Category: In the News

4R Partnership Continues to Grow Across the Mid-Atlantic

Posted on by 4RMidAtlantic | Posted in In the NewsTagged , , , , , , ,

Ensuring every nutrient application in the Mid-Atlantic is applied with the RIGHT source, in the RIGHT place, at the RIGHT rate, and at the RIGHT time.

(Chester, Maryland, December 23, 2024) – In March 2024, the Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association (MA4R), the nonprofit organization supporting the Pennsylvania 4R Alliance (PA4R) and the Delaware Maryland 4R Alliance (DM4R), completed a five-year Strategic Plan to make a big impact across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The mission of the 4R Alliance is to empower trusted advisors to ensure that every nutrient application in the region is applied with the RIGHT source, in the RIGHT place, at the RIGHT rate, and at the RIGHT time to benefit farmers, the environment, and society. 

The MA4R through the PA4R and DM4R, will advance the strategic plan with the support of a 2024 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grant Funding will support farmers to implement new advanced nutrient management practices, and grow the organization’s engagement with the trusted advisors of farmers.

The Mid-Atlantic 4R team will also continue the successful 4R voucher program with support from the Keith Campbell Foundation. In 2024, the team funded 31 vouchers with our first grant and covered 9,196 acres of planned advanced nutrient management practices. For 2025, the 4R Alliance has 30 vouchers available to farmer and agribusiness pairs to take one’s farming operation to the next step in advanced nutrient management. Enrollment for these vouchers is now open, please email Jenell McHenry to secure your voucher spot.

Furthermore, the strategic plan includes: defining a standardized methodology for measuring and comparing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Use Efficiency of 4R Best Management Practices (BMPs) vs. average Nitrogen Use Efficiency; serving trusted advisors by demonstrating 4R BMPs and their impact; growing partnerships and engagement; securing funds to continue to improve nutrient stewardship; and hiring a full-time Executive Director.

On December 16th, the Mid-Atlantic 4R Association welcomed Jenell McHenry as their first full-time Executive Director. Jenell has been employed by Thompson Ag Consulting for the past five years where she has served a number of agriculture organizations, including the 4R Alliance. Jenell currently resides in Kent County, Maryland with her husband Joey and son, Lee. As a family they raise beef cattle from cow to consumer, run a commercial trucking company, and farm corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, sorghum, and hay.  Ben Hushon, Chair of the Mid-Atlantic 4R Board, said “we are very honored to have Jenell join our Association full-time and think about the 4Rs every day. Her expertise and experience will provide the skills necessary to expand the scope and scale of our future efforts.” Jenell can be reached at midatlantic4r@gmail.com and you can learn more about the PA4R, DM4R efforts at 4RMidAtlantic.com.

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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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