Many canola farmers in Western Canada are already following many of the basic principles of 4R Nutrient Stewardship – they just don’t know it. There are clear economic and environmental benefits to following these practices. This article describes the basic practices and the benefits to 4R Designation.
Fertilizer rates based on soil sampling is a basic part of 4R nutrient management. This article explains how Federated Co-op 4R designated agronomists can help a farm allocate fertilizer resources based on the productivity of each field or zones within each field.
Cargill wants to show its end users and consumers how modern agriculture can help the planet. One approach is applying the 4R Nutrient Management program throughout its Canadian grain network.
The Canola Council of Canada’s sustainability targets include a goal to have 90 per cent of canola production acres under 4R Nutrient Stewardship by 2025. [Editor’s note: This was originally set at 50 per cent, and the original print version of this article uses the 50 per cent number.]
Canola growers across the Prairies fund dozens of research projects with their levy payments to the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission, Alberta Canola Producers Commission and Manitoba Canola Growers Association. Many of those projects are funded through their joint Canola Agronomic Research Program (CARP), which has been going for almost 30 years. Other projects are funded through arrangements with other organizations listed in these summaries. Here are short descriptions and updates for ongoing projects directly funded by provincial canola grower organizations. See below for an explanation of all abbreviations.