Nitrogen continues to receive a lot of attention from farmers and the ag industry as a whole. Between the high fertilizer prices experienced over the past few years and environmental issues, there is a lot to consider when making N management decisions. Building on the popular Nitrogen Smart program, University of Minnesota Extension will host two free “Nitrogen College” events January 30-31 at the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen and February 5-6 at Jackpot Junction near Morton.
Both events will feature five sessions over two days. Attendees can choose to attend any or all of them. As usual, there is no cost to attend thanks to the support of the Minnesota Corn Growers and pre-registration is not required.
The five sessions are:
- “A Deep Dive Into the 4 Rs” – 9am on first day – This curriculum goes into detail about the different types of N fertilizer and how they are best managed. This session includes a detailed look into determining the best rate for a field in a specific year.
- “Adapting N Management to Climate” – 1pm on first day – This session looks at the stresses put on N fertilizer by temperature and moisture with an eye on changing management based on conditions.
- “Reducing Nitrate Loss to Water” – 9am on second day – This session allows farmers and ag professionals to evaluate techniques and technology aimed at improving water quality to achieve the best outcomes for their investment.
- “Biological Nitrogen Products” – 1pm on second day – This new hour-long session will explore the emerging technologies of biologicals and their place in a fertility program.
- “Variable Rate Technology for Nitrogen Applications” – 2pm on second day – This new hour-long session looks at how farmers can benefit from variable rate technology.
Ag professionals who are Certified Crop Advisors can receive pre-approved CEUs for attending these workshops, with a total of five Nutrient Management and six Soil and Water credits for attending all sessions. Lunch will not be provided, so attendees should plan accordingly.
Detailed schedules, including meeting times and locations, can be found at:
Source : umn.edu