By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Illinois Corn Growers Assoc. (ICGA) and the Illinois Chemical & Fertilizer Assoc. (IFCA) are warning farmers not to rush to their fields following this year’s early harvest to add nitrogen, in part because they say anti-agriculture parties and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are closely monitoring applications.

“It is too early to be applying fall nitrogen. Environmental extremists are documenting, right now, everywhere they can find, individual cases of N being applied at inappropriate times,” reads a recent posting to the ICGA’s website at www.ilcorn.org

“Is the rush to get fieldwork done worth costing everybody in the industry fall-applied nitrogen? That’s not an exaggeration and the outcome is nearer than you might choose to believe.”

Years of responsible fertilizer stewardship accumulated by thousands of Illinois farmers could be “undone” if irresponsible applications continue, the ICGA warned.

“Take a lesson from what happened in Florida. Legislation via litigation ended up costing farmers in that state after extreme environmental groups pushed their agendas through the courts. Illinois is next on their list,” it stated.

ICGA President Tim Lenz, who recently completed harvesting corn and soybeans at his farm near Strasburg in southern Illinois, said the post was made partly in response to increased regulations for agriculture imposed or being considered by the EPA.

“We’re trying to make people aware that with the overactive U.S. EPA and the environmental groups’ actions resulting in more regulations, farmers need to monitor themselves before we lose the ability to utilize nitrogen for fall applications,” Lenz said.

“The Illinois EPA and Illinois farm organizations have been in the farmer’s corner supporting their access to fall nitrogen, but not following best management practices for nitrogen undermines everyone’s credibility and could result in our losing that access.”

Jean Payne, IFCA president, said many farmers are eager to perform tillage practices and apply fall N because of beautiful early autumn weather that has settled over the Midwest and Illinois.
“With the warm temperatures we’re having, the soil temperature is not acceptable yet for nitrogen applications. We’re urging farmers this year to wait until the soil temperature is around 50 degrees to apply fall nitrogen, whether in anhydrous ammonia or ammonia sulfate form,” she said.

Midwest agriculture is under increased scrutiny and must practice good stewardship regarding fall N applications, Payne believes. “We’re under a tremendous amount of pressure and scrutiny with the Gulf (of Mexico) Hypoxia Action Plan and the issue of states setting nutrient water quality standards for nitrogen. There is a lot of pressure on agriculture in general to control nutrient losses,” Payne said.

“We’re asking farmers to step up the stewardship game and not consider putting any nitrogen out until the time is right, and to use a nitrogen stabilizer as well.”

The right time for applying N is explored in a paper authored by University of Illinois extension soil specialist Fabian Fernandez, and may be accessed online through the IFCA’s website at www.ifca.com
The site also features a number of resources for information on fall N applications, including a rate calculator to determine the proper amount of the fertilizer-nutrient to apply.

“No one has really been critical of our fertilizer rates – we have gained a lot of efficiency in increased yields – but since we’re a heavily-tiled state, we have to make an extra effort to avoid (N) losses out of those tile drains,” Payne said.

Though phosphate fertilizers DAP, MAP and potash have been in short supply in Illinois this fall, some vendors are holding their inventory until the weather cools.

“We have worked with our members to tell them to really keep control of those nurse tanks until the soil temperature is appropriate,” Payne said. “The dealers recognize the scrutiny our industry is under and that is why they are keeping their nurse tanks on their lots.”

Payne attended a meeting with the Illinois EPA and conservation groups on Oct. 13, during which she explained the ag industry’s nutrient management plan and other proactive measures farmers take in planning and executing their fall N applications.

“We’d like to avoid more regulations, because regulations tend to have an adversarial effect,” she said.