The voluntary Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy is helping farmers keep expensive nutrients, especially nitrogen, on the field where it can be used by the crop. But another huge benefit is keeping nitrogen out of our waterways. Jean Payne is president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Assoc.



And if farmers do not limit nitrogen runoff, we may be facing mandatory rules on application in the future. Payne says we will never limit all nitrogen loss, we just need to get it down to tolerable levels.



The best way to limit nitrogen loss is making sure you wait until the soil temperatures are low enough, and likely to stay low enough, using a nitrogen inhibitor like N-Serve and following best management practices for applicant method and rates.