to the duopoly, and my reduced level of energy, I am now putting more of my available time into providing independent fertiliser cost comparisons for farmers. These include full explanations regarding what nutrients in particular fertilisers are needed on a particular farm, and which are not. For example, farmers … Read more
The complex judgement comes down to 6 key points: Ballance sought a permanent injunction preventing Quinfert Algerian RPR being described as an RPR in advertising. It failed in this objective. To quote from the judgement: “Apart from the [Fertmark] citsol test, the Algerian RPR meets the other tests for RPR.” And further, the Judge said: … Read more
Part 1: Background. A suggested path for improving New Zealand’s water quality and reducing global warming gas emissions, starting now. Part 1: Background. (Part 2: increasing soil C). In the 35 years since the future importance of agricultural exports was dismissed by the government of the day, we have instead become increasingly dependent … Read more
Nutrient cycling in natural ecosystems is incredibly efficient, having had immense periods of time to develop. It is incredibly arrogant of mankind to come along and impose totally different, man-made farming systems where natural ecosystems used to be, and assume that everything will be fine and dandy. We initially got away with it with … Read more
As people who read my website www.quinfert.co.nz or my posts on LinkedIn will know, I have started taking part in the debate on regenerative farming (regen for short). Many members of the agricultural research fraternity, particularly those involved in various aspects of dairy farming, have criticised regen for even daring to exist as a … Read more
Apply with your Nitrogen and save 50% Dairy farmers are coming under increasing pressure from different combinations of things in different areas of NZ; lack of rainfall, disappointing payouts, bank lending becoming more focused on cash-flow, and increasing environmental restrictions and requirements. So why talk about potassium (potash) in this context? Well, a key … Read more
Everywhere in the world, before the intervention of man and fertiliser, soil, vegetation and animal systems evolved naturally to make the most efficient use of the rate of nutrients becoming available from parent materials, assisted by the local climatic conditions. Except during extreme events such as flooding or earthquakes, losses of nutrients to the outside … Read more
Introduction Over the past few decades, I have observed the development of increasingly divergent views of the roles of both calcium as a nutrient, and lime in itself, in New Zealand agriculture. Many of these newer views are lacking in scientific verification, but nevertheless are likely to be reflecting a great number of anecdotal observations, … Read more