RCA Professional Development Points

From 2020, following the merger of the Growsafe and Rural Contractors RCA scheme, evidence of professional development has been formalised. It has always been a requirement of the audit undertaken for RCA renewal. However, there is now a more structured approach requiring evidence of attendance at approved industry events, relevant training or online learning. RCAs renewing are required to have achieved 2 points per year for each year since June 2019.

Approved training activities

The following events are currently approved for the points value listed.

     
Training activity Details Points
Growsafe Standard or Renewal courses Online or face to face course 3
Growsafe Calibration Courses Registered Calibrator or Advanced Application-Calibration Module attendance at course and certification completion. 2-4 
Growsafe RCA Renewal online courses Various courses to choose from 1 - 2
Corteva online courses  Various series of courses to choose from.   1-3 
D endorsement on driver's license New or renewal course 2
Certified Handler certificate  Issued for class 6.1A or 6.1B agrichemicals  1
Certified Handler training Vertical Horizons Hazardous Substances Course 2
Massey University Understanding Herbicides Online course held annually (face-to-face course in Palmerston North prior to 2020) 5

Visit our online learning space to see options for online learning. These will usually require you to watch a video and then answer some questions. Generally, one PDP is earned for each activity but this can vary based on the content.

To submit a training activity for assessment, please email info@growsafe.co.nz with details of the training and a contact name or website. Please note that first aid courses do not count towards professional development points. The training needs to be related to agrichemicals and their safe, responsible and effective use. Having a current first aid certificate is one of the questions on the checklist for RCA renewal, so renewing your certificate will enable you to tick off this requirement but not the professional development points.

Approved industry events

The following events are currently approved for the points value listed. To submit an event for assessment, please email info@growsafe.co.nz with a schedule for the event including times, topics and a contact name for the event.

     
Event Details including date Points
NZ Wilding Pine Conference 2024 16th to 18th October Taupo  2
Grape Days Marlborough 2024 24th June Session 5 Plant Protection.  1
Rural Contractors NZ conference Masterton 2024 June 18th-20th. Tuesday 18th Agrichemical workshop, Wednesday 19th Scotts Ag yard visit 1-2 
A Lighter Touch Webinars and Events Please provide registration details of event 1-2 
Growsafe Spray Quality Webinar November 13th 2024 1 
Vegetables NZ Lettuce IPM Field Days 19th September to 21st November 2023 Ten X 2-hour sessions Plant and Food Research 49 Cronin Rd Pukekohe 4
Nufarm Technical presentations and Events Please provide registration details of event.  1
FAR Technical Presentations and Events  Agrichemical focused sessions please provide registration details of event or webinar 1 
New Zealand Winegrowers Association Spray Days 2023 28-30 August Blenheim, 1 Sept Nelson, 12 Sept Waipara, 14 Sept Cromwell, 8 August Kerikeri, 10 August, Waiheke, 15 August Gisborne, 17 August Hawkes Bay, 18 August Martinborough 3 
 New Zealand Winegrowers Association Grape Days South Island 2023 18th July Marlborough, 20 July Hawkes Bay and Gisborne  2
 Rural Contractors NZ Conference 2023 Invercargill June 20th Nufarm Phenoxies category workshop; resistance and modes of action.  2
 FAR Autumn Round-ups North and South Island events March-April 2023 Register on the FAR website for dates and venues  1
 FAR Conference 2023 30th June Lincoln. Session four: Keeping up with Agchem and the alternatives  3
 FAR Herbicide Resistance management for Ryegrass contamination 30th November 2022  Makikihi 1 
FAR CROPS Annual Expo 2022 Managing Herbicide Resistance 23rd November 2022 Chertsey Arable Research Site  1
FAR Cocksfoot Disease Management Field Day 4th November 2022 839 Rakaia River Road 1:00pm to 3:00pm   1
FAR Herbicides for Grass Weeds 20th September 2022 FAR's Chertsey Arable site 1:30 -3:00pm 1
NZ Biosecurity Institute North Island Central Branch Seminar 8th and 9th September 2022 Tongariro Pest Plant Presentations   2 
NZ Agronomy Society 50th Anniversary Symposium 31st August-1st September 2022 Lincoln University 1
Sustainable Wine NZ Spray Days 2022   North Island August 2022, South Island September 2022 3 
Rural Contractors Association Road Show 2022 - post-attendance work Completion of self audit checklist from Rural Contractors Road Show 1
Rural Contractors Association Road Show 2022 - attendance 8 August Palmerston North, 9 August Whangarei, 10 August Hamilton, 24 August Gore, 25 August Christchurch 1
Agcarm Annual Conference 2022 Te Papa Museum Wellington 28th July 2022 2
APHANZ Summer Conference 2023 Nelson 16 February 2023 2
FAR Conference CROPS 2022 Field Day Rakaia Chertsey Arable Research Facility 23rd November 2022 2
NZ Biosecurity Institute annual education/training seminar Christchurch Town Hall 3rd -5th August 2022 3
NZPPS conference Christchurch Town Hall 9th-11th August 2022 3
NZ Wilding Conifer Conference Blenheim, 13th-15th September 2022 2
FAR Conference 28th-29th July 2021 2
RCNZ Road Show 3rd -25th May 2021 2
NZ Wilding Pine Conference 25th-27th November 2020 2
NZPPS Conference 10 -12 August 2021 Napier 3
NZ Wilding Pine Conference 24th September 2019 2
RCNZ Road Show 29th May 2019 2
FAR Conference  27th-28th June 2019 2
Agcarm AGM 25th July 2019 2