Five Legacy Farmers Cooperative Locations Achieve Multi-Year Certification in 4R Nutrient Stewardship
Continuing its commitment to improving water quality in the Western Lake Erie Basin, Legacy Farmers Cooperative has achieved multi-year certified status at five of its Ohio locations through the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program.
- Custar Agronomy – Year Eight Certified
- Arcadia Agronomy – Year Seven Certified
- Arlington Agronomy – Year Seven Certified
- McComb Agronomy – Year Seven Certified
- Pandora Agronomy – Year Seven Certified
In its ninth year, 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.
“Having all five of our agronomy locations 4R certified in my opinion speaks volumes about Legacy Farmers Cooperative as a company and where our values lie,” said Paige Fitzwater, Legacy Farmers Cooperative precision services manager. “We strive to exceed customer expectations by delivering the best value to their business and I strongly believe the 4R certification is an expression of the bar we hold ourselves and our work to as Legacy Farmers employees.”
Legacy Farmers Cooperative has locations in Hancock, Putnam, Wood Counties. Their full-service lineup includes dry application of fertilizer, liquid applications of crop protection and nutrient products, cover crop applications, and dry fertilizer applications. Legacy Farmers Cooperative also has a full-service precision agriculture program which includes soil sampling, VRT fertilizer recommendations, VRT application, and nutrient management planning services.
“I am proud to be a part of the 4R Certification Program,” said Ryan Mangas, Arcadia Agronomy operations manager. “Using the Right Time, Right Rate, Right Source, and Right Place has helped our farmers succeed in Ohio agriculture production and has had a great impact by reducing fertilizer runoff into the Lake Erie watershed and many other watersheds as well.”
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.
“Continuing to uphold the 4R standards at our agronomy facilities for over seven years is a representation of the hard work and dedication that our agronomy employees, whether that be crop specialist, applicator, admin, or manager, put in every day to do what is best for our customers and the land that we all are stewards of,” Fitzwater added. “I am proud to be a Legacy Farmers Cooperative employee and have the 4R certification that we continue to achieve.”
Approximately 2.5 million acres and more than 5,000 grower customers are serviced by the 55 facilities in Ohio that have earned 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification.
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