IFCA has partnered with Agrible to develop an on-line platform for IFCA ag retail members to report progress on the 4Rs on custom-applied acres in Illinois.  The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (INLRS) has definitive benchmarks for progress on reducing nitrogen and phosphorus losses by the year 2025.  Therefore, we have to establish a method to illustrate the progress that agriculture is making in our voluntary efforts to use the right source, right rate, right time and right place for nutrients in Illinois.  IFCA is eager to lead in this effort and be able to illustrate the number of acres in Illinois where IFCA members are promoting and implementing the 4Rs.  Click here to see the IFCA & Agrible press release.  

 

Over the summer we will be working with Agrible to build the program.  Our goal is a platform that is easy for ag retailers to utilize based on the information you already have in place at your retail operations.  We will be testing the system with three of our members later this fall, and if all works according to the plan, it will be offered to all members in 2019.  

 

Without a measure of accountability on the use of volulntary measures, agriculture will have no other specific means by which to show progress for all of the efforts that we know are underway.  Our fellow nutrient stakeholders (agencies and environmental groups, water and waste water companies) are happy to see this latest commitment from IFCA.  Down the road, farmers would also be able to utilize this system if they too wish to participate and report their 4R practices on acres where they apply the nutrients themselves.  If you have questions on the 4R metrics, please contact Jean Payne.