Washington-The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) announced on Jan. 20 that it is providing $8,000 to partially fund an 18-month program to educate South Dakota agricultural producers on practices that minimize nutrient pollution. TFI said the funds would be used to implement a multi-faceted outreach program aimed at increasing farmer adoption of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship System (use of the right fertilizer source at the right rate, the right time, and in the right place). TFI’s money partially matches an EPA pass-through grant by the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources to the South Dakota Agri-Business Association (SDABA), the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts, and the South Dakota Association of Cooperatives. Including TFI’s matching funds, the total value of the grant is $28,650. “We are pleased to be a part of this partnership to ensure fertilizers are used in a sustainable manner,” said TFI President Ford West. “Farmers are being challenged to stay profitable and increase crop yields to meet growing food demand while safeguarding water, air, and soil resources. 4R Nutrient Stewardship provides farmers with science based tools to achieve all of those goals.” The education initiative being funded through the grant will include member outreach and education, advertising, direct mail, point of sale materials, and displays at key trade shows. The program runs from January 2011 to August 2012 and is targeted to producers in three key South Dakota watersheds Big Sioux River, Vermillion River, and James River. “Our goal for this intensive outreach program is to jumpstart producers thinking of how they can adopt 4R nutrient stewardship on their operation,” said SDABA Executive Director Kathy Zander. “TFI commends the South Dakota Agribusiness Association and its partners for their leadership in spearheading this worthy effort,” said West.

Vancouver-Potash One Inc. said Jan. 19 that it has been advised by K+S Canada Holdings Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Germany’s K+S Aktiengesellschaft, that 78,802,378 common shares of Potash One have been deposited to K+S Canada’s offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding Potash One shares for C$4.50 in cash per Potash One share. The Potash One shares deposited to the offer represent approximately 81 percent of the issued and outstanding Potash One shares as of Jan. 18, 2011. K+S announced plans for a “friendly” acquisition of Potash One last November (GM Nov. 29, 2010).

Washington-California growers received good news on Jan. 18 when the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation reported that it expects to deliver more water supplies requested by Central Valley farms this season due to plentiful snows left by early winter storms and higher-than-expected water reserves left over from 2010. Although the first water allocations won’t be announced until February, the federal government on Jan. 18 released an initial forecast of 45 percent for farmers south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, with the remaining agricultural, urban, and industrial customers expected to receive 75-100 percent of their requests. The agency reported that California’s first snow survey in December showed almost double the normal snow water content for that time of year, compared with 85 percent of the normal in the first report last year. Early last year, farmers south of the delta were forecast to receive only 5 percent of the water permitted through long-term contracts with the federal government, but that allotment was subsequently raised to 45 percent during the 2010 growing season due to heavy spring rains. In another water forecast last week, the U.S. National Weather Service on Jan. 18 predicted major flooding on the Red River in North Dakota and Minnesota due to above-normal snowpack. The report said the risk of major spring floods in the northern Red River basin near the Manitoba border is similar to the risks that were present during major floods in 2006, 2009, and 2010.

Atlanta-The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) on Jan.10 filed a lawsuit in federal court to halt the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s pollution regulatory plan dictating how much nitrogen and phosphorous can be allowed into Chesapeake Bay from agriculture and other sources. “We all want a clean and healthy Chesapeake Bay,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “This lawsuit is about how we get there. Farm Bureau believes EPA’s ‘diet’ for the Chesapeake is dangerous and unlawful.” AFBF says the agency is overreaching by establishing a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), or so-called “pollution diet” for the 64,000 square mile area, regardless of cost. The suit declares Farm Bureau’s three basic objections to the TMDL rule: the activities of farmers, homeowners, and businesses in the six-state watershed are unlawfully “micromanaged,” sometimes down to the individual farmer; EPA relied on inaccurate assumptions and on a scientific model that the agency itself admits was flawed to establish the TMDL; and EPA violated the requirement that agencies allow meaningful public participation on new rules. “Farmers and ranchers already are taking real, on-the-ground actions every day to improve water quality, actions that have been shown by USDA reports to reduce soil erosion and provide other environmental benefits,” Stallman asserted. “Those actions will continue, regardless of what happens with this lawsuit.”

Osceola, Ark.-A $2.4 million floating dock system in Osceola, Ark., is expected to be operational within a month, and will save time and freight costs for fertilizer users in northeastern Arkansas, according to Poinsett Rice and Grain, the company completing the project. Poinsett Operations Manager Scott Foushee told local reporters that the floating dock system was developed because the company’s own grain docks on the Mississippi River were constantly being used, with Poinsett fielding multiple inquiries to offload other products from barges. “We just couldn’t stop loading the grain to start working with anybody else,” Foushee said. Partial funding for the project came from the Delta Regional Authority and the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Poinsett said it also plans to install truck parking and roads for access to the dock’s loading bin area. “You’ll see a freight savings on a fertilizer standpoint,” Foushee told the local press. “They won’t have to send their trucks to Memphis, they will be able to come here. Save just a little bit of freight.” Poinsett operates a total of six Arkansas facilities, located at Osceola, Cherry Valley, Diaz, Corning, and Waldenburg. Osceola Mayor Dickie Kennemore said the floating dock would add 30 jobs to the area. “Our number one job in this county is to create jobs,” Kennemore told reporters. “It will create some jobs here at the port. It will create some jobs with some of the agricultural supply companies in the area.”

San Francisco-Sausage-maker Columbus Manufacturing has agreed to pay $850,000 and make safety improvements to settle a lawsuit with the San Mateo County District Attorney Office over an anhydrous ammonia release, but still could face another substantial fine by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In its complaint, the district attorney’s office stated that Columbus failed to comply with California accidental release prevention requirements, including properly training employees, updating process safety information, and performing an adequate pre-startup safety review for new equipment. The incident in August 2009, in which approximately 200 pounds of ammonia were released, exposed over a dozen people and impacted local businesses for hours. According to the district attorney’s office, Columbus cooperated in the resolution of the action and is now evaluating the replacement of its existing ammonia refrigeration system with an ammonia glycol system, the ammonia component of which would be located within the interior of Columbus’ buildings. Columbus is also under orders from EPA to address safety concerns in the facility’s ammonia refrigeration systems. Agency officials have said that the company may also face substantial federal fines as a result of the dangerous accidental release.

London-Sirius Minerals Plc has acquired private UK-based York Potash Ltd. for £25.1 million. In addition, York’s founder, Chris Fraser, has been named the managing director and CEO of Sirius. Both York and Sirius are start-up junior potash exploration companies. York has signed various agreements with major landowners in relation to mineral rights covering more than 600km² onshore and offshore between the towns of Whitby and Scarborough in North Yorkshire, England, where it has been analyzing the potential to develop a new world-class potash project. As a result of the York deal, Sirius now says it holds properties in the UK, North America (North Dakota), and Australia (Queensland and Western Australia). Incorporated in 2003, Sirius Minerals’ shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market. Its shares are also traded in North America on the OTCQX through the use of a sponsored ADR facility.