New Incentive Program Helps Farmers Reduce Nitrogen Pollution by Leaning Into Soil Health Practices
By Lisa Blazure
How to Reduce Nitrogen Pollution While Maximizing Crop Yields
While nitrogen (N) fertilizer is essential for high corn yields, applying more than the crop can use leads to unnecessary costs and environmental impacts such as degraded water quality and freshwater ecosystems. More accurate nitrogen management not only helps farmers save money but also supports cleaner water and air, as well as healthier streams and rivers, in our communities.
Reducing unnecessary fertilizer use is especially important for Pennsylvania, which adds more nitrogen pollution to the Chesapeake Bay than any other state — partly due to its robust agriculture and food industry that has an economic value of $135.7 billion. This spring, Pennsylvania farmers planted 970,000 acres of corn, slightly less than New York but more than Maryland and Delaware combined.
To help Pennsylvania meet its pollution reduction targets in a way that maximizes farm productivity and profitability, Stroud Water Research Center, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Soil Health Coalition and Penn State University, is offering financial incentives to farmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed who reduce their use of synthetic fertilizer after accounting for naturally occurring nitrogen in their soils. Funding for the incentives comes from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund.
Naturally occurring nitrogen can come from no-till planting and cover crops, practices that build soil health by supplying nitrogen through organic matter and soil biological activity. Farms that follow these practices may not need as much synthetic fertilizer as previously assumed. Reducing fertilizer rates in these cases can result in significant cost savings to the farmer without sacrificing crop yield.
How Much Fertilizer Does My Soil Really Need?
With Penn State’s nitrogen recommendation tool (N Tool), farmers can enter site-specific soil data and cover crop information to estimate how much nitrogen will become available naturally during the growing season. By factoring in nitrogen from sources such as soil organic matter and cover crop residues, the N Tool provides tailored recommendations that can reduce unnecessary fertilizer use. Farms with a long history of manure applications may benefit the most from this tool, as these soils typically release more organic forms of nitrogen.
The Incentive Program for Adaptive Nitrogen Management also allows farmers to conduct side-by-side fertilizer trials to gain more confidence in their soil’s ability to supply the corn’s nutrient needs. By using science-based tools like the N Tool and collecting data on their own fields, farmers can make informed decisions that lead to long-term sustainability and increased profitability.
The Many Risks of Using Too Much Fertilizer
Beyond the economic benefits, reducing the use of nitrogen fertilizer helps minimize nitrate leaching, a process where nitrogen not used by the crop moves below the root zone and contaminates groundwater. This is especially a risk during high-rainfall periods like the mid-Atlantic has experienced this spring.
Nitrate-contaminated drinking water poses public health risks, especially to infants, and addressing this groundwater contamination can be challenging and expensive for rural communities. By aligning nitrogen applications more closely with crop needs, farms help protect local water supplies.
Nitrogen lost from farm fields can also reach nearby streams through surface runoff, especially after heavy rains. This runoff contributes to nutrient pollution in local waterways and in downstream water bodies like the Chesapeake Bay. Excess nutrients fuel the growth of algae, which depletes oxygen and harms aquatic life. In Pennsylvania, many streams are impaired by nutrient pollution, making nitrogen management a key practice for improving local water quality and helping the state meet its Chesapeake Bay water quality goals.
Typically, farms are reluctant to reduce nitrogen fertilizer applications because they do not want to risk a lower crop yield at harvest. But as fertilizer prices continue to increase and profit margins become slimmer with lower grain prices, more farms are considering this cost-saving measure.
Get Started
- To inquire about the program and enroll, contact Lisa Blazure.
- Get nitrogen recommendations for your cornfield by using the N Tool.
- Whether you’re a farmer, business owner, municipal decision-maker, or Pennsylvania resident, you can learn how to reduce runoff pollution by visiting Healthy Waters, Healthy Communities.
- Explore our Watershed Restoration Resources and Fact Sheets for more ways to make a difference.
