The GROWMARK Endure sustainability initiative is enduring. For the second year GROWMARK has announced winners of the Endure 4R Advocate award. They are:

Adam Dexter – West Central FS – Williamsfield, Illinois
Don Jones – GROWMARK FS – New York/Pennsylvania
Jay Matthews – AgVantage FS – Charles City, Iowa
John Musser – Stephenson Service Company – Stockton, Illinois
Nicole Weber – FS PARTNERS – Ontario, Canada

I spoke with GROWMARk’s Lance Ruppert about the program and this year’s winners. He says the program is designed to encourage and promote 4R practices. The 4R approach to nutrient stewardship involves using the right source, place, time, and rate of fertilizer.

Agriculture industry professionals outside the GROWMARK System served as judges. The winners earn recognition at August’s GROWMARK Annual Meeting and Agribusiness Symposium. They also get an all-expense paid trip to attend the event with their spouse.

Ruppert also talks about a new component of the Endure initiative called Endure Farms and the Enduring Farms Award.

The FS System created the Enduring Farm Award to award farmers who have excelled to preserve and improve their land and natural resources for future generations by utilizing proven best management practices such as using the 4Rs of nutrient management, soil sampling, phosphorus management, and nitrogen management.

Nominations can be submitted annually September 1 – December 31 with announcements and awards given in February. The initial nomination period will be in the fall of 2017 with the first awards given out in February 2018. Find specific qualifications here.

Listen to Lance talk more about this award and GROWMARK’s commitment to sustainability in this interview. Interview with Lance Ruppert, GROWMARK