Minnesota Corn Growers Association
Nitrogen Smart returns for its fifth year of bringing the nitrogen fundamentals to farmers across the state, and the 2020 schedule has the free-to-attend seminar stopping at more locations than ever.
Like last year, each location will feature two courses: One covering the fundamentals of nitrogen management followed by an advanced course, which will focus on the 4Rs of nutrient management.
The fundamental course will follow a similar curriculum to past years, focusing on sources of nitrogen, how it behaves in the soil, how to reduce loss and practices that refine nutrient management. Extension Educator Brad Carlson, who leads the Nitrogen Smart Program, said the goal of the seminar is to provide the information to farmers so they can make their own decision about what is right for their operation.
“We have always stressed that farmers do not attend Nitrogen Smart to have someone tell them what to do,” Carlson said. “We are not going to preach that one size fits all, rather we are going to talk about how one size does not fit all and provide you the information so you can better understand your own circumstances.”
This year’s advanced course will dive into the 4R’s of nutrient management—right source at the right rate at the right time and in the right place. The course will be an opportunity for farmers to get the information that will help fine tune their management: When is fall application a bad idea and the nuances of nitrification inhibitors are a couple examples of topics.
This is the second year Nitrogen Smart will offer an advanced course immediately following the fundamentals course at each location. Last year’s focus was manure management, which will again be the topic during advanced courses in Parkers Prairie and Plainview due to the popularity of livestock in each region. The remaining locations will cover the 4R’s.
The Minnesota Corn Growers Association is a proud supporter of the Nitrogen Smart program. Farmers interested can visit z.umn.edu/NitrogenSmart for additional information on each of the below Nitrogen Smart locations. Those interested can also take the fundamentals course online if they are unable to attend in person, which you can learn more about here.
January 21 – Faribault
January 27 – Morton
January 29 – Austin
January 30 – Fairmont
February 7 – Belle Plaine
February 11 – Little Falls
February 12 – Crookston
February 17 – Parkers Prairie
February 21 – Luverne
February 24 – Plainview
February 27 – Pine City
February 28 – Annandale
March 2 – Willmar
March 3 – Appleton