Enhanced fertilizer can cut emissions

Broad use of enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizer would achieve federal fertilizer emissions reduction targets, but there isn’t enough financial incentive for farmers to do this.

The federal government wants to reduce absolute levels of greenhouse gas emissions arising from fertilizer application 30 percent below 2020 levels by 2030, which is an attainable goal, said Richard Farrell, a University of Saskatchewan crops and fertilizer researcher.

“Enhanced efficiency products clearly can produce that emissions reduction. The question is how do you do that and pay for it? Because you’re not getting paid to save the environment, you’re getting paid to produce a crop,” Farrell said during the Saskatchewan Agronomy Update Dec. 14.