How It Works

Precision farming increases production and saves on fertiliser

On-farm consultation

Every project starts with an in-depth soil analysis, because we need to understand the nutrients in your soil and pasture. In cooperation with scientist, we analyse the soil by collecting samples from each farm block.

Detailed soil analysis

Your farm is benchmarked for all the nutrients. This detailed assessment reveals nutrient levels in all blocks. A block that may seem optimum might in fact hide deficiencies in various micronutrients and trace elements.

Custom blended fertiliser

We design a complete land management program with a custom fertiliser blend just for your farm. The nutrient levels in the blend are based on the in-depth soil analysis, the 7 laws of land management, the latest science and over 35 years of experience.

Fertiliser application

Suspension fertiliser allows the application of each needed nutrient no matter how small the quantity, to cover each square metre of the farm. This form of application is fast and distributes all nutrients evenly. Farmers can apply the fertiliser with a tow and fert, plane or helicopter.

Farm performance enhanced

Uptake’s fertiliser blends help shift nutrients from the soil to plants and animals. The overall result is not just a healthy soil, but also healthier plants and animals. This also means increased animal production, stronger root systems and save on fertiliser.

Benefits

Shift nutrients from the soil to plants and animals. Overall, better grass and animal health leads to better production for less cost.

Increase animal production

Healthy animals

Increase dry matter

Improve plant palatability

Healthy soil

Improve soil aeration

Strong root systems

Increase food web activity

Increase clover growth

Increase soil mineralisation

Improve pasture mineral content

Better for the environment

Uptake's philosophy

Overall nutrition starts with nutrient supplementation to soils, plants, and then the animals. The main objective to create a healthy soil is to increase the soil food web, improve biological activity and soil aeration. This allows for soil mineralization, which improves the pasture’s mineral content.

Our soils are in trouble

Our current approach to soil isn’t sustainable. Usable soil cannot be restored within a human generation. We are in effect borrowing resources from future generations by continuing with current practices.

To establish healthy soil we must increase the soil food web and improve biological activity and soil aeration. Enhancing the nutrition of plants and animals through what’s in the soil means less reliance on inputs like fertilisers, insecticides, and injections for stock.

Here are a few things our soil does, and why we need to be concerned:

1. It can counteract climate change
Soil has 10 times more carbon than our trees. Our forests store 360 billion tons of carbon while soils store more than 4000 billion tons. Responsibly managed, soil keeps a lot of carbon out of the atmosphere. However, unsustainable practices cause soil to set carbon free, contributing to climate change.

2. It’s critical for our food supply
Current studies show that 1/3 of the world’s soils are “moderately or highly degraded” due to farm management practices. Our children’s food supply is threatened.

3. It’s a primary source of nutrition
One teaspoon of soil can have anywhere from 10,000 to 50,000 species of microbes, and more individual microbes than there are humans on earth. Plants get most of their nutrients from these microbes, which is passed on to animals and to us in our food. But due to the decreasing fertility of our soil these microbes are unable to do their job – and the nutritional content of our food continues to change, for the worse.

How did we get to this point?

In short – years of excessive fertiliser use has depleted our soils, requiring costly supplements, more fertiliser, insecticides, and injections for stock to replace what they should be getting from the soil.

In the early days of superphosphate, farmers saw a boom in their industry from the resulting production boost. Large amounts of food could be produced in a shorter amount of time. Their families were better off, and New Zealand was positioned as a world leader in agribusiness.

However, years of high use of fertilisers that lack trace elements, compromised our soil biodiversity and our critical underground food web. Without a diverse microbial community, opportunistic pests invade, and farmers must increasingly rely on chemicals to replace biological soil functions.

What does all of this mean?

Farmers are under pressure not only to maintain production and meet financial commitments, but to ensure we are not borrowing resources from future generations. The futures of our families rely on using sustainable methods to have healthy soil to produce their food.

But what can we do?

We can change our practices now to protect our soil for the future. We can achieve sustainable long-term growth and peace of mind by feeding our soil properly to shift nutrients from the soil to our plants and animals – and into our food.

The “Soil First” Approach

The soil must come first. We need a balanced approach. Customised solutions for every farm, efficient and sustainable use of custom blend fertiliser and a managed plan to reach your particular goals will result in improved health of soil, plants, and animals – and less cost to you as the need for supplements and injections diminishes.

Benefits of nutrient-rich soil

✔ Increased soil mineralisation
✔ improved soil aeration
✔ enriched food web activity
✔ healthy soil
✔ stronger root systems
✔ boosted clover growth
✔ improved plant palatability
✔ increased dry matter
✔ healthier animals
✔ Increased animal production

Andrew Peters

Taihape

We’re pretty happy with what we’ve achieved. There’s been big improvements made from coming here, with the health of our livestock and farm in general.

Les Rowlands