The fertilizer industry perspective
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The document discusses the importance of nutrient management and the 4R nutrient stewardship framework (applying the right fertilizer source at the right rate, right time, and right place) for crop production and water quality. It notes several knowledge gaps around measuring nutrient loss and the impacts of various 4R practices. It also describes ongoing research projects and a new multi-state project that aim to quantify the effects of 4R practices on crop yields, nutrient losses to air and water, and soil health. The document advocates for farmer and advisor partnerships to promote 4R approaches and provides an example of improving yields and reducing costs through advanced 4R practices over time.
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The fertilizer industry perspective
- 1. The Fertilizer Industry Perspective: Importance of Nutrient Management for Crop Production and Water Quality Lara Moody V.P., Stewardship & Sustainability, TFI lmoody@tfi.org Tai Maaz Nitrogen Program Director, IPNI tmaaz@ipni.net
- 2. Productivity & Profitability Lake Erie N Yield Kg/km2/yr Loss to the Environment Supply Chain Sustainability
- 3. Metrictons Annual total nitrogen flux to Gulf of Mexico 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 0 Baseline average (1980-1996) 45% reduction target 20% reduction target 5 year average (1997-2015) Year (1980-2015)
- 4. It’s A Priority 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.
- 5. Meta-analysis Research Projects New Multi-State Project Initial projects: 5 meta-analyses › Knowledge gaps related to 4Rs and environmental impact Current research projects › 4R practice impacts on N & P loss via water and air pathways and interaction with supporting conservation U.S. BASED
- 11. N Knowledge Gaps • Lack of studies: › Measuring N loss from multiple pathways › Comparing suites of 4R practices › Measuring N losses outside the growing season • Need for more studies beyond Midwest cropping systems
- 13. P Knowledge Gaps • Lack of studies: › Investigating P sources, timing, and placement › Addressing P form (particulate vs. dissolved) • Need to incorporate P forms into water quality models • Need for more studies beyond Midwest cropping systems
- 15. Qian and Harmel. 2016. JAWRA. With conservation practices P applied (log transformed) TotalPloading(logtransformed) Without conservation practices 59% reduction through combination of incorporation of P and conservation Role of 4R Plus
- 16. Cross-disciplinary study in Kansas to test effect timing and placement of P with and without cover crops on sediment losses and forms of P loss 4R and Cover Crops 4R and No Cover Crops
- 17. NutriNet: Multi-State Project Quantify & track impacts of 4R practices on crop yield, P & NO3 - loss to water, N loss to air, & impact on soil health.
- 18. 4R Advocates • Farmer & crop advisor partnerships • Advocacy & examples of 4R on the farm • Demo production & economic impact
- 19. Economics of 4R stewardship No-till corn, VRT P, K, & seeding based on grid sampling & yield 2014 2015 2016 2017 Basic Basic Intermed. Advanced Corn Corn Corn Corn 229 bu/ac 220 bu/ac 245 bu/ac 256 bu/ac Cost Per Acre $ 325.50 $ 268.40 $ 281.08 $ 240.09 4R cost % of income 25% 26% 30% 27% 4R Cost per Bushel $ 1.42 $ 1.22 $ 1.15 $ 0.94 Basic: spring pre-plant AA w/ inhibitor, liquid starter w/ seed, early post-plant w/ herbicide, liquid N side-dress with Y-drop Intermediate: Liquid starter w/ seed, early post-plant w/ herbicide, side-dress AA with inhibitor Advanced: Liquid starter w/ seed, early post-plant w/ herbicide, side-dress AA with inhibitor, liquid side-dress w/ Y-drop (V10)
- 21. Basic, intermediate, and advanced 4R practices to reduce nitrous oxide emissions 4R & Food Supply Chain Sustainability
- 23. Questions? Lara Moody V.P., Stewardship & Sustainability, TFI lmoody@tfi.org Tai Maaz Nitrogen Program Director, IPNI tmaaz@ipni.net
Editor's Notes
- Key Point: Industry interest in nutrient management is tied to farmer productivity and profitability, nutrient loss to the environment as it impacts air and water quality, and focus by food industry and growing consumer interest on sustainability. Productivity & Profitability: During the cropping season, there are things you can control and those you can’t. Both have an impact on profitability. As with many areas of life, decisions we make influence the risks linked to items we can’t control. When you think about the cropping seasons you’ve been involved with, how many have been perfect weather years? How many of them have not? There are linkages between fertilizer application decisions and profits. Loss to the Environment: The challenges and risks that impact profitability linked to nutrient loss from the cropping system also have an impact on the environment. Nutrients have a finicky way of either not making it into the soil system where they are lost as runoff or they move through the soil system entering groundwater or flow through tile drains and outlets. Nutrient loss is linked to water quality concerns like algal blooms and dead zones in surface waters. And, I recognize ag is not the only contributor to nutrients pollution, but we are often a significant contributor. Sustainability: In this case – at least initially, the fertilizer focus was on GHG emissions. Why fertilizer? When Walmart ran their top 100 products thru their sustainability index, they found that 50% of them had a fertilizer component as the largest GHG emissions source, 45% of Walmart’s GHG emissions come from fertilizer used to produce components in the supply chain. Relative to fertilizer, we’re talking about a gaseous loss pathway tied to N2O which is recognized as a GHG 300 times as potent as an equal amount of CO2.
- Specific example of N loss to the environment, one of several watersheds around the country where we would see this type of concern as a focus by stakeholders.
- North American Fertilizer industry leaders continually place a high priority on nutrient management. In a recent survey, TFI executive committee members were asked to identify industry priorities as a way to check in on the organization’s strategic efforts. Water quality and our ability to reduce nutrient losses to improve water quality continually remain at the top of the priority list. In 2016, industry members helped shape industry goals relative to 4R nutrient stewardship, and the defined vision they focused on achieving was for ‘all plant nutrients to be applied using the 4Rs. Industry efforts collectively focus on research, education, assessment, outreach and advocacy. I’ll touch on all of these today, but lets start with research.
- Can we identify strategies that reduce losses from multiple pathways? Can we identify strategies that reduce, not delay, losses?
- Can we identify soil conservation practices that do not increase dissolved P losses?
- The objective of this research is to quantify the impact of 4R Nutrient Stewardship practices on crop yield, soil health, nutrient use efficiency, nutrient loss via leaching, and gaseous N loss across eight coordinated field sites in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ontario. Although sites will focus on N management, the consistent comparison across all sites will include partial nutrient balances for N, P, and K. All field sites are capable of capturing nutrient leaching losses in subsurface tile drains. Locally relevant and current nutrient management practices will be compared to the more advanced 4R management systems. In addition, several sites will investigate specific 4R variations including timing of N application and N placement by side-dress application. The novelty of this network approach is that existing investment in agronomic/drainage research sites across the corn-belt can be leveraged to answer additional questions about the effectiveness of 4R practices. Data generated in this three-year project will be combined into a centralized database. Future studies on N management will allow for continued improvement of knowledge that supports management and policy recommendations. This effort will extend to help answer key questions about the impacts of nutrient management in corn-based cropping systems on water quality in the Mississippi River basin and eutrophication in the Gulf of Mexico.
- You can find additional information about the Advocates and how to apply at nutrientstewardship.org
- We are currently developing multiple economic case studies using our 4R Advocates so there will be diverse geographies and cropping systems represented. This example is from a farm in Illinois.
- Many resources available. On the nutrientstewardship.org website, you can also sign up to receive the Quarterly Newsletter and access the 10 4R Educational Modules in the “Training” section. IPNI also has the 4R Plant Nutrition Manual available for purchase (hard copy or e-book), and TFI makes available the 4R Pocket Guide.