Research funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council continues on how farmers can keep nitrogen loss to a minimum. (Carrie Muehling/WJBC)
By Carrie Muehling
PEORIA – The Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association continues its focus on stewardship and nutrient management as it celebrates 50 years of existence in 2015.
The organization’s annual meeting in Peoria this week addressed nutrient challenges faced by production agriculture and gave results of research being conducted by the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council. That program uses checkoff dollars to fund studies at the University of Illinois, Illinois State University and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale to learn how to better manage nitrogen loss. Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association President Jean Payne said the innovative research will set precedents for management practices across the Midwest as farmers take voluntary action to avoid more regulation.
“A year ago we all talked about the Chesapeake Bay and regulations on the farmers in Maryland and Pennsylvania and those areas. But, it’s very close to us know. It’s in Ohio and recently in Iowa there was the threat of a major lawsuit suing drainage districts over nitrate contamination. That hits close to home,” said Payne.
While she recognized there is not one single answer to reducing nitrogen loss, she said when farmers split nitrogen or use stabilizers for fall-applied ammonia on many acres, research shows it does make a difference. One recommendation for farmers and retailers is to adopt the 4R Code of Practice.
“The four R’s stand for putting your fertilizer on at the right source, at the right rate, at the right time and at the right place. And so the 4R Code is something we’re asking all of our ag retailers to adopt, and that’s a commitment that they are going to work with their farmer customers on these practices,” said Payne.
Payne said that commitment holds farmers and retailers accountable, and provides a measurement to share with government agencies about how many acres are seeing those practices to account for progress towards nutrient loss reduction.
Payne said it could be a challenging spring for farmers as not as much fertilization work happened in Illinois last fall as usual. She encouraged farmers to talk with fertilizer dealers now and have a plan in place for this spring.
Carrie Muehling can be reached at [email protected].
