The Mosaic Company has taken the spirit of collaboration to heart when it comes to creating new soil fertility products and resources that improve agricultural productivity.
In the past year, Mosaic has partnered with BioConsortium, AgBiome, Sound Agriculture and Plant Response. All partnerships will work to develop soil biome technology to unleash the potential of soil microorganisms.
Partnering for soil health
Beneath our feet there is a world of diversity among micro and macro organisms. The active ability of soil to decompose organic material relies on the presence and health of these organisms composed of bacteria, insects, fungi, and animals. The term “soil health,” is described by the USDA “as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.”
Over years of cultivation, the health of soil can decline due to intensive tillage, chemical application, overgrazing, and deforestation. Soils with a weakened biome are less able to mobilize nutrients from organic matter including, but not limited to, nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus.
With less available nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil, producers are required to apply more inorganic nutrients to provide their crops with the minerals and compounds needed to grow. The Mosaic Company is working to create products that improve the soil’s ability to recycle nutrients from organic matter.
We are all in this together: Support for the 4Rs
Agricultural productivity is not only about the tools offered to farmers but also the implementation of the tools. The Mosaic Company has been a long term supporter for the 4R Nutrient Stewardship, a science-based framework to utilize the Right nutrient source, at the Right rate, at the Right time, and in the Right place.
The misuse of fertilizer can cause runoff, ammonia volatilization, and denitrification resulting in polluted waterways and nutrient deficiencies for crops. 4R practices can include soil testing regiments to confirm what the next crop’s nutrient demand will be or precisely placing fertilizer at the seed where it is most needed. Both these methods minimize the loss of nutrients and maximize the use of resources.
The 4R program cultivates producers and industry advocates that work within their network to educate others on how to more efficiently use their fertilizer inputs. Methods learned through the 4R Nutrient Stewardship program allow an Illinois farmer to decrease costs per acre between $16.49 and $25.31 while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions (CO2E) by 34.7 percent from 9.4 CO2E per bushel to 6.14 CO2E per bushel. 4R Nutrient Stewardship principles allow farmers to spend less money to grow their crops while reducing environmental impact.