Dr Bert Quin presents data on Spikey® urine detection and treatment and ONEsystem® nbpt-treated prilled urea to the international conference on Land Use and Water Quality (LuWQ) in Vienna, September 2015 Researchers from 40 countries attended this 2-yearly conference, including a significant contingent from several regional councils and Lincoln Agritech from New Zealand. The 2015… [Read More]

I spent 3 weeks visiting research institutions in several EU countries in September/October. I observed massive differences in dairy farming both within and between EU countries, and in how limits on nitrate leaching were being monitored and enforced. In interviews of NZ politicians, industry leaders and even scientists who have visited the EU, often without… [Read More]

During his recent travel to Europe, Dr Bert Quin visited research institutes, in Spain and northern Ireland and the Irish Rebublic where research is being conducted into various aspects of use of the urease inhibitor nbpt. This inhibitor has a very simple role; it slows down or ‘inhibits’ the conversion of fertiliser N (or urine… [Read More]

The Spikey® tow-behind fresh urine detection and treatment device has passed all tests with flying colours and discussions are now being held with interested parties regarding getting it commercialised. Spikey® has been developed by Geoff Bates and Dr Bert Quin, co-directors of Pastoral Robotics Ltd. The commercial unit will consist of three 2.7 meter –… [Read More]

Dr Bert Quin, who has brought both SustaiN® and now its far superior son ONEsystem® to the NZ market to reduce farmers’ N costs and reduce impacts on the environment, says Ballance and Ravensdown need to be thinking very hard about the future of granular urea in NZ. Ballance have mentioned recently that they are… [Read More]

The duopoly fertiliser industry structure in New Zealand is probably well past its use-by date, according to independent scientist, inventor and entrepenuer Dr Bert Quin. “It has, perhaps inevitably, got to the point where the sole purpose seems to be maintain market dominance and getting a return on their massive, completely unnecessarily dual infrastructure. “It… [Read More]

Last week’s damning report on the environment might, might, just be the wake-up call the NZ dairy industry in general, and Fonterra in particular, needs. The days of resting on the laurels of the effective ‘fencing off waterways’ campaign are gone. Nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide greenhouse gas emissions are not stopped by fences! Riparian… [Read More]