A Lighter Touch (ALT), in partnership with ALT programme partners, is hosting educational spray workshops across New Zealand from mid-June focusing on helping growers achieve effective spray coverage.
Led by spraying expert, David Manktelow of Applied Research Technologies, the workshops focus on best practice, achieving effective spray coverage, and the calibration of spray equipment. Content will be tailored to crop types in terms of discussion around the spray mix, application and equipment.
Attendees will gain credits towards their renewal of their Growsafe certificate. Lunch will be provided where noted in the registration form. There is no cost to attend the workshops.
Upcoming workshop details are as follows:
- Covered crops – co-hosted with TomatoesNZ and Vegetables New Zealand. Spaces are limited.
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- Dairy Flats, North Auckland, August 19 – 12.45pm to 4pm
- Tuakau, Waikato, September 3 – 12.45pm to 4pm
- Kaiapoi, Canterbury, September 24 – 12.45pm to 4pm
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- Register here.
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- Wine grapes with Bragato Research Institute.
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- Wairarapa, September 1
- Bannockburn, Central Otago, September 10
- Waiheke Island, September 15
- Nelson, September 22.
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- Register here.
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- Tabletop strawberries with Strawberry Growers NZ in West Melton, Canterbury, September 23 – 10am -12noon.
- Field Crops with Vegetables NZ, a follow up workshop exploring spray application and coverage in onions. Further information on this workshop is available here.
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- Pukekohe Research and Demonstration Farm, 49 Cronin Road, November 3 – 4.00pm -7.30pm.
- Register here.
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- Boysenberries – Tasman region, November 5 – email news@a-lighter-touch.co.nz. to be notified when registration opens.
- Evergreen tree crops – venue and date to be advised.
Dates and locations of upcoming workshops will be shared on this post, in the ALT and sector group newsletters, and on the ALT LinkedIn page.
In addition to the ALT–organised workshops, ALT is supporting spray events being held by the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) for field crops, including two drone workshops. Led by Jason Deveau and Tom Wolf from Sprayers 101, the FAR workshops are being held from August 4-14. Registration and further information can be found at FAR’s website events page.
There are five South Island locations; Leeston, Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru and Gore, and five North Island locations; Masterton, Hawke’s Bay, Bulls, Te Awamutu and Bay of Plenty. FAR is also hosting two drone workshops, one in Leeston, Canterbury and one in Hawke’s Bay at the Ongaonga Golf Course.
Completed workshops have been held on these dates, at these locations, as a part of the ALT spray workshop series:
- Field crops – Pukekohe, June 18, 2026, co-hosted with NZ Vegetable Council.
- Kiwifruit – co-hosted with Zespri International.
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- Kerikeri, June 30, 2026
- Whangarei, July 1, 2026
- Katikati, July 7, 2026
- Te Puke, July 8, 2026
- Opotiki, July 9, 2026
- Riwaka Rugby Club, September 15, 2026.
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- Tabletop strawberries – Gordonton, Waikato, August 10, 2026, co-hosted with Strawberry Growers NZ.
- Deciduous tree crops – co-hosted with Summerfruit NZ.
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- Cromwell, September 8, 2026
- Roxburgh, September 9, 2026.
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