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Wisconsin announces first Nitrogen Optimization grant recipients

The first round of grants for Wisconsin’s Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program has been announced.  Twenty of the thirty-one applications were funded, totaling 1.6 million dollars. 

Projects vary and involve several different crops, cover crops, technologies, and fertilizer products.  For example, one study will utilize the Augmenta camera system to determine nitrogen use efficiency and yields.  Another study looks at urea applications when applying poultry litter to corn fields.  Another study examines manure and tillage impacts on nitrogen efficiency.

The Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program was funded by the State Legislature and approved by the Governor in the last budget.  Up to 20% of each grant will go to the University of Wisconsin, which is responsible for monitoring and research assistance at each approved project.

The grant recipients and their planned projects, totaling nearly $1.6 million, are:

Joe Ailts | $43,505
Explore organic and inorganic nitrogen soil testing as a means to reduce nitrogen applications.
Number of producers on project: 2

David Albright | $50,000 Evaluate the nitrogen efficiency and yield return of Augmenta camera system.
Number of producers on project: 1

Gregory Bean (McCain Foods) | $100,000 Create a Public-Industry Partnership for Enhanced Nitrogen Management (PIPE-N) in potatoes.
Number of producers on project: 2

Brendon Blank | $128,134 Determine nitrogen rate for best winter triticale forage yield, quality, and phosphorus removal.
Number of producers on project: 3

Joe Bragger | $18,940 Optimize urea applications when applying poultry litter to corn.
Number of producers on project: 2

Cranberry Creek | $50,000 Study nitrogen application timing in Wisconsin cranberry marshes.
Number of producers on project: 1

Dodge County Farmers for Healthy Soil & Healthy Water | $246,926 Determine nitrogen rate from multi-species cover crops after wheat in greater Dodge County.
Number of producers on project: 13

Flyte Farms | $50,000 Maximize potato yield nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) with at-plant additives in a reduced nitrogen setting.
Number of producers on project: 1

Jim Hebbe | $48,000 Evaluate a biological nitrogen product in maintaining corn yield.
Number of producers on project: 1

InDepth Agronomy | $64,271 Validate corn nitrogen rates for eastern Wisconsin soils.
Number of producers on project: 2

Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance | $100,582 Determine optimal nitrogen rate for planting corn for grain production “green” in cereal rye cover crop following the soybean production year.
Number of producers on project: 4

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute | $71,041 Estimate nitrogen credits from multi-species cover crops planted after wheat.
Number of producers on project: 3

Tracey Novak | $25,597 Evaluate Pivot Bio PROVEN40® over four nitrogen rates.
Number of producers on project: 1

Pleasant Valley Acres LLC | $42,851
Evaluate corn maximum return to nitrogen (MRTN) rates on coarse versus loam soil types.
Number of producers on project: 1

Powell-Smith Grass-Based Study | $149,934 Examine use of commercial fertilizer supplementation for prime grass-legume crop with dairy manure.
Number of producers on project: 3

Red Cedar Conservation Farmers | $148,364 Determine NUE: Trial 1 – effect of cover crop termination on NUE; Trial 2 – effect of manure and tillage on NUE.
Number of producers on project: 4

Trent Towne | $47,947 Evaluate the benefits of winter grazing on corn yields while optimizing nitrogen application.
Number of producers on project: 1

Ben Turzinski | $48,935 Conduct field-scale corn nitrogen rate study in irrigated loamy sands in Portage County.
Number of producers on project: 1

Dean Weichmann | $48,686 Optimize commercial nitrogen applications in corn after short-season cover crops.
Number of producers on project: 1

Western Wisconsin Conservation Council | $100,000 Conduct a four-year nitrogen rate study under irrigation in western Wisconsin.
Number of producers on project: 2

Additional information on the Commercial Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Grant Program is available on DATCP’s website here.