New Zealand’s dairy farmers are rapidly buying into sustainability.

According to Fert Research nearly half the country’s dairy farmers operate a nutrient management plan, and nearly all of them, more than 98%, have a nutrient budget.

Dr Philip Mladenov, Fert Research Technical Director, says the result has happened in only four years.

Dr Mladenov says it shows dairy farmers are undergoing a fundamental change in the way they operate.

A nutrient management plan gives farmers the ability to achieve greater economic returns and also reduces the levels of nutrients lost to the environment.

Dr Mladenov says the target is to have all farmers using a nutrient plan within five years.