NZ Dairy Spring 2021

48 | nz dairy Irrigation » Irrigation NZ The irrigation E-learning platform allows farmers to gain or refresh their knowledge on a range of irrigation topics. blue or green tick: a company that has the Irrigation Design Accreditation has a blue tick and a company with the Farm Dairy Effluent System Design Ac- creditation has a green tick. This means that IrrigationNZ has audited the company and deemed they are worthy of the tick. The accreditation is audited every two years mean- ing farmers can have a high degree of trust in the certification, she says. “With more emphasis on effluent and irriga- tion efficiency and compliance than ever before choosing an accredited company means farmers are assured that their system meets both regulatory and industry performance benchmarks. Accredited companies offer industry trained professionals and excellent knowledge.” Keeping auditable records is the final part of the equation and is key to SMART irrigation, she says. “Without evidence you cannot be accountable. Records also provide a useful tool for analysis of performance and continual improvement.” IrrigationNZ is a not-for-profit membership organisation established in 2004 to promote excellence in irrigation. Today it boasts a national membership advocating for the interests of irrigat- ing farmers, growers and the industry professionals that service them. It also engages in wider freshwa- ter management conversations and tells the story of irrigation in New Zealand. Actively engaging with its members and other stakeholders in the delivery of irrigation best practice, part of this involves of- fering a resource base of knowledge, information, and statistics on irrigation to members. Vanessa says that there is a lot of information for farmers on irrigationnz.co.nz including case studies, guides, tools and tips, templates and checklists. These are available free to all IrrigationNZ members. With a multitude of compliance regulations directed at farmers regarding water and effluent she says the information is valuable to farmers to run savvy operations. She thinks that many farmers are still not obtaining the most benefit from their effluent and water: “Dairy farm effluent was once considered a waste product. Now it’s seen as a valuable source of nutrients to help grow the best pasture. This reduces reliance on bought in fertiliser products and boils down to having a good system supported by the right storage capacity. Water is becoming increasingly important with climate change so farmers need to ensure they are making the best use possible of this precious resource.” • to page 48 • Wintering Sheds • Pond Cleaning: Sumps, Sludge & Liquid Ponds • Tip Trucks & Diggers • Weeping Walls, Pond Stirrer attachment on digger FARM EFFLUENT CLEANING Phone Devon 021 224 7990 or (03) 418 2896 Covering the Clutha District Alex Reid - 021 277 5308 • www.alexreidcontracting.co.nz N U R S E R Y We grow plants for all types of environmental projects: Riparian • Wetlands • Revegetation Taking orders now for next year’s projects. 021 0834 3433 | michelle@nznatives.kiwi