The agriculture industry nationally continues to deploy new innovation and embrace best practices – optimizing nutrient use, advancing stewardship of the air, land and water and delivering climate solutions. Just some of the results achieved by industry are detailed in the most recent annual report from The Fertilizer Institute that’s available here. MABA encourages everyone in Michigan agriculture to do their part to keep building on these impressive results. This starts with reviewing and following best practices for use of crop nutrients, including careful review of upcoming weather forecasts and available field analytics. That information can help avoid losses to heavy rainfall events, the main culprits driving nutrient losses from fields. Proper timing of fertilizer applications in light of the prevailing and forecast conditions is a critical element to avoid nutrient losses that contribute to water pollution, particularly in sloping fields where runoff can be exacerbated. To address this issue, farmers and agricultural experts statewide refer to and follow the “4R” principles of fertilizer use: applying the Right fertilizer source, at the Right rate, at the Right time, and in the Right place. More information about the 4R program can be found here. Across Michigan, expert agronomists are key partners for farmers to examine nutrient use and optimize it for each field, leveraging today’s advanced technology. As TFI notes, “Whether creating custom blends of bulk fertilizers or through precision agriculture techniques for soil analysis and crop mapping, agronomists are a valuable farmer resource…Many industry agronomists are Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs), having met rigorous standards prescribed by the American Society of Agronomy. CCA certification assures farmer customers that their crop advisers are equipped to apply leading edge technical knowledge to fertilizer recommendations.” Here in Michigan we have 300 CCA’s who play a critical role in safeguarding the environment. By working together to continue implementing the 4R principles and properly timing fertilizer applications, farmers and agricultural experts can help to reduce the risk of nutrient losses and protect the water quality in watersheds statewide.
