THE 4Rs ARE NOT JUST FOR FERTILIZER ROW CROP U DECEMBER 12, 2018 LA VISTA NE Lynn Fahrmeier Wellington, MO @FahrmeierL

A Growers Perspective

6 years, 30 Advocates, 17 states, 144,425 acres!

Essential Goal of Agriculture Simultaneously improve productivity & efficiency Increasing societal demands Global financial stress Growing concerns on impact to air and water quality Efficiency without productivity Puts pressure on marginal lands Productivity without efficiency Squanders resources & increases environmental impact Replenishing removed nutrients to maintain productive soils is a necessity in agriculture, whether using organic or commercial nutrient sources. Unmanaged nutrient applications can increase nutrient losses and potentially degrade air and water quality. And, ignoring fertilizer needs can result in decreased soil fertility and decreased yields. Considering the increasing societal demand for sustainably produced food, fiber, feed, and fuel; global financial stress; and growing concerns over the impacts on water and air quality - simultaneous improvement of productivity and resource use efficiency is an essential goal for agriculture. Increasing productivity and improving efficiency are intrinsically linked. Striving to improve efficiency without also increasing productivity simply increases the pressure to produce more on other lands which may be less suited to agricultural production (you can achieve increased efficiency by reducing inputs, but this will eventually negatively affect yields). Likewise, squandering of resources to maximize productivity results in increased environmental impacts and decreased profitability.

4R Nutrient Stewardship Match nutrient supply with crop requirements and minimize nutrient losses from fields BMPs effecting fertilizer are site specific Prevention vs. mitigation Fertilizer BMPs help prevent nutrient losses from occurring 4Rs work in conjunction with other conservation practices and ‘green infrastructure’ Sometimes referred to a “4R Plus” The 4R nutrient stewardship framework is globally applicable; it can be applied to a diverse range of agricultural system types and sizes. The overarching goal of 4R is to match nutrient supply with crop requirements and to minimize nutrient loss from farm fields. Specifically, if we optimize the uptake of nutrients by the plant, we minimize the amount that is lost to the environment. However, while the 4Rs may be the first line of defense for reducing nutrient loss, they are by no means the only action. Other supporting conservation practices also play a key role in mitigating losses.

4R Nutrient Stewardship Improve agricultural production while contributing to social well being and minimizing environmental impacts (benefits water and air quality) 4R nutrient stewardship provides a framework to achieve cropping system goals – increased production, increased farmer profitability, enhanced environmental protection, and improved sustainability. To achieve those goals the 4Rs utilize fertilizer best management practices that address the Right Fertilizer Source, applied at the Right Rate, the Right Time and in the Right Place. Fertilize best management practices related to the Right Source match fertilizer type with crop needs; Right Rate matches the amount of the fertilizer to the crop yields; Right Time ensures nutrients are available when the plant needs them; and Right Place ensures nutrients are located where the plant can access and use them. The four “rights” are necessary for sustainable plant nutrition management. Assessment of any planned set of practice should consider the economic, social, and environmental effects to determine whether or not it is a “right” practice for that system.

Vision All plant nutrients are applied using a measurable and recognized 4R nutrient stewardship framework, evidenced through better crop performance, improved soil health, and cleaner air and water. During the recent 4R strategic planning process, fertilizer industry members developed a vision where all plant nutrients are applied using a measurable and recognized 4R nutrient stewardship framework, evidenced through better crop performance, improved soil health, and cleaner air and water. This vision will guide our 4R efforts for years to come.

4R Advocate Practices on the Farm Evaluate mid-season plant stands and available soil N (Rate/Time) 3rd application of banded N at base of plant (at V10 to V12 growth stage (mid-June) (Time/Place) Banded N applied with Y-drop sprayer to target placement (Place) Conduct fertilizer application rate trials on Iowa Soybean On-Farm Network (Rate) Side-Dress N Soil Test Fertilizer Application Rate Trials Y-Drop Sprayer For more examples of practice adoption on the farm, take a look at any of our other 4R advocates. They represent production on over 131,000 acres and are located across a wide variety of geographies and cropping systems.

What Practices are Right Practices? Provide positive results as demonstrated through research and ongoing systematic assessment (adaptive management) Site specific to account for variability related to management, soil, climate, genetics, etc. Every crop nutrient application involves all 4Rs Practice use and selection are interrelated, each is linked Selected using adaptive management to assess site specific needs for all nutrient applications The practices being implemented on Darin’s Farm provide great insight to what 4Rs look like on the farm, but what constitutes a ‘right’ practice? Every farming operation is different – crops, soil types, climate, seed genetics, equipment selection, management decisions; they are all variable between farms. For that reason, decision making about the ‘right’ practice is site specific. And, because every nutrient application involves all 4Rs, the practices are interrelated and must be considered collectively. Decisions should also be arrived at based on existing knowledge and supporting science; in-field assessment and adaptation based on results can significantly enhance making the ‘right’ decisions.

Goals Crop advisors engage their customers on 4R relative to environmental, economic, & social outcomes Understand factors affecting nutrient movement in the environment & 4R’s role to increase sustainability 4R adoption by farmers in partnership with retailers, state agribusiness associations, & others Successful partnerships & prioritized implementation of 4Rs at farm gate in key geographies Informed & knowledgeable stakeholder base In support of the vision, goals were identified to move towards greater adoption by the industry and ultimately on the farm. Understanding the important role retailers and agronomic consultants have in grower decision making resulted in a goal resulting in crop production advisors engaging their customers on 4R Nutrient Stewardship and how it relates to environmental, economic, and social outcomes. We also understand there is a continued need to information and filling of knowledge gaps regarding outcomes of 4R adoption. Therefore, the second goal is to understand the factors affecting nutrient movement within the environment and the role of nutrient best management practices (BMPs) to increase sustainability. The first to goals align with the third goal, which is 4R adoption on the farm. As we engage in these efforts, there is a need to efficiently use our human and monetary resources, so the fourth goal is to build successful partnerships and prioritize implementation of 4R practices at the farm gate in key, issue based geographies. Finally, our efforts will not be successful without an informed and knowledgeable stakeholder base. Leveraging efforts by others in support of the 4Rs is an invaluable opportunity.

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Thank you for listening Are there any questions A Growers Perspective Thank you for listening Are there any questions