The Otago Regional Council reminds dairy farmers that the deadline for their first report on their use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers is 31 July.
Simon Wilson, director of regulatory data and systems at the council, said new rules came into effect in July last year, known as N-cap, where the annual use of synthetic nitrogen may not exceed 190 kg per hectare on average across farmers’ grazing areas. does not exceed.
Farmers have options in how to sign up, either by using the tools provided by their suppliers, including Balance and Ravensdown to collect the N-cap data, or by using similar tools that will soon be available at regional councils across the country.
The council encouraged farmers to first contact their fertilizer companies as many of them worked with the regional council sector groups to transfer data directly.
The 190 kg nitrogen shell was introduced as part of the Government’s National Environmental Standards for Freshwater, which covers activities that may pose a risk to freshwater ecosystems.
The Ministry of Environmental Guidelines describes synthetic nitrogen fertilizers as any solid or liquid substance that contains more than 5% nitrogen per dry weight and is applied to soil as a source of nitrogen nutrition for plants.
If a farmer’s nutrient budget has shown that they exceed 190 kg per hectare, they must either reduce their use or apply for an inadequate activity permit with the regional council.
The ministry said the cap only covers synthetic nitrogen applied to vegetation that will be grazed, including crops that were temporarily grazed before harvest, such as silage, hay, cut-and-carry fodder, horticulture and forestry.