Cost-Share
The Mid-Atlantic 4R Nutrient Stewardship Association is looking for producers who are interested in enhancing their 4R nutrient stewardship by adding an additional split to their nitrogen application or test a biofertilizer or biostimulant for the 2024 corn growing season with cost-share available of $20 an acre. The sign-up deadline for 2024 will be March 31st, be sure to contact Amber or Jenell for more questions or to sign-up!
Eligibility:
- Farm must be in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in Delaware, Maryland, or Pennsylvania.
- Farm must meet core nutrient management requirements.
- Farm must enroll a minimum of 40 acres.
- Each field must follow protocol for the selected program.
- Farm must provide access to agronomic and financial data that will be kept confidential.
Results will be used to develop case studies and outreach materials.
How to Enroll:
- Farmers in Pennsylvania will work directly with the PA 4R Alliance. Contact Amber Funk of Rosetree Consulting.
- Email: afunk@rosetreeconsulting.com
- Phone Number: 484-650-7787
- Farmers in Delaware and Maryland will work directly with the DE-MD 4R Alliance. Contact Jenell Eck McHenry of Thompson Ag Consulting.
- Email: jenell.mdag@gmail.com
- Phone Number: 443-262-6969
Funding for this three-year project is sponsored by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund. A three-year grant has been provided for education, training, and cost-share to increase the implementation of 4R Nutrient Stewardship practices across Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. The grant has received an 18-month extension which allows for another year of cost-share.
Previous Split Nitrogen Findings
In 2021, the Mid-Atlantic 4R Alliance had 16 farms with 3,595 acres enrolled. Pennsylvania saw an average of 17.6 bushels per acre while Delaware and Maryland saw an average of 19.2 bushels per acre. As a region, these acres removed an additional 28,200 pounds of P due to split applying Nitrogen. With 2021 findings, by adopting split nitrogen corn yield increases, nitrogen use efficiency improves, N loss is reduced, and P removal increases.
Splits made by 2021 participants:
- Manure Applications
- Strip-Till
- Pre-Emergence Broadcast
- Planter Applied
- Early Sidedress
- Traditional Sidedress
- Late Sidedress
- Late Aerial Application
- Fertigation
A Case Study from 2021
| N Applications | Control | + Split |
| Pop-up fertilizer | 0 | 0 |
| 2×2 Starter | 0 | 0 |
| Legume history | 0 | 0 |
| Manure history | 20 | 20 |
| Planned manure | 0 | 0 |
| Pre-emerge | 130 | 65 |
| Sidedress | 0 | 68 |
| Total | 150 | 153 |
| Yield | 160 | 194 |
| NUE | 0.94 | 0.79 |
| Increase in NUE | 16% |
Economics
| Control | + Split | |
| Total Revenue | $972.80 | $1,179.80 |
| Nitrogen Fertilizer Cost / A | $80.17 | $91.27 |
| Nitrogen Fertilizer Cost / bu | $0.50 | $0.47 |
| Increase in Revenue | 18% | |
| Decrease / bu in Fertilizer Costs | 6% |
In 2022, the Mid-Atlantic 4R Alliance had 21 farms with 4,213 acres enrolled. Pennsylvania saw an average yield increase of 13 bushels per acre. While Delaware/Maryland saw an average yield increase of 4.3 bushels per acre.