After passing through the Senate in an 87-to-13 vote and the House in a 386-to-47 vote, the long-awaited and highly anticipated 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law by President Trump on December 20, 2018.
The legislation, titled The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, governs a myriad of programs with far-reaching implications both inside and outside of the agriculture industry; crop insurance, subsidies, conservation efforts, and even nutrition assistance – among other programs – are all managed under the bill.
While the legislation is being lauded for many reasons, fertilizer industry representative, The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), is applauding the bill’s support for 4R Nutrient Stewardship. Perhaps the largest proponent of 4R Nutrient Stewardship, in 2017, TFI inked a letter to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees imploring their support for it in the bill.
Why 4R Nutrient Stewardship is Important
4R Nutrient Stewardship is viewed by many as a critical nutrient management concept for advancing agriculture in the effort to feed the growing population and reduce the environmental impact of agriculture.
A set of best practices that aims to minimize nutrient losses while maximizing nutrient use, the concept focuses on implementing the “4Rs” in fertilizer application:
- Apply the Right Source of nutrients for balanced nutrition
- Apply nutrients at the Right Rate based on plant- and soil-specific needs
- Consider factors such as nutrient loss risks, logistics, crop uptake, and more, to apply nutrients at the Right Time
- Apply nutrients in the Right Place, with site-specific considerations and nutrient loss limitations in minds
4R Nutrient Stewardship has been a growing trend in nutrient management amidst increasing issues associated with nutrient runoff, combined with a greater understanding of crop nutrition and the need to feed more people from less land. In addition to practices such as precision agriculture, this trend is evident in the expanding specialty fertilizers and soil amendments market.
Based on the Farm Bill, it seems that the federal government is in agreement on the essential role that proper nutrient management is likely to play in improving the nation’s position in the future of sustainable agriculture.
How the Farm Bill Supports 4R Nutrient Stewardship
In addition to feeding the nation and providing valuable agricultural exports, farmers must also serve as stewards of the land. The Farm Bill already has important conservation programs in place to assist farmers in this endeavor, with the latest version building upon this. And while the bill doesn’t specifically name 4R Nutrient Stewardship, it does include language that supports efforts aligned with the goals of 4R in various ways….
Increased Funding of Key Initiatives
The Environmental Quality Incentive Program, or EQIP, is an essential component of the Farm Bill. EQIP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to producers interested in implementing conservation practices on their farms.
EQIP covers a variety of efforts that farmers can use to improve the sustainability of their operations. The purposes of this program is described by Congress as:
“assisting producers to make beneficial, cost-effective changes to production systems, including addressing identified, new, or expected resource concerns related to organic production, grazing management, fuels management, forest management, nutrient management associated with crops and livestock, pest management, irrigation management, adapting to, and mitigating against, increasing weather volatility, drought resiliency measures, or other practices on agricultural and forested land.”
Under the 2018 Farm Bill, funding for EQIP increased by $275 million, though this came with a cost of cutting funding for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).
A Recognized Need for Nutrient Management Research
Support for research in the field of nutrient management is another critical initiative supported by the legislation. SEC. 7209 – High Priority Research and Extension Initiatives, saw a noteworthy update with the amendment of section 1672 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to include the following:
In awarding grants under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall give priority to research examining the impact of the source, rate, timing, and placement of plant nutrients.
In the same section, the following was also included:
Research and extension grants may be made under this section for the purpose of carrying out research to improve fertilizer use efficiency in crops—
“(i) to maximize crop yield; and
“(ii) to minimize nutrient losses to surface and groundwater and the atmosphere.
In a PR commenting on the Farm Bill’s passing, TFI President and CEO Chris Jahn remarked, “We are thrilled that Congress gets it and included it in the final legislation and we look forward to remaining engaged and educating policymakers, growers, conservationists and the public on the benefits and importance of 4R nutrient stewardship.”
Conclusion
The 2018 Farm Bill’s support for improved nutrient management is an all-around victory for the agriculture industry and the environment. Support for programs that will help farmers improve the sustainability of their operations is essential in protecting water and soil resources for future generations. Furthermore, it will help producers to maximize yields and feed the growing global population with nutritious food.
Additional support for research focusing on improved fertilizers will also be critical to meeting future sustainability goals. This is seen first hand in the FEECO Innovation Center, where testing and development of specialty fertilizer products has been on the rise. With unmatched expertise in fertilizer production, FEECO is able to offer comprehensive agglomeration/granulation and drying test studies for batch- and pilot-scale testing in the facility.
FEECO has been a leader in custom fertilizer production systems, equipment, and testing since 1951. For more information on our capabilities, contact us today!