Getting Started with the 4R approach
The 4R approach gives you a framework for making smarter fertilizer decisions. Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place—these four principles help you think through how to get the most out of every application. It’s not about following a rigid formula. It’s about understanding what drives nutrient efficiency on your operation and having a systematic way to evaluate your options.
Whether you’re fine-tuning what you’re already doing or looking to try something new, the 4Rs give you a way to assess what’s working and where there might be room for improvement.
What are nutrients to your operation?
Nutrients are Essential. Nutrients help make more than yield. They keep plants healthy and can help with activity in the soil microbiome.
Nutrients are Expensive. The year-in, year-out highest variable cost on farms is fertilizer. Efficient nutrient use adds to the bottom line.
Nutrients are Mobile. Almost all nutrients can leave the soil before plants have a chance to utilize them or be converted to a form plants cannot use.
The Solution: The 4R Approach
Right Source
Fertilizer form matters. Quick-release nitrogen works differently than slow-release or organic sources. Different forms are available to your crop at different rates, affecting both uptake and loss potential. Choose the form that matches when your crop actually needs it.
Right Rate
Soil testing tells you what’s already there, so you’re not guessing. Over-applying wastes money on fertilizer that runs off or leaches away. Under-applying costs you yield. Apply based on what your soil lacks and what your yield goal requires – not just what you’ve always done.
Right Time
Early applications often mean nutrients wash away before your crop can use them. Time your applications to match crop demand – that’s how you keep fertilizer in the field where it’s making you money, not in the tile line where it’s costing you.
Right Place
Placement matters as much as timing. Broadcasting on the surface is fast, but you’ll lose more to volatilization and runoff. Getting fertilizer into the soil – whether by incorporation, injection, or banding – puts it where roots can actually use it.
Look For The Nutrient Stewardship Certification Logo
Ag retailers with Nutrient Stewardship Certification are your trusted partners for implementing 4R in your operation.
Common Questions About 4R
Can I execute 4R Nutrient Management more efficiently on my farm?
Possibly, particularly if you have not analyzed nutrient sources, rates, timing, or placement in the recent past. IANA is committed to working with growers to consult and provide opportunities for enhancing nutrient management.
What 4R practices save me money and improve yield?
- Timely placement where plants can readily uptake the nutrient.
- Sources of fertilizer that are stable when plants don’t need them but available when plants do.
- Rates that optimize return on investment, not necessarily yield.
Is my ag retailer 4R certified?
- Check the Official List: Access the list of certified locations on the Agribusiness Council of Indiana’s 4R page.
- Contact ACI: If a specific location is not listed, inquire with the Agribusiness Council of Indiana directly, as they manage the certification, which requires annual audits.
- Ask the Retailer: Certified retailers often promote their status; ask them directly if they have completed the independent, third-party 4R audit.
Where can I go to learn more?
- The Fertilizer Institute and Agribusiness Council of Indiana are excellent resources.
Indiana 4R Leaders
Farmers can look to 4R Certified Ag Retailers like the locations listed here for information and help in adopting 4R practices.
AgPlus
Ag Plus is a customer-driven cooperative committed to delivering premium value through five core divisions: Agronomy, Energy, Feed, Grain, and Turf. From crop inputs and fuel to complete grain services and expert turf management, Ag Plus serves its members with comprehensive agricultural solutions. South Whitley, Maples, Woodburn, Raber, Churubusco and Garrett
Advanced Agrilytics
Advanced Agrilytics was founded in 2015 to provide data-driven, customized agronomic prescriptions for individual acres. The Huntington-based company uses precision agriculture technology and detailed field analysis to help growers optimize productivity through tailored consulting, research partnerships, and sub-acre insights. Serving all of Indiana
Crop Fertility Specialists (CFS)
For more than 50 years, Crop Fertility Specialists (CFS) has been a valuable resource for Northern Indiana farmers. With a total focus on the crop input retail business, CFS provides leading corn and soybean technologies, products and services that help farmers maximize returns. Rossville
The Andersons
The Andersons is a Fortune 500 agricultural company with deep roots in the grain and fertilizer industries. With locations across the Midwest, they provide Indiana farmers with access to fertilizers, grain marketing, and farm supply services — backed by decades of experience and a reputation for putting the farmer relationship first. Waterloo
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT:
ACI is focused on strengthening and connecting Indiana agribusiness. ACI membership provides you with a strong voice at the Statehouse, a community of industry leaders and information on industry trends and issues.