Delaware Maryland 4R Alliance

A collaboration among the Maryland and Delaware agricultural industry, academic institutions, environmental organizations, and government entities to advocate for and facilitate the implementation of 4R best management practices for all plant nutrient application.

Partners

• DMAA
• The Nature Conservancy

The Role of 4R Nutrient Stewardship in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emission Video

The International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) explains how farmers make 4R decisions to minimize greenhouse gas emissions resulting from their nitrogen fertilizer applications. 4R Nutrient Stewardship promotes the best management practices that help farmers maximize the economic, social, and environmental performance of their nutrient applications.

4R News & Events

October 2016

Delmarva 4R Advocate Proram Now Accepting Applications

Do you know a Delmarva Farmer who is leading the way in the Nutrient Stewardship of their land? Tell their story about the good work that they're doing - nominate them to be a 4R Advocate!  Download the nomination form here. The deadline is November 30th.

Chesapeake 4R Alliance Kick Off

The Chesapeake 4R Alliance Kick off meeting was held on February 24, 2015 in Centreville, MD. Amy Jacobs of The Nature Conservancy welcomed partners from a wide variety of organizations including: Chesapeake Conservancy, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Dorchester Soil Conservation District, Delaware-Maryland Agribusiness Association, DE NRCS, MD NRCS, NOAA, USGS, Lower Shore Land Trust, Midshore Riverkeepers, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, Willard AgriServices, Growmark, The Fertilizer Institute, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA-ARS, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and Worcester County. 

The group discussed the organization of the Chesapeake 4R Alliance as well as the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant that The Nature Conservancy and Delaware-Maryland Agribusiness Association was awarded by the Natural Resource Conservation Service. The 4R Alliance will work in concert with the "Delmarva Whole System Conservation - From Field to Stream" project to encourage farmers and landowners to implement 4R practices to avoid excess nutrient application and control field run-off. Additionally, the RCPP project will work in streams and wetlands to trap nutrients prior to them entering the Chesapeake Bay or its tributaries. 

The Nature Conservancy has announced they are hiring a part-time 4R Coordinator to help with the outreach, education and implementation of the 4Rs on the Delmarva. We look forward to further developing the structure and actions of the Chesapeake 4R Alliance!

 

Mission

To communicate the economic and environmental benefits to crop farmers and public policy influencers and increase the adoption of 4R nutrient use efficiency practices adoption on farms in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Resources

4R Nutrient Stewardship

 

NRCS & the 4Rs

 

Implementing the
4Rs on Farms

 

International Plant
Nutrition Institute