Plan ahead for contractors this spring

Spring is a busy time for jobs on-farm, many of which are carried out by specialist advisors and contractors.

Having a plan in place to communicate your property's environmental features and hazards with the contractor is one way to help ensure everyone is on the same page.

Have a plan – and the conversations to support it

Fertiliser in a waterway, spray drift into the neighbour’s property, sediment runoff and the wrong paddock being spread – these are just some of the things that can go wrong when communication breaks down.

Having a plan and a map that highlights the ins-and-outs of your farm – including the environmental hazards and regulatory expectations – helps ensure the work is completed in an efficient, economical and environmentally responsible way. It also means the risk factors can be easily communicated if someone other than your normal contractor is behind the wheel.

Both landholders and contractors have a responsibility to protect waterways on farm and work within the rules that apply to the area. Should works be carried out on the property in breach of the rules or damage caused to a waterway – both the landholder and the contractor could be liable.

What do I need to cover off with my contractor?

While there will be specific risk factors associated with different activities, industry-informed Good Management Practices for freshwater offer solid guidance for environmental risk. Some main areas of risk are sediment, contaminants and fertiliser ending up in waterways.

If you have a Farm Environment Plan (FEP) in place, you’ll be familiar with many of the hazards and risks on your property, and these should be communicated with your contractor. If not, FEPs are a great first step towards identifying your on-farm goals, local risks and mitigation tactics.

A checklist for your property

Running your contractor through expectations and a checklist particular to your property before starting is a useful way to ensure positive outcomes. Here are some broad items to consider before you contract works:

• Know the regulations that apply to the activity and area.
• Share the health and safety requirements on-farm including a map with hazards.
• Make sure the contractor is suitably qualified and/or has industry credentials; that the job has been communicated properly; that the appropriate equipment, seed, fertiliser chemical is available, and they have the correct product and rate recommendations for the job.
• Use proof-of-placement technology for nutrient and chemical applications. Should there be an issue with placement you’ll have records available to review. Proof-of-placement can also help with N-Cap reporting on dairy operations.
• Too windy or wet? Notify your contractor if the conditions on farm are not suitable for the work in advance.
• Ensure the contactor is aware of Good Management Practices around waterways and are shown where any buffer zones and sensitive areas are located.
• Always remember the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship – right product, right time, right rate, right place.

Want to know more about specific activities?

• Nutrient application resources can be found at the Fertiliser Association of New Zealand (FANZ) and at GroundspreadNZ.
• Further support on chemical application at the Environmental Protection Authority and Worksafe. For local rules go to the Canterbury Air Regional Plan, section 7.77.
• For any project or construction work undertaken near water, check out our Erosion and Sediment Control Toolbox for Canterbury.
• Soil quality, management, productivity and preservation at the Foundation for Arable Research.