Your fertiliser quality assurance

Rose Ag vehicles are Spreadmark tested and certified on a regular basis, and all our operators have completed training through NZ Groundspread.

Spreadmark is a voluntary quality assurance scheme administered by Federated Farmers, it is run in conjunction with Fertmark, a fertiliser quality assurance scheme, to ensure that fertiliser is applied applied accurately. The intention intention of the scheme is to support farmers and growers in the proper placement of fertiliser to help protect the environment from the undesirable side effects of poor fertiliser spreading practices.

The precision placement of fertiliser requires a number of components. Firstly, it is dependent on incorporating the operator skills, secondly using suitable spreading equipment and thirdly using appropriate fertilisers. It is the integration of these factors that is at the heart of the Spreadmark scheme. Registration is voluntary but the scheme has been designed and is operated in such a way as to encourage all operators to become involved.

The Spreadmark scheme is governed by a Council consisting of representatives from fertiliser user groups, fertiliser applicators and fertiliser manufacturers. The Spreadmark scheme operates closely with its sister scheme Fertmark, and these two schemes operate together to ensure that high quality fertiliser is manufactured, mixed and spread in a way that precision agriculture is fostered and the environment is protected.

Both schemes have strong links to the Code of Practice for Fertiliser Use.

If an operator has the Spreadmark tick, farmers and grower's know that:

• Spreader operators have been trained
• Equipment is independently assessed and systems audited.
• Fertiliser is being applied at an even rate and distribution pattern.
• They can be confident a Spreadmark operator will place  fertiliser where they want it.

Please visit the Fertiliser Quality Council website for further information on the Spreadmark codes of practice.