Kyle Brase of Brase Farms, Edwardsville, Illinois, U.S., and Joe Huebener, an agronomist from CHS in Shipman, have been named as 2017 4R Advocates by The Fertilizer Institute (TFI). 4R Advocates are agriculture retailers and farmers dedicated to sustainable crop nutrition. This year’s five pairs of advocates farm 13,200 acres of land using 4R Nutrient Stewardship practices.
“4R Nutrient Stewardship is a top priority for the fertilizer industry, which is committed to enhancing environmental and economic sustainability across their operations — from the production plant to on-farm application,” said Chris Jahn, president of TFI. “Today, we honor those in the industry who are exemplifying this commitment and using the 4R principles to increase yields, improve soils, and decrease fertilizer’s environmental footprint.”
The winners will receive an expense-paid trip to the 2017 Commodity Classic, where they will be honored at an awards banquet hosted by TFI. While at Commodity Classic, the advocates will represent the 4R program at the trade show and participate in various interviews. Throughout the year they will also be part of TFI’s outreach efforts to promote nutrient management practices by hosting farm field days, participating in conference panels, and speaking on behalf of 4Rs to their farming peers.
The 4R Advocate program was developed by The Fertilizer Institute in 2012 to recognize agricultural producers and retailers who are leading the way to improve agriculture productivity by protecting the environment while boosting profitability. The 4R Advocate program is one of many facets of a campaign to raise awareness and adoption of 4R Nutrient Stewardship practices, which offers an innovative and science-based approach to enhanced environmental protection, increased production, increased farmer profitability, and improved sustainability.
So far, the program has recognized 30 agricultural producers and retailers farming 144,425 acres in 17 U.S. states. As a 4R partner, CHS said it embraces the 4R framework, creates awareness, provides outreach and implements the practices consistent with the 4R scientific principles.
