We also promote effective management of intensive agricultural activities.
Whether you are spraying a patch of gorse, topdressing the back paddock, or carrying out a poison drop over a large area, it is important that you know your responsibilities when doing so. This page provides information about aerial and ground-based application of fertiliser and pesticide products.
Council encourages applicators to adhere to Industry Codes of Practice to avoid, remedy, or mitigate adverse effects of fertiliser use and promote sustainable land management practices.
The Fertiliser Association of New Zealand's Code of Practice can be found here.
Tasman District Council has rules relating to the discharge of fertiliser and pesticides to land and air, to limit adverse cross-boundary effects arising from their use (see below).
When applying fertiliser using an aerial topdressing contractor, Tasman District Council recommends that all neighbours that may be affected are contacted well in advance so that they can move nervous stock, or take other actions as necessary.
Within the Tasman District, rules relating to discharges of fertiliser are different to other regions in New Zealand and it is important that pilots and operators (as well as those contracting them) are aware of these.
Tasman Resource Management Plan Chapter 36.5 - Discharge of Fertiliser (pdf 387 KB) Page 54
Council recommends using an aerial fertiliser applicator who has a current Growsafe registration, and abides by the Spreadmark Code of Practice. The New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) provides information to pilots and provides a list of pilots who have achieved accreditation under the NZAAA scheme.
As with Aerial Applications, choosing an appropriate contractor is important to ensure that your fertiliser is spread using best practice methods which will give you the best returns, and keep your fertiliser out of areas of the environment where it shouldn't be.
Ground-based applications should be carried out in conjunction with The Spreadmark Code of Practice, and Council recommends using Growsafe Accredited operators.
Whether applying pesticides from ground-based sources or by using an aerial contractor, care must be taken to ensure that the discharge does not create any adverse environmental effects beyond the property boundary. These effects may be related to:
Tasman Resource Management Plan Chapter 36.6 - Discharge of Pesticides (pdf 565 KB) Page 51
