Minimising potential losses of fertiliser nitrogen (N) to the environment

Nitrogen (N) fertilisers have played an increasingly important role in NZ agriculture over the past 30- 40 years to improve farm productivity. This has been encouraged by a more readily available supply of both local and international sources of N fertiliser products and the favourable economic returns that have often accrued from its use in many dairy, drystock, cropping and horticultural enterprises. Accompanying this expansion in use has been greater recognition of some of the environmental implications that arise as farms have intensified. These include potential impacts on water quality and increased greenhouse gas emissions. In this document we provide a brief overview of some practical guidance that can avoid or reduce these potential impacts, mainly focussing on New Zealand’s pastoral farming systems. Detailed reviews that describe some of the environmental consequences of N losses from farming systems can be found in resources collated by the UN Environment Programme and others (INI, 2024; Sutton et al., 2019; UNEP, 2023) and in the scientific literature (e.g. Cameron et al., 2013).

Report No. RE450/2024/019