Rural contractors call for national air plan standard in RMA reforms

Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) says several regions have outdated air plans and some are waiting to see the scope of the ongoing coalition Government reforms.

RCNZ chief executive Andrew Olsen says amid much focus on developing standards for infrastructure, biodiversity and freshwater, there's been no comment about standardising air and aquatic agrichemical application standards and the qualification of companies and operators.

"The RMA reforms should be contemplating this in the absence of councils doing so," he says.

"We also think it's time councils came to grips with ensuring the applicaotrs they award contracts to hold the appropriate qualifications.

"I have had members tell me they've helped councils fine tune air plan policy and best practice in for example aquatic spray environmental. Our qualified members are a vast source of information and councils should be tapping into that, not rewarding non-qualified companies with contracts."

Those comments are endorsed by Matt Strahan, Nufarm's national product manager.

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"Agri-chemical contractors are a key player in the environmental stewardshi we support in providing effective crop protection solutions through safe spray application. The industry is under increasing scrutiny in application, storage and health and safety and a national standard makes sense," says Strahan.

He says that should mean only those contractors with Registered Chemical Applicator training or working towards that qualification should be able to apply agrichemicals.

The Environmental Protection Authority requires agrichemical applicators using airblast or boom sprayers to hold qualifications when applying highly ecotoxic products as do some regional plans, though there is variation in these by region.

Jane Lamb, general manager of the New Zealand Agrichemical Education Trust which runs Growsafe, says using NZ Standard 9409:2021 on the management of agrichemicals would be a great place to start if looking at a national policy statement.

The document sets out good practice for safe, responsible agrichemical use. It was jointly developed by a committee compromising representatives from government agencies such as WorkSafe, EPA and MPI, regional councils and industry groups including Fonterra, Zespri and RCNZ.

Better Policing

Any new national standard should also require anyone spraying agri-chemicals to be a Registered Chemical Applicator (RCA).

The RCA scheme, started by Rural Contractors NZ but now overseen by Growsafe, is the highest standard of certification. It requires renewal every five years through training, theory, and practical assessments, often including on-site visits.

Many regional councils and suppliers to some food producers are not supposed to give work to contractors who don't hold an RCA but Rangitikei agri-chemical sprayer Graham Greer doubts that this is happening across the board.

"It doesn't seem to be policed. I think there needs to be a lot more awareness about the need to be a Registered Chemical Applicator."

He's had decades in the business and says it takes at least three years to become compliant with all that is required for safe appliaction of agrichemicals.

"You get guys who just come in and cut the costs."

He backs a national standard for air plans and its enforcement, including having properly qualified spray operators.

"We need some consistency right across the country rather than different plans here, there and everywhere."