Managing Environmental issues
Environmental issues have been at the forefront of discussions in the industry for decades.
In 2021 there is a new spike in these conversations following the Government introduction of National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.
While there is no one solution for environmental issues, when it comes to the Agricultural Contracting industry, one has to check if the contractors are aware of the current situation around environmental issues and are capable of offering solutions in line with solving or reducing the issues, not just following same old routine. This is becoming increasingly important especially with new Government regulations in place.
Here are few things Tulloch Contracting is doing to manage environmental issues effectively:
- Learn and understand Government regulations and how they apply to the Wairarapa region
- Invest in innovative sophisticated machinery to lower the environmental impact
- Educate and promote better farming practices that lead to the reduction or elimination of known environmental issues.
New Machinery
Automation of farming practices offered massive productivity gain. While many tedious farming jobs can be done faster, there is a demand for better machinery and more educated drivers to operate it.
Engineering innovation worldwide including New Zealand is producing amazing new machines that significantly improve productivity on the farm.
One of the most noticeable changes in Agricultural Contracting is new machinery. Sadly, not everyone is equally investing in more efficient machinery, because it’s a significant investment indeed.
However, we believe none of us can ignore the reality that if you don’t stay on top of the machinery available, it’s easy to fall behind.
Yes, old machinery is proven and tested. Yes, it does the job.
At what cost? This is the question we now ask often. If the cost has a greater negative impact on the environment or slower inefficient work, then we want to urge everyone that now is the time to review all that is used on your land and seek better practices.
That includes seeking Agricultural Contractors with modern machinery, new farming practices, someone like Tulloch Contracting.
Driver Training and Health & Safety
Through turbulent times of 2020, we have invested heavily in driver training.
This is because modern machinery is no child’s play. It requires knowledge and expertise to use it correctly. Written processes help us to ensure consistent quality of deliverables on every level.
Amongst other initiatives, we have created an integrated Driver Training and Health & Safety management program. Every driver has to pass the training before they can proceed with working.
We recognised that the amount of training needed leads to the fact that agricultural contracting has become a career path.
While we continue to rely on international travellers as part of our workforce, we are on the outlook for people who want to consider agricultural contracting as a career. As a company, we are exploring different ways how we can support such career choices so that we are creating more NZ jobs.
So, when it comes to choosing and Agricultural Contractors our recommendation is to explore what are their training and Health & Safety procedures in place because you want everyone to be safe and you want a fully trained driver to operate machinery on your fields.
Driver Experience
There is a lot of machinery and each is needed at different times.
The reality is agricultural contractors and their drivers need to have diverse capabilities to operate machinery needed in season.
Plus, it’s vitally important to have experienced drivers on the job.
Our recommendation when choosing agricultural contractors is to examine the level of experience and expertise before you let machinery on your field because you always only have one shot when it comes to almost everything in farming.
In conclusion, modern farming is a complex enterprise and inviting an agricultural contractor who can get the job done is a smart move. As long as you explore that they have modern machinery, good training including safety protocols and are mindful about environmental issues.