Tools now online for nitrogen use reporting
Three new tools are now available for dairy farmers to report the amount of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser they are using on pastoral land of 20ha or more.
The tools are provided by fertiliser companies Ravensdown and Ballance as well as a regional portal called N-cap.
Farmers who are Ravensdown or Ballance customers can use their tools while all other farmers should use the N-cap tool.
Ravensdown customers should head to www.hawkeye.farm/ and Ballance customers to www.myballance.co.nz. Farmers who are using the N-cap tool can find out what they need to know by heading to n-cap.teurukahika.govt.nz.
More details on the tools as well as links to ‘ how-to’ use the N-cap guides, frequently asked questions and scenarios are provided on Taranaki Regional Council’s nitrogen fertiliser webpage: trc.govt.nz/ synthetic-nitrogen-fertiliser-cap/
While the rules initially required reporting to be completed by 31 July 2022, the delayed availability of the national tools means that the deadline for submission of data is now 31 October 2022.
Council Director-resource Management Fred Mclay says: “The new tools make it more straightforward for farmers to report their synthetic nitrogen use. If, after going to the webpage, anyone needs more information or help, please get in touch with us and we’re happy to help.”
The regulations were introduced in the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020 (NES-F) which put a cap on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser of 190kgn/ ha/year. Anything above this level requires a resource consent. The rules, part of the Government’s Essential Freshwater reforms, aim to limit the degradation of New Zealand’s freshwater ecosystems due to nutrient enrichment and came into effect on 1 July 2021.
Dairy farmers who are only using natural nitrogen fertiliser are asked to advise the Council to complete our nitrogen records. This information should be provided by using this form: https:/ /taranakirc.formstack.com/forms/nitrogen_submissions.
For help or more information, call us on 0800 736 222 or email info@trc.govt.nz.