The New Zealand Groundspread Fertilisers Association (NZGFA) is gearing up for its 63rd annual conference, ‘Technology the Enabler’, next week in Taupo. The tech-themed event will highlight how the advancement of smart in-cab systems, GPS vehicle tracking and data capture and management apps will enhance the future for the nutrient spreading industry – and New Zealand’s food industry.
Dean Brooks, NZGFA President, says technology is ever-evolving in the spreading and trucking industries and the Association is keen to demonstrate to its members that technology is here to help not hinder.
“The NZGFA is encouraging its members to embrace new digital platforms. We believe that industry-wide adoption of the technology that’s out there will increase operational efficiency, improve the accuracy of on-farm nutrient placement, aid compliance, as well as improve health and safety for our spreader truck operators and those they work alongside.”
Mr Brooks adds that there is a growing number of apps that allow ground spreaders to record real-time information as well as analyse and interpret data. “These tools are really important since they enable us to carry out best-practice spreading in accordance with farmer needs – and also prove that our operators are working to the highest of standards.
“Ground spreading is increasingly being valued as the first step in the food production chain, more and more food processors are starting to take a closer look at nutrient placement practices and Spreadmark, our quality assurance nutrient placement programme, is in demand. As we move into an increasingly auditable world, capturing good data is essential.”
To support the technology theme, conference delegates will hear from renowned entrepreneurial tech speakers Glenn Martin, inventor of the Martin Jetpack and Ian Taylor whose company Animation Research is a world leader in TV sports graphics. Additional speakers include modern day adventurer and strategy guru, Jamie Fitzgerald, Australia’s Rishabh Singh from agile technology business, Kendra HQ, Bruce Peterson of agri-aviation logistics firm Aerospread and sports performance psychologist, David Galbraith.
In addition, sponsors will be putting on a hi-tech trade display, with many using the conference as a platform to launch new products. Precision management solutions provider, Tracmap, will be showcasing its newest hardware system and precision farming experts, Precision Tracking, will be announcing their game-changing health and safety technology that will build even deeper relationships between contractors and their farmer-customers.
The conference also marks the inaugural year of the NZGFA Awards. Winners of the four awards – Innovation, Health & Safety, Young Achiever’s and President’s – will be announced during the conference at a Gala Dinner on Tuesday 9thJuly.
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Note to editors:
The full conference programme is available at www.nzgfa/conference.
The NZGFA was established in 1956 to protect and promote the interests of both individuals and companies involved in the fertiliser ground spread industry. The Association founded the Spreadmark programme. Spreadmark is a quality assurance programme that guarantees accurate fertiliser distribution by trained operators using certified spreading machinery and a management system that puts economic and environmental farmer/grower outcomes first.
Further information:
Dean Brooks, NZGFA President 027 431 4090
Kevin Geddes, NZGFA Executive Director 03 307 8148
Lisa Carruthers, NZGFA Communications 021 122 0364