Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

SPREADMARK stan

dard comes to Waimarino

Right way of spreading reaps rewards

Kui, Griffin and Company have recently been accredited for spreading calibrations on their spreader and adopted the official logo "Spreadmark". The New Zealand Groundspread Fertiliser

Association engaged Lincoln Technology to help with research and developing the proposal for a quality standard and the certification which would follow. Lincoln Technology is part of Lincoln Ventures, the commercial area of Lincoln College in Canterbury. "If we get it right, the rewards are going to be high," says Arthur Dixon, immediate past president of the New Zealand Groundspreader Association, when talking about the Spreadmark certificate scheme. "Lincoln Technology were the organisation which had the most to offer for the calibre of specialties needed for testing fertiliser spreaders," said Mr Dixon. "They are also backed by the independence and scientific credibility of Lincoln University."

The idea was not entirely new. A fertiliser distribution calibration service has been available at Lincoln since the 1 960s and has been used by local spread manufactures and importer of European-made machines. However the service was not available to other parts of the country until the New Zealand Groundspread Association was asked to set a spreading standard by way of a remit in 1991. When determining the Spreadmark code for fertiliser application, the association, the association had to set standards that a professional industry such as ours could reasonably achieve," adds Mr Dixon. Spreaders through the country have been tested by Lincoln Technology and the distribution patterns of the machine measured and analysed. The test have good information on work rate, data handling re-test, spinner speeds and showed areas for improvement. The programme was introduced to Canterbury in February and more recently to Taranaki. Those operators who didn't gain certification without modification to their machines, went back for a re-test. "Many ground spreading operators were quite stunned by the results, as were the Canterbury operators." said Mr Dixon. Thousands of dollars, and years of research by Lincoln Technology of the Spreadmark scheme and its benefits have already been noticed in other parts of New Zealand. Already rfiembership in the Canterbury branch has increased as farmers are realising the importance of having certified machinery," said Mr Dixon. We're hoping to get the same spin-offs through the pother branches. The advent of the Resource management Act is making the industry aware of the risks of allowing excess nutrients to contaminate the ground water and waterways," said Mr Dixon. "By dempnstrating as an industry that cares very much about the way we apply fertiliser and nutrients, we will all benefit from the on-going intemational and domestic trading opportunities that result. "There is a lot of noise about quality right now and a lot of it is just that," said Mr Dixon. "With the Spreadmark scheme we have made tangible and positi ve improvements in the application of fertilisers. We have put our money where our mouth is. "One of the better parts of the scheme was that there was no additional cost to the farmer client. "Usually most farmers are looking for a cheap operator but they are looking at it the wrong way. Why would a farmer want to spend his money on fertiliser if he has a cowboy who doesn't know how to put it on? The Spreadmark code could save farmers money in the long run." New Zealand is the only .country with a spreading standard of this calibre and already other countries such as Australia and the United States of America are showing interest in the scheme, added Mr Dixon. Each Spreadmark certificate displayed in an operator' s tmck, cost $800. It must be renewed, and the machine calibrated, every two years. Spreadmark is protected by an insurance cover from Lincoln Technology in the event of crop failure. "What the farmer needs to know is the independence of Lincoln," said Mr Dixon. "From here on out, there will be no room what so ever for error in the use of fertiliser and trace elements." The launching of Spreadmark, the certification of Ground spread vehicle accuracy, is the best thing that has hap-

I pened to the ground spread industry for many years, say I those in the industry. The certification means quality I control which in turn leads to a "clean green" image by the I NZFGA. I Our industry is involved in the ISO 9000 1&2 quality

control or Q Base. The launching of Spreadmark to meet standards set by the dairy, beef, sheep and wool industries for export requireraents is a positive step forward. A lot of farmers are going for certification and require their service contractors to meet these criteria.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/RUBUL19950912.2.27

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 603, 12 September 1995, Page 8

Word count
Tapeke kupu
777

SPREADMARK stan dard comes to Waimarino Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 603, 12 September 1995, Page 8

SPREADMARK stan dard comes to Waimarino Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 603, 12 September 1995, Page 8

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert