A professional fertiliser advisor should meet formal requirements, i.e. have the appropriate training, certificates, education and general knowledge of legislation, official recommendations and good practice, as well as local conditions – climate, soil characteristics, regulations and ordinances, location of Particularly Vulnerable Areas (OSN) – and market offerings.
When making purchasing recommendations, advisers should take into account factors such as the crop rotation used, the fertiliser balance and requirements of the crop being fertilised, the long-term fertility of the soil, the characteristics and prices of the fertiliser components in the proposed fertiliser, and sometimes the technical equipment on the farm. In the case of nitrogen fertilisers, the risks of soil erosion and surface run-off are also important, as are the rules for the use of organic fertilisers, given the location of the farm in Particularly Vulnerable Areas for agricultural nitrate pollution. Sales advisors associated with a single manufacturer, or group of fertiliser manufacturers, should be able to present the full market offer and objectively justify the choice and considerations of the specific solution of the company represented.