The Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC) recently announced that they are funding 15 projects in 2014.  These projects are a combination of research and education programs focused on nutrient application timings, sources and rates to reduce nutrient losses to the environment and increase economic returns for agriculture.  There are also projects studying cover crops and support for the "Keep it for the Crop" program where ag retailers engage farmers in on-farm research and new tools to better understand nitrogen movement in the soil. 

 

The NREC press release announcing the projects can be viewed here http://ifca.com/media/NREC%202014%20projects%20press%20release.pdf   Also if you go to http://illinoisnrec.org you can view a more detailed description of the projects that NREC is funding.  Please help share this information with your customers so they can understand the purpose of the NREC assessment on bulk fertilizer sales.  With NREC, Illinois agriculture is making a critical investment in our future to demonstrate that we can reduce nutrient losses using a systems approach that minimizes the risk of nutrients leaving the field and provide better potential for increased yields as well.  In the summer of 2014, Illinois EPA must finalize and publish a statewide nutrient reduction strategy and NREC is a critical in funding programs and research to assuring that agriculture can demonstrate accountability and success in the adoption of the 4Rs, in ways that make economic sense to farmers and reduce the likelihood of a regulatory approach in addressing the goal of reducing nutrient losses.  If you have questions about NREC, please contact Jean Payne at the IFCA office.  IFCA is developing a flyer on NREC projects and outcomes that you can include in your newsletters or statements to your customers this spring to help continue to educate the industry on the vital role of NREC in our nutrient future.