In a move to improve the quality of advice farmers are receiving, a national standard for the training, certification and continuing professional development of farm nutrient management advisers has been established.

Sixteen primary sector organisations have committed to the Nutrient Management Adviser Certification Programme. DairyNZ commissioned the Fertiliser Association of New Zealand to develop the programme as part of its Primary Growth Partnership, funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

It is run by an industry advisory group which sets standards, manages certification and continuing professional development and operates a registration system.

Russ Tillman, chair of the advisory group, anticipates that within two years, half of all nutrient management advisers will be certified.

'The programme will ensure New Zealand nutrient management advisory standards are maintained to the highest level internationally. It will give confidence and credibility to the increasingly important role of managing nutrient cycling and nutrient loss within environmental limits on farms.

'The importance of this programme to improve the production value farmers will extract from the investment they make in nutrients and reducing the impact nutrient loss has on the environment shouldn't be underestimated.” He says the programme will ensure advice is conveyed to farmers in a consistent way through advisers who are working to the same agreed standards across the country.

'It will also give assurance to central and regional government regulators, local and international markets and the public at large that the primary sector is managing its nutrient footprint consistently nationwide.”

At the core of the programme is work undertaken by the fertiliser industry to train its fertiliser representatives through postgraduate courses in sustainable nutrient management, taught at Massey University.

The certification framework will be extended to all in the primary sector who provide nutrient management advice to farmers, or who are involved in the broader field of farm management.

The website for the programme will be available soon at www.nmacertification.org.nz.