| | i | s fT — igl(Dl (ff 6h hCUMhClUG fOLeCUINGUURENVIFOnMen Environmental Considerations Driving Major Evolution In Agriculture (NAPSA)—Farmershave beencalled the original conservationists because they have a rich history oftendingto the delicate balance betweensoil and waterthat sustainslife for all. Their love ofthe land drives what may well be the next major evolution in agriculture. Most industries strive to do more with less, and agricultureis no different. Today’s farmers use advanced tools and technologies that focus on the basics of plant science: how to make plants more efficient at taking up the essential nutrients they need. These new tools include products that increasefertilizer efficiency, make nutrients more available to growing crops and even create “hunger pangs” within those crops that signal plants to grab more nutrients. By increasing nutrient use efficiency or ensuring more nutrients go to the plant, these technologies not only improve crop yields but also benefit the environment, especially soil health and water quality. Nutrients suchas nitrogen and phosphorus that might otherwise wind up in waterways are instead left in the soil in significantly reduced amounts where they can be used by the plants that need them. “Advanced scienceallowsusto create new interactions among biological, chemical and physical relationships that benefit plant growth and output, said Greg ‘Thompson,president and chief operating officer for Verdesian Life Sciences, an in- dustry leader and global supplier of plant health, biological and nutrition technolo- gies headquartered in Cary, North Caroli- na. “At the same time,the positive environ- mental characteristics of these innovations are helping farmers improvetheir sustainability and conservationefforts, which they desire as stewardsof natural resources and which are also being demanded by consumers and food companies” ‘The product and technologyportfolio offered by the companyfocuses on minimizing modernagriculture’ environmental footprint while simultaneously helping farmers to remainprofitable. “Conservation on farmland can seem hardto define. We define sustainability and conservation as continuous improvement on every acre around water quality and soil health,” Thompson added. “Our purpose as an organization is to help farmers adopt and follow best practices that support environmentally, economically and socially sustainable crop production. Being a good environmental steward and operating a Today’s farmers use advanced tools and technologies that focus on the basics of plant science: how to make plants more efficient at taking up the essential nutrients they need. profitable farm are not mutually exclusive.” “Farmers want to see their fertilizer and nutrients leave the field in a grain truck at harvest—notbeleft in thesoil or washed away in drainage,’ said Mike Wilson, specialty products marketing manager and agronomist for Wabash Valley Service Company, a major supplier of farm inputs and agronomicservices for farmersin Illinois, Indiana and Ken- tucky. “This new category of nutrient use efficiency products is every bit as revolutionaryasthefirst John Deere plow” Wilson works closely with roughly 2,500 customers who farm across sever- al environmentally sensitive watersheds. Each has a nutrient management plan that Wilson’s team helps farmers develop and implement.‘These plansare designed to maintain high crop yield potential while implementing the best possible environmental stewardship practices with fertilizer applications. “We meetour environmental objectives by only applying the minimal amount of fertilizer needed to make a crop and we're very careful as to what, when, where and how muchis applied? Wilson explained. “Wealso use newfertilizer efficiency technologiesto get the most out ofevery pound offertilizer applied by increasing the nutrientuseefficiency ofnitrogen and phosphorus—more in the plant meansless in the environment” This latest agricultural evolution benefits consumers by maintaining a plentiful and affordable supply of healthy and safe food, clean drinking water and productive, sustainable soils that will feed and nourish us for generations to come, Wilson noted. Learn More For furtherfacts on advancesin agri- culture, go to www.visci.com.
