Category: In the News

New Funding Announced to Support Advanced Nutrient Management in Chesapeake Watershed

Posted on by Jenell Eck | Posted in In the News

Queenstown, Maryland (September 21, 2020) – The Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association was granted $990,000 over three years from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to provide education, training, and cost-share to increase the implementation of 4R Nutrient Stewardship practices across Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. The Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association is a non-profit that supports local 4R Alliance, collaborations of agribusinesses, researchers, government agencies, and conservation groups working to advance nutrient stewardship within the Chesapeake Bay and Mid-Atlantic Region. With close partnership, the Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance, the Pennsylvania 4R Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, Thompson Ag Consulting, Rosetree Consulting LLC, Penn Ag Industries Association, the Delaware-Maryland Agribusiness Association, and a number of other agribusiness partners will work with local farmers to advance the objectives of the project.

Partners will increase the implementation of 4R nutrient stewardship practices (applying the Right source of nutrients, at the Right rate, in the Right place, and at the Right time of year to maximize nutrient use efficiency) that will improve water quality and benefit the economic and social goals of local farmers. The project will be guided by first developing an understanding of the barriers to widespread 4R practice adoption and designing outreach and implementation strategies to offer solutions. We will engage 300 individual farms to identify additional nutrient conservation opportunities on 30,000 acres to increase implementation of 4R nutrient stewardship practices. Financial incentives will be utilized to increase implementation of split application of nitrogen on 25,000 acres. Additionally, we will develop a pilot process and business model for a Pennsylvania Manure Transport Exchange Bank.

The DE-MD 4R Alliance recently hosted a virtual field day attracting over 180 participants from across the Chesapeake Bay watershed illustrating the broad interest in advancing 4R practices. Agribusiness and research partners provided technical presentations on the latest technologies and agronomic, economic, and environmental benefits of 4R practices. This grant will continue to support these efforts at field days, farmer-focused “4R Real Talks” and technical service provider trainings. Agribusinesses and agency partners that work closely with farmers will continue to provide technical and financial assistance directly to producers to support the adoption of new practices. If you are interested in becoming a partner, please visit our website at www.4rmidatlantic.com.

The NFWF in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership, is working to restore water quality and habitats of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams. This year, EPA awarded $18 million in grants for 56 new projects across six states and Washington DC. Major funding is provided by EPA’s CBP. Overall, the grants will generate about $19 million in matching dollars, for a total of about $37 million, From 1999 to 2020, the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund awarded more than 1,200 grants totaling early $176 million. Among other impacts, the grants are estimated to have reduced annual nitrogen pollution loading by 26 million pounds and annual phosphorus loading by 4.5 million pounds.

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The Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association is a non-profit entity working to provide education to farmers on the economic and environmental benefits of implementing 4R nutrient stewardship practices, which will accelerate progress toward clean water and habitat goals.

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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MD Farmer Jonathan Quinn selected as 2019 4R Advocate

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

It’s no surprise that one who leads a fifth-generation farm might also be an early adopter. Jonathan Quinn was one of the first in the Delmarva region to invest in a yield monitor. He also incorporated the 4Rs before they were so named. It comes naturally. His father was conducting annual soil tests in the 1960s. They still do. Little Bohemia Creek Farms now covers 2,350 acres in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and includes corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, and spinach, as well as a custom farming business.

Though Maryland law requires nutrient management plans be filed for every acre on the farm, they’re not new to Quinn. He and his crop advisor, Kenny Glenn with Southern States Cooperative in Middletown, Delaware, have used 4R strategies in the plans since the beginning. In fact, they’ve worked together for 20 years to continually improve the farm and community.

“Even when we voluntarily compiled nutrient management plans, we found we didn’t need all the nutrients we were applying,” Quinn says. “We’ve gotten better since.”

In addition to 4R practices, technology helps. GPS, autosteer, the yield monitor, a 16-row, variable-rate planter, 30’ air seeder, and variable-rate sprayer are supplemented by satellite field imagery and soil maps.

Pre-sidedress nitrate tests, tissue samples, and fall nitrate tests help guide in-season nitrogen applications. UAN is variable-rate injected, even in sidedress applications, and Avail phosphorous enhancer and NutrisphereN help ensure they’re available to the crop when needed. Cover crops help retain nutrients through winter.

It pays off. Corn and soybean yields are up five to 10 percent, while nutrient application remains optimal for soil and crop health. If these 4R practices work for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, they’ll work anywhere.

Best Practice Management
  • Annual grid and soil sampling guide nutrient management plan to focus only on what nutrients are needed.
  • Nutrient management plan determines how much N, P, and K are needed.
  • Pre-sidedress and fall nitrate tests help determine in-season nitrogen applications.
  • Injected UAN reduces volatilization.
  • Variable-rate nutrient application ensures crops get the right amount of nutrients.
  • GPS-precision nutrient applications helps soils that need additional nutrients get the right ones.
  • Variable-rate sprayer delivers the exact amount of product needed.
  • Cover crops retain nutrients.
  • Conservation practices include cover crops, no-till, grassed waterways, riparian buffers, wildlife habitat, an agricultural chemical handling facility, and a manure storage building.

Jonathan was also featured on the Chesapeake Bay Program’s website for his advanced nutrient management practices:

You can read about all of the 2019 4R Advocates at nutrientstewardship.org