POTASHCORP SALUTES WATER QUALITY EFFORTS BY IOWA RETAILERS
It's no secret that critics of modern farming practices often claim that agriculture has a great deal to do with the amount of nutrients in rivers and watersheds. One group of ag retailers is being proactive about monitoring its impact on water quality and looking into ways to decrease agriculture's environmental footprint.
The latest entry in the PotashCorp Enriching program is the story of Agriculture's Clean Water Alliance. ACWA is a group of ag retailers around Des Moines, Iowa, working with governmental agencies to monitor and limit the amount of nitrogen that farming puts into the watershed.
"When we formed in 1999, we thought it important to be proactive about the issue of nitrogen levels in the water and about agriculture's role," said Roger Koppen, General Manager of Farmers Cooperative, Farnhamville, Iowa and a founding member of ACWA. "We drink the same water, use the same rivers as our neighbors and are just as concerned about water quality."
The causes of nitrogen in the Raccoon River watershed where ACWA works are complex. Fertilizer applications aren't the only reason nitrogen levels rise. Weather, rainfall and temperature are often the causes behind increases, Koppen said.
But ACWA took a major step on one aspect of nitrogen levels in water by creating the Code of Practice for Fall Nitrogen Application. The code ensures that ACWA-member ag retailers will not sell nitrogen for application in the fall until soil temperatures fall to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This reduces the amount of nitrate entering the Raccoon River from nearby fields.
"It is stories like this that inspire us at PotashCorp, and hopefully others in agribusiness, to engage with their communities and address issues," said PotashCorp Director of Public Affairs Bill Johnson. "ACWA is a great example of ag retailers stepping up, rather than taking a defensive posture on the issue."
The ACWA story went live on PotashCorp's Enriching website in February. PotashCorp believes in sharing with other organizations what it has learned about sustainability. The company also gives credit where it's due. The website www.potashcorpenriching.com encourages sustainable practices, while sparking discussion about sustainability and agriculture issues.
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