Upskill with the ALT spray workshops 2026

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:

• Tabletop strawberries – Gordonton, Waikato, August 10, 2026, co-hosted with Strawberry Growers NZ. Register here to attend.
• Covered crops – co-hosted with TomatoesNZ and Vegetables New Zealand. Spaces are limited.
• Dairy Flats, North Auckland, August 19 – 12.45pm to 4pm
• Tuakau, Waikato, September 3 – 12.45pm to 4pm
• Kaiapoi, Canterbury – date to be confirmed (late September/early October)
• Register here. 

• Evergreen tree crops – venue and date to be advised.
• Deciduous tree crops (both planar and central leader systems) – venues and dates to be advised.
• Wine grapes – venues and dates to be advised.
• Boysenberries – Tasman region, 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.
  • • Kerikeri, June 30, 2026
    • Whangarei, July 1, 2026
    • Katikati, July 7, 2026
    • Te Puke, July 8, 2026
    • Opotiki, July 9, 2026

Source: https://a-lighter-touch.co.nz/upskill-with-the-alt-spray-workshops-2026/