Mario Tenuta, Jared Munro and Wayne Rempel speak during a panel discussion at the KAP AGM Jan. 24.

KAP members call for more BMP research

Nitrogen emission concerns were among key issues raised at the organization’s AGM

KAP members called on their leaders to push governments for more long-term research on nitrogen management. “We need the research to get it done,” said David Rourke. He brought the issue forward in a resolution at Keystone Agricultural Producers’ annual general meeting in Winnipeg Jan. 25-26. The federal and provincial governments are pushing and paying

(Richardson.ca)

Richardson makes first entry in branded crop inputs

Company launches new N stabilizer, CirrusX

Prairie grain handler and agribusiness Richardson Pioneer has launched itself into self-branded crop inputs with a nitrogen stabilizer, CirrusX. Steve Biggar, associate vice-president of fertilizer and energy products for Winnipeg-based Richardson, said it was the right time for the company to launch CirrusX because of new treaters the company has installed to allow liquid products

Emissions goal realistic — even conservative — with enough funding, experts say

Emissions goal realistic — even conservative — with enough funding, experts say

Quibbling about farmers' fertilizer efficiency clouds the real issue, a Manitoba researcher says

Claims that Canadian farmers can’t meet the government’s emissions reduction goals without wholesale cuts to fertilizer are utterly false, says a Manitoba researcher. “It’s pretty easy for us to meet the target,” said Mario Tenuta, senior industrial research chair in 4R nutrient management. Tenuta is based at the University of Manitoba. “Thirty per cent is


An ammonia and nitrogen fertilizer plant in Russia. (Saoirse_2010/iStock/Getty Images)

Editor’s Take: Why so high?

When the goal is creating nitrogen fertilizer, the first thing you need to start with is a lot of natural gas. Everyone understands natural gas is one of the largest inputs — most estimates say about 70 per cent of the price you pay for nitrogen can be traced back to natural gas prices. But

amy mangin

Split nitrogen pays off on protein, not yield

High-yielding wheat varieties need a lot of nitrogen, but new research suggests that splitting that application may decrease the economic and ecological risk while also paying dividends on protein

Split nitrogen application could boost protein in spring wheat, but it might be hard to gauge whether that boost adds actual financial value in a given season. Amy Mangin and Don Flaten, both crop nutrition researchers with the University of Manitoba, have been hoping to update nitrogen management in spring wheat, given the new genetics

Adding more nitrogen in crop, instead of in the fall or spring before planting, is one way to use nitrogen more efficiently. The 4R tour visited Tyler Russell’s cornfield near Carman where about 60 pounds of nitrogen was applied at the V4 stage. Depending on the crop, more will be applied just before tasselling.

Better nitrogen efficiency, now and in the future

The June 28 4R nitrogen stewardship tour looked at current research and tools that could be coming in the future

Increasing yields while applying the same or less nitrogen is good for farmers and the environment. It also sums up the goal of the 4R stewardship program. The four Rs refer to applying nitrogen to crops using the right source and rate at the right time and right place. “That’s our big challenge,” University of



Rentech Nitrogen, whose East Dubuque fertilizer plant is shown here, is set to be sold to fellow nitrogen producer CVR Partners. (RentechInc.com)

CVR to buy Rentech arm in N fertilizer merger

Reuters — Nitrogen fertilizer producer CVR Partners said Monday it would buy Rentech Nitrogen Partners for US$533 million, excluding debt, as global fertilizer makers scale up at a time when increased supplies weigh on nitrogen prices. The deal creates North America’s fifth-largest nitrogen producer, vaulting the companies past Norway-based Yara International. It comes less than