27 Sept 2012

Academics and Archaeologists Dig Novanna, too

We've added a new post to the main blog over on novanna.co.uk, about the surprise we had when we looked more closely at our website stats.

You can read it here

26 Sept 2012

The Demand for Testing Equipment is International

It never cease to amaze us, even though we're pursuing a policy of global domination, how far our website, www.Novanna.co.uk reaches. Each day on our Facebook Page and Twitter we name today's 'hotspot'. This is a random pick of one location from where we have had a website visitor that day.

Today, for example, we chose a visitor from Madrid. Yesterday it was Bandung, in Indonesia. Another day it might be Derby, or Swansea.

As a UK based company we naturally get more traffic from the UK to our website - around 50% or so - but the list of exotic locations, as well as familiar places in the UK and in mainland Europe, like Paris and Madrid, grows by the day. We can ship internationally of course, just as we can accept payment in GB Pounds, Euros or US Dollars, directly through the website via a secure server.

We've talked a little more about the global nature of our business (and how excited we get about it!) on the website blog, in "Going Global With Novanna".

6 Sept 2012

New Blog Added to the Main Novanna Website

We've decided to add an articles blog to the main Novanna website in order to better inform our readers, customers and followers and allow a smoother transition from blog posts to relevant pages on the site.

Although we'll keep this blog ticking over as well, it's likely the new blog will be the main focus for new content. Soon, we'll create a dedicated page on the site but for now you can access the articles via the excerpts on home page or the company profile page.

So far, we have two articles - one about the range of measuring and testing equipment we supply for all fields and disciplines, and one about the new sprayer testing regulations.

Pop across to the main website at www.novanna.co.uk and have a look! If you have any suggestions for article topics or anything else you want to know about Novanna and our products, just let us know!


3 Sept 2012

Is the National Sprayer Testing Scheme Fit For Purpose?

Unlike other members of the EU, the UK doesn't yet have a compulsory testing scheme for agricultural sprayers (equipment). The need for precise control of chemical sprays is fairly obvious, for four reasons:

1. Excessive spraying is wasteful of chemicals and therefore cash
2. Excessive spraying can be harmful to the environment, crops and potentially consumers
3. Insufficient application will be ineffective and can be a complete waste
4. Erratic or uneven spraying can mean some areas get too much and some get too little to be effective - again a waste of chemicals and cash, and potentially damaging to the environment and crops.

The UK's existing voluntary scheme for sprayer testing - the National Sprayer Testing Scheme - may form the basis of a more regulated scheme.

The Plant Protection Products (Sustainable Use) Regulations 2012came into force in July but there is some confusion about so called 'grandfather rights' and the use of continuous professional development to assess sprayer operators' eligibility to continue spraying. But this new regulation is focused on sprayer operators rather than the machinery, and it's likely that we'll see further regulation of equipment testing in the near future.

In any case, you may be better off complying with the EU sprayer regulations right now:

Regulation in other EU countries are both stricter and clearer, and sprayer test equipment used by testers in these countries is more accurate and so can easily cope with the voluntary UK scheme as well as the EU rules. In particular, our test equipment allows for closer control of individual sprayer heads, leading to more precise spraying and optimal use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers.  

Even if your sprayer equipment complies with current UK standards it may still not be doing the best job for you and your crops. We strongly suggest you have your sprayer equipment tested using kit that complies with tougher EU rules.