LINCOLN, Neb. (NEBRASKA EXAMINER) – Eleven years ago, Wade Ellwanger began analyzing reports submitted by farmers detailing the amount of fertilizer applied to corn fields in his region of north-central Nebraska.

What he discovered was a “shock”: 91 percent of farmers were applying too much nitrogen fertilizer to their crops, with some applying up to 30 pounds more per acre than was recommended by university agronomists of Nebraska-Lincoln.

This additional nitrogen did not result in increased yields, but rather was available to leach into the region’s sandy soils, contaminating groundwater in some areas above healthy levels recommended for human consumption in several regions.

Ellwanger, general manager of the Lower Niobrara Natural Resources District, turned this revelation into a teaching moment.

The NRD, charged with managing groundwater supplies and their quality, began showing local farmers how much excess fertilizer they were applying in order to persuade them to reduce their use, save money and to contribute to the supply of drinking water.

It worked: By 2021, the percentage of local fields that had nitrogen fertilizer applications above recommended levels had fallen to 66%, and the average overapplication had fallen to an average of 10 pounds per acre.

“It was good to see,” Ellwanger said. “Over the years, we have seen a nice downward trend, a very positive trend. »

This data-driven educational approach used by Lower Niobrara NRD is now widespread across the state.

This fall, the Nebraska Association of Resource Districts launched a computer application for farmers, called “Producer Connect,” that makes it easier for them to report annual fertilizer application levels and, in turn, allows the NRD association to more easily compile data and provide comments.

The app, developed by Scottsbluff-based Longitude 103, shows farmers how their nitrogen use compares to their neighbors and UNL recommendations. It also details how much a farmer could save by reducing fertilizer use without reducing yields. These are savings that could reach $40 per acre and more.

Seventeen of the state’s 23 NRDs – primarily those in the state’s corn-growing areas – are participating in what is being touted as a “proactive” measure by the state’s farmers and fertilizer suppliers to guarantee the safety of drinking water.

“It’s a giant step forward,” said Dean Edson, director of the NRD association, addressing the issue of high nitrate levels in Nebraska’s groundwater.

Nearly one in five public water supplies and private wells in Nebraska have consistently high nitrate/nitrogen levels, and that number is increasing, according to a report released in May by the Institute of Agriculture and Agriculture. of natural resources at UNL. Nitrates washed from fields have been linked to harmful algae blooms in lakes, and nitrates in concentrates greater than 10 parts per million have been linked to various cancers and “blue baby syndrome” in newborns. born.

The nitrate problem, officials say, was caused by decades of overapplication of nitrogen fertilizers and will take decades to recover from.

But Ellwanger said nitrate levels in some areas of his NRD, which covers Boyd County and parts of Holt, Knox, Rock and Keya Paha counties, have stabilized and some have shown slight declines in recent years .

Edson said this has also happened in some areas of the Central Platte River Valley, which has a similar nitrogen fertilizer monitoring program in place because of high nitrate levels in groundwater.

“We’re making some improvements, but it’s going to take time,” he said. “We’re not going to clean it up overnight.”

Edson said agricultural groups and fertilizer suppliers provided funding for the estimated cost of $150,000 to $175,000 to develop the app and for the expected expense of $30,000 a year to maintain it.

In areas with high nitrate levels, farmers were already required to provide annual reports on their fertilizer use, he explained. The app makes doing these reports easier, Edson said, and allows for quick analysis of the data. Farmers will see how their fertilizer application compares to other farmers in the area, as well as expected savings if less nitrogen was applied.

“The main thing is the economics,” he said. “They will see how much money they will save while getting the same returns.”

Ellwanger said some farmers can save up to $88 per acre in input costs by reducing fertilizer applications, improving soil health through practices such as cover crops and optimizing timing. irrigation.

But changing farming practices takes time, Edson said. Some farmers still follow the practices of their fathers and grandfathers, and when crop prices rise, they tend to apply more fertilizer. But, he added, the use of cover crops to improve soil health is becoming more widespread, and fewer farmers are applying fertilizer in the fall, a practice that is proving unnecessary.

The Nebraska Legislature is also getting involved in trying to reduce nitrate levels in groundwater.

Earlier this year, lawmakers passed House Bill 1368, or the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act. The law provides financial incentives of up to $15 per acre to farmers who reduce commercial fertilizer use by the lesser of 40 pounds per acre or 15 percent. The bill was initially proposed to provide $5 million per year in total incentives, but it was reduced to just $1 million.

LB 1368 has generated a lot of interest, Ellwanger said, but it’s just the beginning. Hopefully, he said, the program will continue and additional funds can be found.

Click here to subscribe to our daily 10/11 NOW digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.

Copyright 2024 KOLN. All rights reserved.