The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is excited to offer the third annual 4Rs Nutrient Stewardship Field Day on July 6, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center, near Mead.

The 4Rs is a nutrient management and water stewardship approach that emphasizes fertilizer use with the right source, rate, time, and placement of fertilizers. This science-based approach focuses on the best nutrient management practices and sustainable crop production, increasing crop yield and farmer’s profit while protecting the environment.

Key advantages of following 4Rs Nutrient Management Stewardship include:

• An efficient and effective soil fertility program for optimizing crop nutrient requirements.
• Reducing the cost of fertilizer input while ensuring crop nutrient needs.
• Increasing synchrony of soil nutrient availability and crop growth and development.
• Reducing the potential for nutrient loss to surface water, groundwater and air.
• Enabling efficient water use with the combined interaction of nutrient availability, crop growth and water use.
• Improving soil organic matter and soil health benefits with more crop biomass production.
• Increasing nutrient use efficiency by minimizing nutrient losses.

This year’s 4Rs Field Day will focus on up-to-date research information and demonstrations on all three major crop nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Speakers across two universities (University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Iowa State University) will be presenting topics related to 4Rs strategies to improve crop yield and profits while protecting the environment.

The event counts as 4.5 CEUs on nutrient management. Attendance in the event will count toward Lower Platte North NRD Nitrogen Certification.

The field day is free, but registration is required for participation. More information is on the field day homepage.

Coordinating the event is Javed Iqbal, extension specialist and assistant professor of agronomy, who can be reached at 402-472-1432.