Fertilizer is fundamental to agriculture and key to feeding the world population. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are often the focus—what agronomists call crop nutrients. Yet fertilizer use can have unintended effects on soil ecosystems, water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions. So, sustainable use of fertilizer is a key issue in farm sustainability. The 4R Nutrient Stewardship program brings together agronomy, environmental science, crop planning and education to help farmers plan fertilizer use to grow their crops, save money and conserve the environment. The 4Rs stand for the Right Source @ Right Rate, Right Time, and Right Place for fertilizer application. McKenzie Smith, Director, Stewardship and Regulatory Affairs at Fertilizer Canada in Ottawa and Nicole Penney of FS PARTNERS out of Guelph help us explore this topic. The first of this two part exploration of the 4Rs delves into the science, training and practices within the 4Rs planning system. The next episode explores the environmental aspects and related research on the 4Rs system. (First aired in 2020).

More information:

https://fertilizercanada.ca/nutrient-stewardship/

https://nutrientstewardship.org/