The 4R Nutrient Stewardship System

Chuck Zimmerman

Kathy MathersRepresenting The Fertilizer Institute on the Conservation in Action Tour was Kathy Mathers, V.P. of Public Affairs. I spoke to Kathy during the Conservation Technology Information Center board meeting that followed the tour to

Nutrient stewardship is on the top of the list for TFI according to Kathy. She says they’re promoting the 4R Nutrient Stewardship System which means using the right fertilizer product at the right rate, right time and in the right place. She says they get involved with CTIC to interact with other stake holders in agriculture. She thought the tour was a “home run.” Kathy Mathers Interview

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More Organic Matter Good For Soil

Chuck Zimmerman

Making a sponge out of dust. That was pretty much the theme of remarks and a demonstration we saw on the Conservation in Action Tour at the Davis Family Farm. Conducting the demo was Chris Lawrence, cropland agronomist with Virginia NRCS. The point of his message was how no-till farmers are working to create more organic matter in their sandy soils to help hold water and increase yield.

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Mapping Your Field To Maximize Nutrient Application

Chuck Zimmerman

Don LampkerPrecision ag was highlighted at the Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo during the Conservation in Action Tour by a company called Geosys represented by Don Lampker. Don says Geosys is a relatively small technology supply company. He says they do a lot with satellite imagery and have a product called FieldInSite which helps a farmer map their fields so they can make decisions on which areas are most productive. They can then create nutrient management plans which are used by variable rate application systems.

It’s all about the more efficient use of nitrogen. He says there may be some areas of a field where they actually apply more nitrogen but others areas it will be reduced if it’s not getting used. Don Lampker Interview

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AGROTAIN Assisting No-Till Farmers

Chuck Zimmerman

Daryl ClayDuring the Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo on the Conservation in Action Tour our sponsor, AGROTAIN, was one of the exhibitors. Manning the booth was Daryl Clay. He says many of the farms in this part of the country have used no-till for decades. However, using no-till does present some challenges with nitrogen management being one of them.

Daryl says that some of the farms locally are so dedicated to no-till they don’t even want to break the ground to plant a seed! So when it comes to applying fertilizer they really don’t want to use knives for side dressing. They like to use liquids or broadcast over the top. That creates a risk of volatility loss. So AGROTAIN has created some products to address this risk. One of those products is SuperU which is a granulated product which he describes in detail in my interview with him. He says farmers like it because it has big granules that can be broadcast over a very large area. Daryl Clay Interview

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Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo – John Deere Demo

Chuck Zimmerman

Late in the day on the Conservation in Action Tour we participated in a Nutrient Use Efficiency Expo with several exhibitors. One of them was John Deere where Pauley Bradley was demonstrating their PitStop Pro coupling system that lets farmers quickly change anhydrous ammonia tanks without getting out of their cab. I asked Pauley to demonstrate for me and you can watch that video below.

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Variable Rate Application For Conservation

Chuck Zimmerman

Paul DavisPaul Davis farms in New Kent County, VA and drives a truck with a bumper sticker that says, “Never-Till.” His farm was a stop on the Conservation in Action Tour. He’s been in continuous no-till since 1999.

While we were on the farm he gave us a presentation about his use of the Trimble Greenseeker technology that makes variable rate application of nitrogen possible. It’s fascinating stuff since the precision ag equipment allows Paul to conduct over 3,400 different application rates on the field we were standing in! Without this technology he would have applied a uniform amount over the whole field. The precision ag equipment not only saves on nitrogen use but applies it where it is most needed and likely to increase yields. This is a great example of how farmers like Paul are using precision ag technology to help their bottom line while also conserving and protecting natural resources. Paul Davis Presentation

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Listening To Farmers Conservation Regulation Concerns

Chuck Zimmerman

Ann MillsThe Deputy Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment, USDA, is Ann Mills. Ann oversees the Natural Resources Conservation Service. During lunch on the Conservation in Action Tour she spoke to us about several initiatives under her oversight. She talked about her goals of getting 100 percent participation from Chesapeake Bay area land owners to help with the watershed cleanup efforts. She acknowledged farmers work on this and told people during the tour how much she was learning about the practices they employ. I think this shows how important it is to invite government officials out to the farm. If they’re going to regulate you it would be nice if they actually knew what you do!

Ann says that USDA has been conducting a series of America’s Great Outdoors Initiative Public Listening Sessions around the country to hear what people have to say. She encourages farmers to go to the website and make their views known. She also knows farmers have concerns about the Chesapeake Bay TMDL and she says NRCS is ready to provide resources to “put conservation practices on the ground that work.” Ann Mills Presentation

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Finding A Win-Win Between Farmers and EPA

Chuck Zimmerman

Kelly ShenkThe Conservation in Action Tour provides an opportunity for farmers to see how other farmers are implementing good conservation practices but it also allows policy makers a chance to learn more about this area. One of our tour participants who spoke to us at our lunch stop was Kelly Shenk, EPA. She works in the Chesapeake Bay Program office.

Kelly told us that she believes we can have viable agriculture and a restored Chesapeake Bay. She says that what she has seen on the tour shows that farmers are doing what needs to be done to control things like nutrient loss. She acknowledges that urban development is a real concern for her agency. Kelly Shenk Presentation

Before the tour got back on the bus I spoke with Kelly and asked her about one of the key concerns I’ve heard expressed from farmers that their best management practices and conservation improvements aren’t being accounted for in the Chesapeake Bay Model. She says that state government and perhaps FSA should started collecting data on this to provide to policy makers. Kelly Shenk Interview

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Adapting and Diversifying Key To Long Term Success

Chuck Zimmerman

Charles CarterThe first plantation in Virginia was Shirley Plantation, established in 1613. This was the lunch stop for the Conservation in Action Tour. Tourism and education play a big part in the family business today.

Greeting us was Charles Carter who owns and serves as executive director for Shirley Plantation. He says they’ve been there for 11 generations! He says they’ve been able to do this through adaptation and diversification. Tobacco was produced on the farm from the beginning. Family members have been involved in everything from farming to government and they were even in the ice business. Recently he says they’ve built a marine terminal and they’re taking dredge material from the local rivers and placing it in old mines and on farmland to restore it. He says this has been working well. Charles Carter Presentation

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Conserving Soil and Nutrients

Chuck Zimmerman

J.N. MillsWhile the Conservation in Action Tour was parked under the trees in the shade at one stop, we heard from local farmer, J.N. Mills. Pictured behind him is Eric Randolph, another local farmer we also heard from.

A portion of the farm that J.N. operates was a grant from the king of England in the 1600’s. We were definitely seeing some historical places on this tour! One of the ways this farmer has worked to keep soil and nutrients in place is by installing waterways, stream buffers, stream fencing and wetlands. Besides row crop farming he also has a 165 unit cow/calf operation. J.N. says he hopes to have a family farm that he can pass along to the next generation. J.N. Mills Presentation

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