Soil Health and 4R Nutrient Management.

4R Nutrient management in agricultural systems provides guidance linking management practices (the right fertilizer source applied at the right rate at the right time at the right place) and desired outcomes, including increased agricultural production, increased profitability, and enhanced environmental protection, all of which contribute to improved sustainability. These outcomes are entirely consistent with the intent of managing to improve soil health, which is defined as “the capacity of a soil to function as a vital, living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.” The Soil Health Institute partners with scientists and practitioners in the public (e.g., universities, government agencies) and private (e.g., analytical laboratories, industry, producers) sectors to achieve its mission to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement. Bringing together both the 4R and soil health communities of research and practice can enhance opportunities for increasing knowledge of proper nutrient management, including use of nutrients placed on the land in the form of manufactured fertilizers or as organic matter inputs from cover crops, reduced tillage, animal manures, and grazing management. Properly done, applied fertilizers and soil health-promoting practices can leverage physical, chemical, and biological processes in soil to increase the soil’s water-holding capacity for increased resilience during drought; improve water quality through reduced erosion and nutrient leaching; reduce net greenhouse gas emissions through carbon sequestration; improve profitability by increasing the economic margin between cost of inputs and value of outputs; and provide a scientific foundation for development of policies that support sustainability and its benefits to society as a whole.