By Andi Anderson
The Illinois Ag Retail Survey, the first of its kind in the state, has set a new baseline for tracking nutrient management practice adoption and quantifying nutrient loss reduction achieved at retail locations and on farms.
The survey was supported by a coalition of agricultural groups and funded by the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices.
The survey found that farmers are implementing conservation practices and wanting to share their story about how a voluntary agricultural framework is vital for meeting state goals. Some of the key findings from the survey include:
- Tillage generally occurs ahead of corn more frequently than soybean as no-till corn was 24% and no-till soybean was 44%.
- Cover crops were found on approximately 9% of fields in fall 2021.
- Anhydrous ammonia application in the fall was 49% with 97% use of a nitrification inhibitor.
The survey results will help identify patterns and trends of best management practices usage over time, as well as opportunities to develop new programs and initiatives to tackle key areas identified by the survey.
The high participation rate in the survey, with only 13 customers opting out of providing data for the 917 fields surveyed, shows that farmers and ag retailers are aware of and engaged in the effort to improve water quality.
Photo Credit: istock-123ducu
Categories: Illinois, General