The organizations and products selected for Phase Two trials in the Next Gen Fertilizer Challenges were announced on March 23 by The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), The Nature Conservancy, and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).
The Next Gen Fertilizer Challenges were launched on Aug. 26, 2020 (GM Aug. 28, 2020), as a partnership between those four organizations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The goal is to accelerate the development of innovative fertilizer product technologies and to increase the use of existing enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) that maintain or increase crop yields and reduce environmental impacts to air, land, and water.
Phase One included review and selection of product nominations by an expert judging panel. Phase Two will be initiated this spring and will include greenhouse trial evaluations of the winning products by researchers at IFDC. The products will be evaluated based on environmental, agronomic, and economic performance factors.
The companies and their products selected for this trial include AgroLiquid for Pro-Germinator; CHS Agronomy for Trivar; Corteva Agriscience for Optinyte; EuroChem Agro for ENTEC; Harrell’s for POLYON; Koch Company Services for both CENTURO and SUPERU; MicroSource for Hi-Test; Nutrien for ESN; Pursell Agri-Tech for PurYield; Renuvix for Renuvix CRFs; SABIC for BCRU; The Andersons for Struvite DG; Timac Agro USA for both Duo Maxx and Top-Phos; and Verdesian Life Sciences for AVAIL.
“For generations, we’ve seen how innovation has shaped modern U.S. agriculture into the most successful and efficient production system in the world,” said Corey Rosenbusch, TFI President and CEO. “This public-private partnership represents the next generation of fertilizer technologies that will produce results for farmers and the land. I am proud to see several TFI members selected here as industry leaders in adopting and promoting these new technologies.”
The first of two Next Gen Fertilizer Challenges – EEFs: Agronomic and Environmental Challenge – aims to identify existing EEFs currently on- or near-market that meet or exceed certain environmental and agro-economic criteria. The second component of the Next Gen Fertilizer Innovation Challenge will identify novel pre-market technologies for fertilizers that can reduce the environmental effects from modern agriculture while maintaining or increasing crop yields.
“I am pleased to see the Next Gen Fertilizer Challenge bridging the gap between good ideas and their implementation,” said Albin Hubscher, IFDC President and CEO. “Strategic partnerships such as this will continue to catalyze innovation in improving global soil health and closing the yield gap. IFDC anticipates exciting results from our evaluations of these products.”
“Corn farmers have a vested interest in using new technology that improves their operations and minimizes their environmental impact,” said NCGA President John Linder. “We are pleased to be a part of these Challenges and to work with these partners to promote sustainable farming practices that build up soil health, allowing farmers to improve productivity and profitability while also preserving natural resources for future generations.”
“The Nature Conservancy is excited to be part of the Next Gen Fertilizer Challenges as a way to drive new innovations that will help farmers better understand which enhanced efficiency fertilizers may work best on their farm,” said Carrie Vollmer-Sanders, Director of Strategic Engagement for Agriculture at The Nature Conservancy in North America. “We are strong advocates of the 4R approach to nutrient management and believe that the EPA and USDA’s science-based approach to the challenge will help farmers implement the 4Rs on their cropland.”