INDIANAPOLIS – The updated Indiana Agriculture Nutrient Alliance (IANA) website will serve as a good source for information that enables viable farmers, healthy soil and clean water, according to the organization’s executive director.

“Farmers are incredibly busy people, so the entire IANA website (www.inagnutrients.org) was updated visually to make it easier for farmers to use and find the information they need about nutrient management for their farms,” Ben Wicker explained. “It is important to note that the information on the site is vetted by the 14 partners who support IANA so it is a very credible spot for farmers to find usable information.

“Our hope is that farmers can use the site as a reference point as they think about nutrient management, prompting them to engage with our partners and industry professionals to design plans that work for their unique situation.”

The site has four sections – 4R nutrient management (right source, right rate, right time, right place); soil health; water management; and resources.

The 4R principles help farmers think through how to get the most out of every application, he noted. Information on soil health focuses on available tools and helping farmers protect their soil for future generations, Wicker added.

The section on water covers strategies to avoid run off, and the resources section is organized by topic to help farmers and their advisers quickly find literature about each element of nutrient management, he said.

IANA receives similar questions about nutrients and management regularly, Wicker said.

“Some common questions include how to apply fertilizer and manure more efficiently and still maximize return on investment or yield,” he said. “Another question involves analysis of fertilizer sources for the least expensive option that still can be applied according to the equipment the farm has available. A third question is when to apply given varying weather conditions, making soils unsuitable for wheel traffic much of the winter and spring.”

Wicker said farmers around the state may be more willing to think about management strategies given that fertilizer prices are squeezing the bottom line.

“Particularly now, they are open to strategies that get a larger percentage of nutrients into their crops and stay in their soils,” he said. “It is an economic argument for many, but those mindful of conservation and stewardship also grow to see the long-term advantages of 4R nutrient management.”

Wicker said progress is being made on goals for managing nutrients IANA hoped farmers would achieve by 2025. Goals were set for the planning, application and protection of nutrients. For example, IANA hoped all farmers in the state would regularly perform soil sampling and implement plans for nutrient management. Another goal was that Indiana would see a 25 percent increase in cropland acres using reduced tillage systems.

The goals were set to be intentionally aggressive and aspirational to demonstrate the scale of change and progress needed, he said.

“Being able to show changes in farmer attitudes and practices has been recognized as a positive indicator of nutrient loss reduction, even when changes in water quality may lag,” Wicker said. “Based on farmer surveys and other tracking metrics, positive gains were seen across all goals. There is still work to be done in ensuring the agronomic and economic case for practice changes is clear to farmers for the long-term viability of both the practices and farmers’ operations overall.”

IANA, started in 2018, empowers farmers to improve nutrient use efficiency, enhance soil health and protect water quality by vetting and promoting sustainable, proven practices that drive farm success and protect natural resources, Wicker said. Its partners include the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Farm Bureau, Purdue University Extension and several commodity groups in the state.