Court rejects Greenpeace's attempt to block green hydrogen project
An attempt by Greenpeace to block the consent of a green hydrogen project involving fertiliser co-operative Ballance has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal.
Soil tests should be the first step for farmers trying to manage budgets while maintaining pasture productivity, says fertiliser co-op Ballance.
Ballance science extension manager Ian Tarbotton says keeping soils fertile is good insurance with pasture an essential feed source, but gut instinct or experience won’t lead to good decisions on what to spend or save.
“Soil tests will show you what you have to work with and they are the best guide to decisions on a fertiliser budget.”
Tarbotton points to three main nutrients for soil fertility: phosphorus, sulphur and potassium; how they behave in soil provides a clue for application decisions.
“Sulphur is mobile in the soil, so usually requires annual applications. Potassium can leach too, notably on coarse textured soils. Phosphorus gets stored in the soil, so depending on reserves it may be possible to defer phosphate fertiliser application. Some nutrients, such as magnesium and calcium, could be supplied directly to stock as a short-term measure.”
Phosphorus is a key driver of production so, if possible, levels should be kept in the optimum range and testing will confirm whether levels need attention.
If sedimentary soil is above the optimum Olsen P range of more than 40, then cutting out phosphate maintenance for a year will not affect production. If the range is more than 30, then half maintenance of phosphate will not lead to noticeable impacts.
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
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Listed Canterbury milk processor Synlait’s shares have been placed in a trading halt.
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A step-by-step guide helping farmers through the process of creating a Freshwater Farm Plan (FWFP) has been launched by FarmIQ.
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