IFCA has been in weekly contact with water supply officials in Illinois as we evaluate the nitrate levels in surface water supplies such as Lake Springfield, Lake Bloomington, Lake Decatur, Lake Vermilion and portions of the Illinois River, all of which serve as public drinking water supplies.  Since the heavy December rains, all have reported higher than normal, or anticipated, nitrate levels in the lakes.  The IFCA Board of Directors and Agronomy Committee issued a bulletin to our members recently urging our members to work with your farmer customers on spring nitrogen management to reduce the potential for nitrogen losses, which is all part of our Keep it 4R Crop Program.  These enhanced communications, both with our members, and with water supply officials, create an opportunity for us to help solve these issues and be proactive, rather than reactive.  Click here to view the bulletin outlining the issue and listing 4R techniques to manage spring applied nitrogen to help protect these water supplies.  

 

To provide our members with more details on this issue and give you an opportunity to post questions, we have scheduled a webinar at 8:30 am on Tuesday, March 15 entitled "Fall Applied N and Spring Nitrogen Management Recommendations."  Dr. Emerson Nafziger and Dan Schaefer, IFCA Director of Nutrient Stewardship, will present the webinar.  Dan will discuss the latest results of N WATCH testing on sites in central Illinois where fall ammonia was applied and what we see regarding the impact of the warm fall and winter on the levels of ammonium and nitrate in the soil.  Dr. Nafziger will join in this discussion and also share information on N rates, timing, and form and considerations for fertilizing the 2016 crop based on what we know today.  This webinar will run for an hour and provide .5 CEU NM and .5 CEU SW.  Go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2700601042047930115 to register.