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Fertilizer co-operative of New Zealand: Ravensdown continues push for return of eco-n
Aug. 16, 2013
New Zealand's fertiliser co-operative Ravensdown is continuing to push for the return of its eco-n product to help prevent nitrates leaching from farmland after its removal from commercial shelves.
Nitrification inhibitors like eco-n - with the active ingredient dicyandiamide (DCD) - were withdrawn voluntarily by fertiliser manufacturers after traces of DCD were found by Fonterra in dairy products in September last year and publicly revealed in January.
DCD was used by less than 5 per cent of dairy farmers, mostly in the South Island, in autumn through to early spring to help reduce nitrate leaching from cow urine patches and to cut back nitrous oxide gas emissions.
Ministry of Primary Industries officials said the levels were not a food safety concern, but Ravensdown, and rival co-operative Ballance Agri-Nutrients, removed products from sale as a precaution because there were no food safety standards for DCD.
Chief executive Greg Campbell said Ravensdown was working with the MPI to develop an international code that would be acceptable overseas.
"We are still pushing on with the Government and MPI on that. Clearly, our farming needs some assistance with lowering the environmental footprint. It was a good tool and possibly the only tool in the tool box so farmers are continually looking to us to have the product come to the market. Until we get the codex (international standard) we are in a holding position."
He said developing an international standard normally took five years, but the co-operative was hopeful this could be reduced to several years.
"We are hopeful it will be years. It's cold comfort to farmers for helping them for nitrate leaching or environmentally regulated compliance which we support by the way as a company. Farming should be done in a sustainable fashion."
The ban on the nitrification inhibitor was a "technical rejection" as there were no international standards.
Campbell said the co-operative was always looking to invest in research and development adding value to shareholders.
About $12 million has been invested in developing precision fertiliser application for hill country farmers with the programme receiving $5.1m from the Government as part of the Primary Growth Partnership project. The project is looking at remote sensors to assess nutrition levels on hill country farms.
Further development in on-farm spreading technology resulted in the launching of Smart Maps, a new digital mapping tool where farmers can view an online aerial map and draw or alter fencelines for paddocks, blocks and management zones.
Ravensdown wound up a tough financial year ending May with a small profit and no rebate, not aided by eco-n being removed from shelves until new international standards are set. Campbell said the suspension of the company's eco-n product was another one-off event impacting the result.
"The suspension of eco-n, a product used to limit nitrate leaching and greenhouse gases, had an effect on the results.
"Losing the profit from eco-n and the cost of stock disposal had an impact of $4m."
Source: Radio New Zealand
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