Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Manitoba recommits to 4R nutrient stewardship

Manitoba recommits to 4R nutrient stewardship

The provincial government and an ag organization signed a memorandum of understanding continuing to 2024

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The Manitoba ag community has signaled it will continue to practice nutrient stewardship going forward.

Keystone Agricultural Producers, the Government of Manitoba and Fertilizer Canada signed a fourth memorandum of understanding (MOU) to reaffirm a commitment to the 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework.

The MOU runs until Dec. 31, 2024.

This commitment helps farmers find a balance between crop nutrition and environmental challenges, said Derek Johnson, Manitoba’s minister of agriculture.

“Farmers continue to recognize the responsible use and application of nutrients in their operations is fundamental to their ability to put affordable and healthy food on plates across the globe,” he said in a statement. “By applying nutrients using the 4R principles, they maximize fertilizer performance and minimize effects on the environment.”

Fertilizer Canada also helps farmers adopt and learn about 4R practices.

When it comes to water, for example, the organization provided $150,000 over three years to fund workshops and learning tools for Manitoba farmers.

“Manitoba continues to show its commitment and dedication to climate-smart agriculture practices,” Karen Proud, president and CEO of Fertilizer Canada, said in a statement. “We are pleased to continue this partnership that offers farmers sustainable solutions for their crops.”

Two other provinces have already signed recent MOUs, with P.E.I. and Ontario signing on in March.


Trending Video

No-Till vs Tillage: Why Neighboring Fields Are World Apart

Video: No-Till vs Tillage: Why Neighboring Fields Are World Apart

“No-till means no yield.”

“No-till soils get too hard.”

But here’s the real story — straight from two fields, same soil, same region, totally different outcomes.

Ray Archuleta of Kiss the Ground and Common Ground Film lays it out simply:

Tillage is intrusive.

No-till can compact — but only when it’s missing living roots.

Cover crops are the difference-maker.

In one field:

No-till + covers ? dark soil, aggregates, biology, higher organic matter, fewer weeds.

In the other:

Heavy tillage + no covers ? starving soil, low diversity, more weeds, fragile structure.

The truth about compaction?

Living plants fix it.

Living roots leak carbon, build aggregates, feed microbes, and rebuild structure — something steel never can.

Ready to go deeper into the research behind no-till yields, rotations, and profitability?