Queenstown, Maryland (October 4, 2021) – The Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association is discovering barriers to 4R practice adoption. Across the region, 300 random farmers will receive a mailed survey from the University of Delaware. The overall goal of this survey is to inform outreach efforts and communication strategies to better serve farmers like you. By understanding the barriers you face in making nutrient management decisions, the survey will also inform voluntary state and federal agricultural cost-share programs. We ask that if you receive this voluntary survey, that you complete and return the survey.
The survey consists of questions about your farm and your experience with nutrient management and has an estimated completion time of 20 minutes. Responses are completely confidential! Those who complete the survey by October 21st will be eligible to enter a drawing for a $250 Visa gift card (1 available), a $100 Visa gift card (2 available), or a $50 Visa gift card (9 available).
The study is being conducted by the University of Delaware and the Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association (the parent organization for the Pennsylvania 4R Alliance and the Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance).
For more information about the survey, feel free to contact the project manager, Dr. Kelly Davidson at 302-831-8034.
Darlington, Maryland (September 21, 2021) – The Delaware-Maryland 4RAlliance held a successful field day on September 9th at Indian Springs Farm. For their first event in Northern Maryland, 46 attendees, made up of farmers, agribusiness professionals, as well as government and conservation partners, heard from a strong line-up of speakers and were introduced to a new voucher program.
Farmer-owner, Lee McDaniels welcomed attendees alongside Quintin Cornwell with Harford Soil Conservation District and Rob Weaver with NRCS. They discussed the importance of good nutrient management and the opportunities of cost-share available. Laura Starr with The Nature Conservancy described the new voucher program which is aimed at supporting farmers to use their farm data to determine the best practices to improve their bottom line and the environment.
From Willard Agri-Service, Tyler Adams shared different options to maximize yields by using on-farm data to prescribe application methods and enhance nutrient efficiency. Willard Agri-Service had a sprayer on-site to demonstrate the different capabilities of their custom applicator. The Mill’s Timothy Hushon presented Decision Ag Solutions: Empowering growers through data-driven decisions. Tim and his team are available to support growers to make data-driven decisions and find solutions that impact a profitable yield through numerous services such as agronomic consultations, N modeling, and 4R nutrient practices. Next, attendees were able to absorb the different equipment technology programs on today’s market and how they increase efficiency thanks to Atlantic Tractor. On display was a new JohnDeere N530 air seeder in combination with the new John Deere 7R250 tractor that uses satellite tracking to monitor multiple automatic functions such as auto-track, auto path, exact apply, and exact merge, that ensure proper application rates of seed, fertilizer, and high productivity returns.
Photo Credit: Matt Kane, The Nature Conservancy
To wrap up the event, Mike Kurek, a 2019 National 4R Farmer, was able to relate to the farmers in attendance. Mike and his wife Trish own and operate Susquehanna Orchards while growing row crops on 300 acres. Mike is a strong 4R farmer; applying the right source of nutrients, at the right time, in the right place, and at the right rate. Mike saw an outstanding impact when implementing advanced nutrient practices. Through data collections, Mike was able to use models to predict N usage.
Farmers who enjoyed the first ever Data Driven Field Day were introduced to a new voucher program provided by the Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance through a Chesapeake Bay Trust Grant. With data management often being a barrier to farmers’ decisions to implement new 4R management practices, the voucher is here to assist. The project proposes to provide technical assistance directly to farmers, to help them understand the language and data used to identify and implement precision ag and nutrient management practices and enabling them to make a more informed decision on their practices. With that being said, ten farmers in Harford and Cecil County will receive a $1,000 voucher that they can use to pay a participating agribusiness advisor to provide individual coaching including data compilation, analysis, planning, and guidance on how to implement practices on their farm. For more details or to enroll please contact Laura Starr at laura.starr@tnc.org or at 785-375-7909 or visit the voucher page on our website here.
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 the 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.
Chestertown, Maryland (August 27, 2021) – The Delaware-Maryland 4R Alliance hosted their annual 4R Field Day on Thursday, August 26, 2021, at Corteva’s Chesapeake Farms in Chestertown, MD. The event was attended by 100 farmers, agribusiness professionals, government, and conservation partners. Participants enjoyed a four-station rotation where they learned about the 4R’s of nutrient stewardship; using fertilizer of the Right Source, at the Right Rate and Right Time, in the Right Place.
Mike Twining of Willard Agri-Service led a station on nutrient timing and placement. Twining demonstrated the different spray boom attachments and when and why a grower would want to use these placement tools. Twining also spoke about the importance of timing. “Back in the 1980s, we thought if you didn’t have all your nutrients on corn by tassel-time, you missed the boat,” Mike explained that now growers can spoon-feed their crops to ensure nutrients are available when the crops need them. “If your corn wanted to ‘eat’ 12 pounds of Nitrogen and 8 pounds of Potash that day but they could only get 10 and 6 pounds respectively; well, that’s a bad day for corn and you’ve limited your yield. If I have a bad day, I get to start over the next day but corn only has so many days to make it count.”
Nate Hykes of Growmark FS led a station featuring a FALCON soil sampling demonstration. The FALCON is pulled behind a truck or other all-terrain vehicle and takes a soil sample every 15 feet. “If you had to do it by hand, it would get a little arduous” Hykes explained, “but the FALCON allows us to intensify the rate at which soil samples are taken to better inform a nutrient prescription.” Hykes went on to explain the different scales of sampling including field, grid, and zone, and how those samples are used to inform a 4R nutrient application plan.
The Corteva led station was hosted by Tyler Patton, Andrew MacRae, and Justin McCullough This station was focused on nitrogen stabilizers and N-modeling. The presenters spoke about the nutrient need of corn at different stages of maturity and how Nitrogen stabilizers help to ensure the Nitrogen is there when the crop needs it. Just McCullough demonstrated the Granular technology platform and how modeling can help meet crop nutrient needs at the Right Rate and Time.
Participants enjoyed a lively conversation with Laura Starr, Ph.D. of The Nature Conservancy about Carbon Markets. Starr went over the basics of carbon credits and the different programs and companies that are purchasing credits. Farmers asked many questions about pricing, measurement, and verification.
Before lunch, Aaron Givens of Delaware Department of Agriculture spoke about the DE Nutrient Management Commission effort to collect 4R practice implementation data in partnership with the 4R Alliance to ensure growers were getting credit for these practices in the Chesapeake Bay Model.
Thank you to our partners and sponsors for making our Field Day a success!
Chesapeake Farms with Corteva AgriScience
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund
Queenstown, Maryland (July 1, 2021) – The 5th and annual 4R Field Day will be held in-person this summer in Chestertown, Maryland! Farmers, agribusinesses, and non-profit organizations, as well as government and academic partners are invited to attend Chesapeake Farms on August 26, 2021.
The morning will be full of presentations covering the 4Rs; applying the right nutrient source, at the right rate, in the right place, and at the right time. Registration will be required but free for all to attend. Attendees will end the day with a delicious lunch and the opportunity to network with all. Nutrient Management and Certified Crop Adviser credits will be available but currently pending.
The Delaware-Maryland 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 4Rs.
If you would like to sponsor this year’s event, please contact Jenell Eck at jenell.mdag@gmail.com or by calling the office at 443-262-8491.
