Author: Jenell Eck

2020 DE-MD 4R Virtual Field Day

Posted on by Jenell Eck | Posted in Uncategorized

Queenstown, MD (August 27, 2020) – The Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance held their 4th annual and first evet virtual 4R Technology Field Day on August 25th.  This online event reached over 200 participants and provided continuing education credits for agricultural technical service providers. The DE-MD 4R Alliance is a collaboration between agribusinesses, farmers, government agencies, conservation groups, and scientists. The alliance is working to ensure through education and outreach that every nutrient application in Delaware and Maryland will be made according to the 4R’s: right source, right rate, right time, and right place. The DE-MD 4R Alliance would like to thank the sponsors for their support of the event including: The Fertilizer Institute, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund, Corteva AgriScience, Environmental Tillage Systems, Mosaic, and the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Council.

The program began at 9:00 AM with Mike Twining, Willard Agri-Service Director of Sales and Marketing covering the basics of nitrogen-modeling including, Willard’s in-season nutrient decision support tool, Eco-N. This tool allows farmers to make adaptive management decisions for nitrogen application based on real time data. Willard models crop growth to understand the crop’s nutrient demand while modeling soil mineralization and nitrogen loss to understand the available soil nitrogen supply and application needs.

Growmark FS’s Todd Hunsicker, MiField Specialist, then covered the intensification of soil sampling. Todd explained the difference between zone and grid soil sampling. Producers and their advisors can determine the appropriate scale and areas through SSURGO maps, EC mapping, yield data, and/or field imagery. Growmark FS has an automated soil sampler, known as the Falcon, that Todd shared information on. By providing a strong soil sample profile, farmers can receive a comprehensive cropping plan to get a maximum return with minimum input. 

Sally Flis, Senior Director of Agronomy for the Fertilizer Institute shared results from a few of the twelve 4R Cost Case Studies conducted by TFI which can be found at 4RFarming.org. These studies collect farm and/or field data for four years, look at the cost and equipment associated with fertilizer application, the fertilizer cost, as well as the equipment cost, time, and fuel. Farming practices are grouped as basic intermediate, and advanced. It has been found, through research, that an intermediate level of practice implementation, nitrogen balance is reduced by 33% which is equal to a 7% nitrogen oxide emissions. 

Following Sally, Kelly Herbick, North Atlantic Area Digital Services Manager, with Corteva AgriScience and Pioneer Seeds presented on “Using Variable Rate Nutrient Management to Your Advantage.” Kelly compared a flat rate and variable rate fertility programs, explaining that through a variable rate program, producers can adjust rates in certain areas on a sub field level, synchronizing the field with overall yield goals. By utilizing Granular’s program, a custom Maryland calculator was created to allow agronomists to write phosphorus, potassium, and lime recommendations that are in compliant with the nutrient management guidelines. 

Wrapping up the online event, Mark Williams, USDA ARS Research Agricultural Engineer, talked about phosphorus placement in case studies across Ohio, Texas, and Pennsylvania looking at broadcasting, incorporating, and injecting. Mark began explaining the different types of phosphorus (P); fertilizer P and legacy P. Fertilizer P is recently applied and has an acute risk for loss during a storm event, while legacy P is soil phosphorus and has a chronic risk of loss over time. 

The recorded event will be shared on the Mid Atlantic 4R’s website and YouTube channel once available. Credits will not be available for those who did not attend the live event. The DE-MD 4R Alliance is thankful for their event sponsors and presenters for their time and dedication to the 4R’s. Thank you to all those who tuned in!

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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. The DE-MD 4R Alliance was founded by the Nature Conservancy and the Delaware-Maryland Agribusiness Association in 2015. Check out our website and like our Facebook Page.

PA Farmer Selected as 2020 4R Advocate

Posted on by Jenell Eck | Posted in 4Rs on the Farm, In the News

Photo Credit: Gates Rhodes for The Nature Conservancy

Delta, PA. (January 8, 2020) – Farmer Mike Kurek of Susquehanna Orchards in Delta, Pennsylvania and his agronomist, Tim Hushon of The Mill, were selected to be part of an elite group representing 4R Nutrient Stewardship as part of The Fertilizer Institute’s 4R Advocate Program. This program was established nine years ago to recognize farmers and retailers who go above and beyond to implement enhanced nutrient management practices. Kurek and Hushon join 44 other grower/advisor pairs that have been recognized since the program’s inception, and they are the first to receive the award from Pennsylvania.

The 4R Advocate program showcases growers that champion 4R Nutrient Stewardship—applying the Right nutrient source, at the Right rate, Right time, and Right place to maximize nutrient use efficiency for high-yielding crops and to protect water quality from nutrient losses. “We’re extremely proud to have Mike and Tim representing 4Rs and Pennsylvania with national recognition,” says Eric Rosenbaum, Executive Director for the Pennsylvania 4R Alliance.

Photo Credit: Gates Rhodes for The Nature Conservancy

Kurek, along with his wife, Trish, recognizes the value of 4R Nutrient Stewardship. As the parents of three children under the age of six, the Kureks want to preserve their land for future generations while ensuring sustainable business practices that provide for their family. The Kureks own and manage 315 acres in Delta, Pennsylvania where they produce corn, soybeans, peaches, apples, and pumpkins. The family also operates a popular on-farm store and pick-your-own operation. The farm is located just four miles north of the Conowingo Dam which signifies the head of the Chesapeake Bay.

Kurek originally started down the 4R path in his orchards. He saw improvements in yields as he implemented a spoon-feeding foliar fertilizer application system and minimized disturbance of soil within the orchard. He utilizes regular tissue sampling in the orchards to assess nutrient needs and, in many years, applies 100% of his nutrients through foliar application. “There aren’t many 4R programs available for orchards specifically, so I was forced to develop my own,” says Kurek.

Photo Credit: Gates Rhodes for The Nature Conservancy

In 2012-2013, Kurek began applying the 4R practices he had learned in the orchard to his row crops and turned to the Bel Air, Maryland-based agricultural retailer, The Mill, for the latest in agricultural technologies. Tim Hushon began advising Kurek and has been the gateway to 4Rs for Susquehanna Orchards. “Mike is very open-minded when it comes to trying new technologies,” says Tim. “When I learn about a new product or tool that The Mill can offer growers, I turn to Mike to help me test it out. We both love the challenge of maximizing yield through 4R Nutrient Stewardship.”

Active in the local and online communities, Kurek cares about sharing the message of the importance of agriculture and the good work being done by farmers. With his public-facing orchard, and now as a 4R Advocate, he has a great platform for sharing how nutrient management benefits water quality to school groups and parents that regularly visit the orchards.

Both Kurek and Hushon recognize the importance of sharing the message of Nutrient Stewardship and have actively engaged with the PA4R Alliance to provide education and outreach to farmers across the state. “I find it very important to get the 4R message out to more people,” Kurek said, “Compared to many of the older practices I’ve seen, there is really a better way of doing things now. It’s scary to take that leap, but through my partnership with Tim at The Mill, I’ve felt confident in moving our operation forward with 4Rs.” As part of this award, both Kurek and Hushon will be traveling to the Commodity Classic in San Antonio, TX in February to receive recognition on the national stage. They will also be engaged in field days, publications, and media events throughout 2020.

Congratulations on this achievement!

The PA 4R Alliance, a member of the Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association, is a non-profit organization comprised of agribusiness, government agencies and environmental groups whose mission is to promote 4R Nutrient Stewardship—applying the RIGHT nutrient sources for the crop, at the RIGHT rate to maximize crop yield, at the RIGHT time and the RIGHT place to maximize uptake and minimize nutrient loss. For more details on the Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association, and to learn more about other 4R events in Pennsylvania and throughout the region, click here or follow us on Facebook. For the full article on the 2020 4R Advocates, click here.

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