Maximizing every acre: How 4R Nutrient Stewardship transforms soil efficiency
Farmers who want their crops to be as sustainable and productive as possible should continue to adapt 4R practices, as well as explore new and emerging technologies. That’s the message from the Enterprise Machine Intelligence Learning Initiative (EMILI) staff. EMILI is an industry-led non-profit that works collaboratively with producers, industry, investors and innovators to grow a sustainable and economically resilient digital agriculture industry. It’s part of the FCC Innovation Farm Network, which supports entrepreneurs in commercializing their innovations by testing and refining them under actual farm conditions before the product reaches the broader market. 4R practices are:
Right source: Use the correct type of fertilizer or nutrient source that matches crop needs and soil conditions.
Right rate: Apply the appropriate amount of nutrients to meet crop requirements without excess.
Right time: Apply nutrients when crops can best use them, reducing losses due to runoff, leaching or volatilization.
Right place: Position nutrients where crops can access them efficiently, such as near the root zone.
EMILI hosted the Manitoba 4R Day at Innovation Farms on Grosse Isle, Manitoba. Innovation Farms Manager Leanne Koroscil says those at the event were surprised to see how the 4Rs can be applied and improve their bottom lines.
“Practices actually improved on-farm economics, crop productivity and fertilizer efficiency while also benefiting the environment,” she says.
The day also featured in-depth discussions on enhanced efficiency fertilizers, soil sensors, and tile drainage, all in relation to 4R nutrient stewardship.
“Implementing 4R practices helps folks improve agricultural productivity, and it also minimizes the impact on the environment,” Koroscil says. “As a whole, it's really helping farmers grow food in a sustainable way.”
The farm is situated on a real, working 5,500-acre broadacre crop operation. This provides farmers with a clear understanding of how the practices can work at their farm. “It really gives people a realistic view of what is happening on the real scale,” she says.
Soil sense
Another exciting feature at Innovation Farms is the network of soil sensors. They are tethered to weather stations and monitored through an app on a farmer’s smartphone. The tech from one of the sensor systems, Crop Intelligence, monitors and records soil moisture and other environmental metrics to identify yield potential throughout a field during the growing season. It can help a farmer know when to apply more fertilizer, nutrients, or spray crop protection products, which could ultimately save farmers money and preserve the efficacy of crop protection products.
“You can't manage what you don't measure,” Koroscil says. “Having sensors on the farm is just one way that we're able to make more informed decisions.”
Sensors aren’t just for soil, either. Other commercially available sensors at the farm include imaging sensors and those capable of detecting the movement of grain in fields or storage bins.
4R nutrient stewardship really helps contribute to the preservation of land.
Above all, Koroscil encourages farmers to continually learn about the 4R principles.
“Because every farm is different, there’s not necessarily one practice that works for every farm - it’s going to work differently for everybody,” she says. “Being able to educate yourself on what is being researched in your area, applicable to your region and soil types on your farm, will be very beneficial. Take time to attend something like a 4R event, webinars or engage other resources.”
Beyond that, Koroscil encourages farmers to track and record field data as much as possible. Historical data is valuable in helping to inform future decision-making.
EMILI: a natural partner
For FCC, the decision to support EMILI was an easy one. Chelsea Gray, FCC’s Smart Farm Partnership Manager, says the work at EMILI aligns perfectly with what FCC is all about: sustainability across all metrics at a farm and ranch level.
“They're super sophisticated in their programming and how they execute on-farm events to showcase technologies and share insights and innovation in the agriculture industry,” Gray says. “They check every box in terms of what I look for in a strategic industry partner.”
With the unique projects carried out at EMILI Innovation Farms, all powered by AgExpert, this real-world collaboration has helped FCC firsthand enhance the product and continues to make it as functional as possible for farmers.
“This really allows AgExpert to not only support the industry, but it also ensures that our product is evolving to support the changing needs of over 100,000 customers,” Gray says. “What we care about is empowering our customers to make informed business decisions to support their success. 4R practices are a way to create a net positive impact at a farm level.”
Article by: Trevor Bacque
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