Fertilizer and Water Quality

Fertilizer and Water Quality

Nutrient Management Nutrients

Recently the City of Des Moines, IA decided to sue upstream counties because of the high nitrogen content in their source water.  You may recall my recent post about the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, so this news illustrates why we need to do our best to implement the strategy.  The Des Moines Lawsuit details are in this Prairie Farmer article. 

Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy

Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy

Nutrient Management

Illinois is in the process of  implementing a nutrient  reduction strategy.  The strategy is voluntary at least for now.  Illinois Council on Best Management Practices  has links and information.  IEPA has the information too and they are accepting comments.  The document is loaded with information about nutrient loads in Illinois waters. 

They are suggesting that nitrogen loss can be reduced by having farmers use the Nrate calculator to determine N rates.  They would also like to see more use of nitrification and urease inhibitors.  Cover crops are also part of the strategy.  In addition, sidedress applications are to be encouraged. 

Bioreactors, wetlands, drainage management,  and buffers on field edges are also part of the strategy.

Soil Test Phosphorous levels have been found to be higher than necessary for maximum yield in 595 of Illinois fields.  One goal is to reduce that level by adding less phosphorous.  Reducing soil erosion is also a big part of the strategy. Poultry and hog farmers will need to distribute their nutrients further from the source in order to reduce Phosphorous loss. 

The strategy lists the traditional programs available for implementation of practices need to reduce nutrient losses in Illinois.  My opinion is that farmers will need to rely on their consultants and suppliers to make a serious dent in nutrient reduction. I do not see enough money in the programs listed to have a serious impact. We all need to work together on the goals.  We need those agencies who developed the strategies to publicize the need for implementation. 

I hope you will take time to comment to IEPA. 

Illinois Nutrient Reduction Strategy

Illinois Nutrient Reduction Strategy

Nutrient Management

Illinois EPA is proposing a new nutrient reduction strategy to address concerns about water quality.  Prairie Farmer provides a good summary of the proposed strategy. The comment period is open.  Check the link in the Prairie Farmer article.  Here is the executive summary.  Check out the full strategy too.  Who is on the policy Working group is very eye opening.  One of the strategies that worries me is that they are advocating the Maximum return to nitrogen strategy. I understand the strategy and think it can be a good one under certain circumstances, but it may be yield limiting when environmental circumstances might indicate a need for a rescue treatment.

To their credit they are targeting urban runoff s well as agricultural.

If this does not seem real and urgent consider that the state of Ohio has recently adopted lawsconerning nutrient applications on runoff entering Lake Erie and other targeted watersheds.

How are you Doing with your CNMP

How are you Doing with your CNMP

livestock Nutrient Management

Today I read a recent article "Nutrient Management Plans - How Closely do Farmers Follow Them?" in Crops and Soils Magazine.  They cite a study that seems to indicate that only about 27% of livestock farmers are following their Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans. My guess would be that the plans are so detailed that their is no way they are certain they are following the plan.  It would also be my guess that if they are doing the soil testing as required, and the record keping as required, they are pretty close to be i compliance.  One of the issues raised was  that farmers are not sure about release rates especially of nitrogen.   My solution would be that they use the presidedress nitrate test and add extra nitrogen as needed.

The article also points out that written plans are needed only for large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations CAFO's).  What is seldom pointed out is that all livestock operations must comply with rules no matter what size.

I think the plans need to be much simpler so that farmers will actually look at them from time to time.  The smallest one I ever wrote was in a 1 inch binder. The largest one was ina 3 inch binder.  Even though I reviewed it page by page with the clients, I suspect that review may be last time they looked at the plan. I always tried to get critical information on one page if possible.  When to spread manure and where on one page, and additional nutrients needed  on each field was on another page.