Sustainable Vegetable Systems (SVS) Tool Workshop Series - Pukekohe and Online

Join a series of free hands-on workshops designed to help you learn or further enhance your use of the SVS decisions support tool. This tool supports decision-making in real-world cropping situations.

These workshops build on each other across the season - from getting started, through to applying, reviewing, and improving your approach. A soil nitrogen testing service will be available free of charge for participants.

Learning about the SVS tool will help growers meet farm planning requirements.

 

Who should attend?

These workshops are designed for growers and industry participants who want to take a practical approach to improving crop nitrogen management.

We strongly encourage attendance from:

• Growers
• Agronomists and advisors
• Industry organisations and service providers

If you're working with crops and want to better understand and apply the SVS Tool in a real-world setting, these are for you. The aim of the workshop is to provide a supportive learning environment for participants.

This project is funded by HortNZ, Potatoes New Zealand, Vegetables Research & Innovation and the Ministry for Primary Industries. It is delivered in partnership with the Foundation for Arable Research, NZ Vegetable Council and Pukekohe Vegetable Growes Association.

 

Workshop 1 - Getting started with SVS (Tuesday, 21 July 2026 | 8.30-10.30am)

Te Ahikawariki Vegetable Industry Centre of Excellence (VICE), 49 Cronin Road, Pukekohe

Learn how to use the SVS Tool with real examples of live input. Bring your laptop.

Before you attend:

• Register and log into the SVS Tool (required). Go to www.svstool.co.nz
• Be ready to follow along and input data.

 

Workshop 2 - Applying SVS to your crops (Tuesday, 22 September 2026 | 8.30-10.30am)

Bring your own crop details and soil nitrogen tests and start building your own crop nitrogen budget. Bring your laptop.

Before you attend:

• Have explored the SVS Tool
• Bring crop details to input (planting and harvest dates, target yield, N fert plan, soil N tests).

 

Workshop 3 - End of season review and learnings (Tuesday, 20 April 2027 | Time 8.30-10.30am)

Review how your crops performed and share insights with the group.

Before you attend:

• Have entered and tracked at least one crop in the SVS Tool
• Be ready to share learning, results and challenges.

 

Workshop 4 - Planning for next season (Tuesday, 20 July 2027 | Time 8.30-10.30am)

Use your learnings to plan and improve for the next season.

Before you attend:

• Gather key learnings from your season
• Be ready to plan for future crops using the SVS Tool
• Consider ideas for comparison trials (e.g. split paddocks, different nutrient approaches).

What to expect

• Practical, hands-on sessions (not just presentations)
• Work through real crop examples
• Learn alongside other growers and advisors
• Ongoing support between workshops.

 

Important

These workshops are designed for active participation.

To get the most value, please bring your own laptop and come prepared and ready to engage.