Continuing its commitment to improving water quality in the western Lake Erie Basin, Nutrien Ag Solutions Leipsic/Ottawa has achieved certified status for year three through the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program, reports The Crescent News.
The voluntary certification program is a concentrated effort by the agriculture industry to significantly reduce and prevent applied nutrients from running off fields, which has contributed to water quality issues in Lake Erie. Facilities are required to meet certain program goals each year to retain certified status.
With the program in its seventh year, Nutrien Ag Solutions Leipsic/Ottawa joins a long list of retailers to achieve year three certification.
“The 4R Certification has helped us transition more growers to grid soil sampling,” said Logan Kaufman, certified crop adviser and crop consultant for Nutrien Ag Solutions. “We are able to assure our growers that the nutrients being applied are being placed where they are needed, in hopes of improving water quality.”
The 4R program certifies nutrient service providers in the western Lake Erie basin and across the state of Ohio that apply or make recommendations are doing so in accordance with 4R Nutrient Stewardship principles — which refers to using the Right source of nutrients at the Right rate and Right time in the Right place. Program participants must go through an annual, independent, third-party audit and demonstrate they not only understand 4R principles, but also follow them.
