Evaluation Enhance Fertilizer Trials

Nitrogen fertilizer used to produce high-yielding corn and soybean crops also contributes to nitrogen pollution in the environment. Managing nitrogen to minimize losses from agricultural landscapes is an ongoing challenge for farmers, their advisors, conservation practitioners and the USDA. Difficulty controlling inefficiencies in nitrogen management is evidenced by the fact that agriculture remains the largest source of global nitrogen pollution. Enhanced efficiency fertilizer (EEF) products such as nitrogen stabilizers and inhibitors, when used properly and according to 4R guidelines, can improve nitrogen management and reduce nitrogen losses to the air and water. The goal of the On-Farm Evaluation Partnership project is to design, implement and demonstrate a systematic method for public and private partners to conduct scientifically robust on-farm evaluations using an adaptive management approach that can lead to greater farmer adoption of EEF technologies.