4R Nutrient Stewardship Research Fund Launched

The North American fertilizer industry has pledged $7 million to fund a multi-year research effort aimed at measuring and evaluating the economic, social and environmental impacts of 4R Nutrient Stewardship (use of the right fertilizer source at the right rate at the right time and in the right place). The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), the Canadian Fertilizer Institute (CFI) and the Intl. Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) announced that the fund will support U.S. and Canadian projects in partnership with land-grant universities, watershed stakeholders and government agencies, as well as through industry initiatives.

Current efforts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to evaluate the effect of nutrient management practices have identified the need for increased adoption of nutrient best management practices (BMP) tied to source, rate, time and place. Results of research conducted under the auspices of the fund will help expand information and knowledge regarding specific BMPs, as well as suites of BMPs, to help increase adoption of these practices by growers.

In Canada, the fertilizer industry has been working with provincial partners to increase 4R implementation on farmland. These government and stakeholder partnerships are in cooperation with major farm groups and conservation groups in the regions.

In recent years, retailers have been working with farmers to promote 4R principles through their branded agronomy programs. These efforts serve as a means of enhancing water quality and increasing nutrient use efficiency, as well as farmer profitability. As a result, there has been an increase in the use of 4R focused nutrient stewardship in state and federal conservation and stewardship programs. Gaining a better understanding of the air and water quality impacts of on-farm stewardship practices will help build momentum and increase the use of fertilizer best management practices. This is a driving reason for establishment of the research fund.

The fund will engage and leverage the resources of stakeholders who have an interest in pursuing this area of work. The fund will operate under the umbrella of the Foundation for Agronomic Research (FAR) and will be managed by a committee responsible for strategic decisions and final selection for research program expenditures. A technical advisory group consisting of industry, academic and government agency experts in agronomy, environmental sciences, sustainability, government relations and communications will also provide support to the management committee.

Source: The Fertilizer Institute