Norcross, Ga. — The fertilizer community is urging caution in reacting to the warning contained in an assessment that an international crisis could result from a nutrient imbalance of too much in some areas and not enough in others. While the report, titled Our Nutrient World, acknowledges that the situation has benefitted the world by allowing plants to produce more food, it also criticizes the use of mass-produced nutrients that “cause a web of water and air pollution that is damaging to human health ….” The report points out that the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer has increased nine-fold since the 1960s, and that phosphorus use has tripled. It is projected that the world will increase its demand and use of fertilizers in the next 40 years by 40-50 percent. Without access to fertilizer, however, many parts of the world cannot produce enough food, and old practices continue to degrade the land. Responding to these findings, Dr. Terry Roberts, president of the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), stressed that many of the findings are valid. “While we agree with the report’s observation that some areas of the world may use too much fertilizer and others not enough, we urge caution in making such generalized conclusions,” Roberts stated. “ We agree that improving nutrient use efficiency in crop production is a key action for agriculture, and we applaud the authors for recognizing the industry’s 4R Nutrient Stewardship program – the right fertilizer source, applied at the right rate, right time, and right place – is one of the fundamental strategies necessary to improve nutrient use efficiency.” The report stated that areas of particular concern include Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia.
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