Author: 4RMidAtlantic

Join us on August 15 for a 4R Technology Field Day

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The Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance and University of Maryland Extension invite growers and agribusiness professionals to join them for their 4R Technology Field Day on August 15, 2018 at the Wye Research and Education Center in Queenstown, Maryland.  The event will be showcasing application of the 4Rs (right source, right rate, right time, and right place) on the Delmarva. Demonstrations will include phosphorus placements, drones and mapping, options for nitrogen management and conservation practices and water quality monitoring. There will also be a panel of local farmers discussing how they have been successful in implementing 4R nutrient management practices in their operations.

Registration will begin at 8:30 am and the program will be from 9:30 – 2:30. Lunch will be provided as well as Nutrient Management and Certified Crop Advisor credits. We ask that you register so we can get an accurate count. To register please visit: https://technology-field-day-tickets.eventbrite.com.

The Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance is a partnership between agribusinesses, farmers, researchers, conservation organizations, and local, state, and federal agencies that encourages the application of the right fertilizers at the right time, the right rate, and in the right place.  This framework of nutrient management was first established by The Fertilizer Institute.  The Chesapeake Bay Program has recognized this type of nutrient management as a critical foundation to successfully reducing nitrogen and phosphorus loss on farms.

For more information, contact Danielle Bauer, 443-262-8491, Danielle.mdag@gmail.com.

Alliance hails science-based fertilizer path

Posted on by 4RMidAtlantic | Posted in Events

VIENNA, Md. (Aug. 29, 2017) — Improvements in equipment and technology have helped farmers better utilize fertilizer, but behind that is good decision making, using what the industry has deemed the 4Rs.
Launched by the Fertilizer Institute, the 4R Nutrient Stewardship is a science-based fertilizer management approach for enhanced environmental protection, increased production and farmer profitability and improved sustainability.
The concept is to use the right fertilizer source, at the right rate, at the right time, and in the right place.
Locally, the newly expanded Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance, a partnership between the Delaware/Maryland Agribusiness Association and The Nature Conservancy partnership, has fostered and promoted the concept since 2015.

Read more at American Farm: https://americanfarmpublications.com/alliance-hails-science-based-fertilizer-management-path/

Case studies show big economic benefits of soil health practices

Posted on by 4RMidAtlantic | Posted in 4Rs on the Farm

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2017 – Soil health practices such as cover crops and no-till can result in an economic return of over $100 per acre, according to a set of case studies jointly released by the National Association of Conservation Districts and Datu Research, LLC.

Cover crops and no-till can limit soil loss, reduce run-off, enhance biodiversity, and more. Naturally, farmers who are considering adopting these practices are keen to know how they will affect their farm’s bottom line.

“These case studies quantify for producers, policy-makers, and researchers alike what the economic advantages of using no-till and cover crops are, and why it makes good sense for farmers to try them and for organizations like NACD to support and even incentivize their use,” said Jeremy Peters, NACD CEO. “We have loads of anecdotal data that says conservation practices benefit the land and producers’ pocketbooks, but now we have run the numbers and know how much.”

During the three-year study period, corn-soybean farmers experimented with cover crops and/or no-till, and quantified the year-by-year changes in income they attributed to these practices compared to a pre-adoption baseline. They found that while planting costs increased by up to $38 per acre:

  • Fertilizer costs decreased by up to $50 per acre
  • Erosion repair costs decreased by up to $16 per acre
  • Yields increased by up to $76 per acre

The studies also found that with adoption of these conservation practices, net farm income increased by up to $110 per acre. Included in the farmers’ calculations was the considerable time they spent attending workshops or searching the internet to learn about no-till or cover crop practices.

“That time turns out to be an excellent investment, when bottom lines start improving,” said Marcy Lowe, CEO of Datu Research, which conducted the case studies in partnership with NACD. “Farmers who switch to these practices can see losses at first. But thanks to these case study farmers who are generously sharing what they’ve learned, that learning curve will speed up for other farmers.”

One of the case study subjects, Michael Willis, farms 1,000 acres in northwestern Missouri with his family. His advice for future cover crop adopters is this: “Start small enough so it doesn’t freak you out, but large enough to matter.”

Datu Research and NACD intend to continue contributing to the scientific literature on the economic advantages of implementing conservation practices and systems on working lands. The case studies released today can be viewed and downloaded here and the parent report is available on request.

Learn more at http://www.nacdnet.org/soil-health-research/

Delaware announces Soil Health Field Day and On-Farm Research Workshop on August 10

Posted on by 4RMidAtlantic | Posted in Events

Two Educational Programs are scheduled for August 10. In the morning there will be program on cover crops and soil health sponsored by the Sussex County Conservation District with University of Delaware and Delaware State University. In the afternoon, there will be a session on conducting on-farm research. More details will be provide in future newsletters, but this early notice is provided so you can mark your calendars.

See UD’s Weekly Crop Update for more details as they develop.

Update: A Flyer for the program is now available: 8-10-17 Flyer

You can register for the workshop here: https://tinyurl.com/8-10-Registration