Barry and Dan Turner, Turner Brothers Farm, Mer Rouge, La., 5,600-acre corn, soybean, rice and grain sorghum producers nominated by Crop Production Services (CPS), Louisiana. The Turner brothers utilize grid sampling and soil management zones to enhance fertilizer efficiency and three split applications for corn production to ensure they’re meeting the crop’s nutritional needs and optimum yield potential. Barry and Dan work with CPS’s Ed Lane to stay on the forefront of emerging technologies and breakthroughs in science to help maintain the correct balance between their bottom line and being good stewards of the land they work.
What Ed says about the 4Rs:
“As a retailer selling fertilizer and application services, I don’t want to be competitive; I want to be the best. Of the fertilizer we apply, 80-90% of the phosphorus and potash and over 90% of lime is applied variable rate based on grid or zone sampling. This quantifies the value growers have found in this technology. It is our goal at Crop Productions Services to continue to take a very intentional approach to fertilization that is consistent with the 4Rs and helps our customers stay profitable”.
What Dan says about the 4Rs:
“Costs such as fertilizer, seed and equipment have nearlyquadrupled over the last 10 years. This fact alonehas necessitated we adopt practices such as the4R program. It’s a win, win situation. Economics inthis case are driving the bus that delivers higheryields and more profitability by adopting thesenew technologies. At the same time, producers,consumers and the environment are all benefittingwhen we can make sure our inputs such asfertilizer are staying where they are placed”.