St. Paul, Minn.-The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is helping farmers save on fertilizer by making available free sampling of their irrigation water to help with calculating the right nitrogen crediting. According to Water Quality Adviser Jennifer Gallus, accurate crediting requires knowledge of the nitrate concentration in the irrigation water and an estimate of the amount of water normally pumped during the period when the crop in question is actively taking up nitrogen. MDA is partnering with the East Central Irrigators Association to provide free nitrate testing during the 2010 irrigation season. Five sites have been designated for dropping off the water samples.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain