Communicating the 4Rs to farmers: Insights and opportunities

Excerpt

Plant nutrients are essential to the food, feed, fiber, and fuel supply. Additionally, plant nutrients, no matter the form, can be lost from the plant root zone as water moves through the system. In recent decades, plant nutrients have become the focus of concerns linked to water quality, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and supply chain sustainability. For on farm productivity and profitability, as well as the concerns listed above, a common goal is to reduce nutrient movement from the root zone and to further reduce loss from the cropping system with supporting conservation practices.

Through significant outreach, education, and engagement, the fertilizer industry and other stakeholders have created significant awareness of 4R nutrient stewardship. The 4Rs are a suite of best management practices linked to the right nutrient source, applied at the right rate, the right time, and in the right place (Lawrence et al. 2014). While practices such as cover crops, conservation tillage, and drainage water management can be instrumental in retaining applied nutrients within the crop production system, the 4Rs are a key place to start.

Survey data indicate that while the use of 4R practices is on the rise, opportunities for improvement remain. Practice adoption in…