Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance

The Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance is a collaboration between agribusinesses, farmers, government agencies, conservation groups and scientists. We’re working to ensure that every nutrient application on Delaware and Maryland farms is consistent with the 4Rs- the right nutrient source, applied at the right rate, at the right time, in the right place. We are focused on increasing implementation of 4R practices to benefit the economic, environmental and social well-being of our region and our farmers.

Founded by The Nature Conservancy and the Delaware-Maryland Agribusiness Association in 2015, the DM4RA (originally called the Chesapeake 4R Alliance) has worked on a number of efforts toward its goals:

Participants at a 4R Field Day in August 2017 learn about managing for the Right Rate and Right Timing of nutrient applications on Delmarva. — 4R Field Day, August 2017

Through an NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project- Delmarva Whole System Conservation Partnership; From Field to Stream- we enrolled two farmers in CSP for a five-year commitment to perform enhancements on 1,550 acres in the Nanticoke Watershed, 3 farmers encompassing over 800 acres in EQIP, and 4 landowners for approximately 200 acres in WRE. Learn more about this project in our May 2018 Report.
Support from the National Fish & Wildlife Federation has enabled us to hold three 4R workshops and field days for farmers and technical service providers to highlight new tools and technologies, and create opportunities for farmers to share information about implementing 4R practices. We’ve also worked with farmers to develop on-farm demonstration projects on the benefits of variable-rate nitrogen management, nitrogen modeling and other practices.
Visit this page for links to resources that we’ve developed for farmers and agribusinesses through this project.

Learn about upcoming events and current projects on the News page, and follow us the Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance on Facebook @DEMD4RAlliance Organizational and membership information can be found in our Charter.