In the era of 24-hour news and journalism in the era of social media, getting eyes and ears on your material is sometimes more important than getting the story right. We saw that this week in an NPR story, "Growing Corn Is A Major Contributor To Air Pollution, Study Finds," which lays the majority of the blame on the fertilizer industry.
I doubt there are many (if any) readers who aren’t familiar with the Lake Erie algal blooms and the general challenges these blooms have created for farmers and ag retailers throughout Ohio.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2018 - The members and the Board of Directors of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) voted this week to undertake a major organizational restructure which will include the transfer of key scientific assets and programs to The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), Fertilizer Canada and the International Fertilizer Association (IFA).
The Micronutrient Manufacturers Association (MMA) announced plans to enter into a partnership with The Fertilizer Institute (TFI). Under the partnership agreement, members of the MMA will become TFI members effective January 1, 2019. The MMA will continue to operate as a committee within TFI with regularly scheduled meetings.
Key Takeaways:
California: Sen. Diane Feinstein snubbed at California Democratic Party session; Democrats award official endorsement to challenger Kevin de Leon, a LA state legislator and former state Senate President
West Virginia: recent polling shows SCOTUS vote key determiner for Sen. Joe Manchin (D) in ballot test with GOP challenger, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey
If there is such a thing as a typical year in the agricultural industry it would run on cycles, pre-planting, planting, pre-harvest and harvest. Each cycle requires meticulous planning and many times this can include nutrient management planning. I am a firm believer that any nutrient management decision should include a “4R” decision by default. When someone makes a nutrient management decision while focusing on an overall 4R strategy, I believe they will be more successful all around.
The 2018 4R Summit was held in Des Moines in June 2018. With more than 40 speakers, there was a lot of information to take in. However, there were some themes that emerged. Here are our top 10 takeaways:
One fact that consistently surprises people is that fertilizer is on the move all year round. Year after year, more people learn that our industry supplies nutrients for crops that nourish a more prosperous world. No less than half of all food grown around the world today is made possible through the use of commercial fertilizer.
Before the first Earth Day was held in 1970, American farmers dealt with the aftermath of the Dust Bowl that hit the Southern Plains throughout the 1930s. Farmers recognized that their farming practices needed to change to prevent continued loss of topsoil. Today’s farmers continue to see the need to protect an array of cherished natural resources—clean water, clean air, pristine wilderness areas and other natural habitats, and abundant wildlife.
