4R's Plus: Managing Water, Soil, Nutrients and Public Expectations to Reduce Nutrient Leaching and Loss.

Systemic changes in rainfall and the water cycle in the Upper Midwest, shifts in cropping patterns and the way that crops utilize nutrients, loss of soil tilth etc. all have increased crop nutrient vulnerability to leaching and loss.  By addressing the impact that water has on nutrients through more intelligent fertilizer, soil and drainage water management practices farmers can greatly reduce the probability of loss of a key crop input.  In my presentation I will provide an update on the current scientific understanding of the leading causes of nutrient loss and will suggest a system of practices and programs that can help farmers prevent water from robbing their fields of costly nutrients – it’s a strategy we like to call 4R's plus.