GROWMARK, Inc. and The FS System

The 4R nutrient stewardship concept is important to GROWMARK and FS farm supply retailers because it allows farmers to maximize return on investment, optimize input utilization, and minimize environmental impact. What better way to jump-start a sustainable change in farming practices than to do it with a favorable economic impact through improved utilization of inputs and minimized environmental impact. There really is no better approach to nitrogen management.

The FS System has a long history of P, K and lime variable rate nutrient application, a key tool in 4R Nutrient Stewardship.  The pinpoint application of VRT addresses the challenges of providing optimum fertility on diverse Midwestern soils.

• Grid Soil Sampling
• VRT Recommendations
• By Soil Test
• By Yield Removal
• By Soil Test and Yield Removal
• By Management Zone, including Soil Type

FS is among the first ag suppliers to employ a nitrogen inventory system to track plant-available nitrogen in the soil and offer a complete nitrogen management recommendation. Equipped with data, we apply insights about actual plant-available nutrients and crop growth to develop fertility plans that feed the crop when it needs it most – reducing the risk of loss of your nitrogen investment to unpredictable environmental conditions.

FS offers the exclusive N-WATCH™ nitrogen tracking program, the tool that not only asks the right questions, but can analyze the answers to how your nitrogen investment is being used.

N-WATCH soil samples are taken at key times of the N-cycle and measured for plant-available N concentrations. Equipped with field-specific data, your FS Crop Specialist applies insights about actual plant-available nutrients and crop growth to develop fertility plans that feed the crop when it needs it most – reducing the risk of loss of your nitrogen investment to unpredictable environmental conditions.

N-WATCH analyzes plant-available nitrogen (PAN) in soil samples taken in the 1st and  2nd foot layers. The two forms of PAN analyzed are Nitrate N (NO3-N) and Ammonium (NH4-N).

Nitrogen Management as a System

We promote our crop specialists to help farmers create a nitrogen management system utilizing an incremental nitrogen approach using the best source, rate, timing, and placement for each nitrogen application. The use of nitrogen enhancements also plays a role in Nitrogen Management Systems.

MiField™ by FS

MiField by FS is focused on working with growers to assist them in better understanding their cropping and land stewardship practices, and to deliver data with recommendations that help them become more profitable, per acre, on their field. The three areas of concentration are:

MiField Applied Research is a real-world trial program where farmers can learn from their own on-farm research with their own data.

MiField Nurture is the agronomic prescriptions to nurture the crop to full development.

MiField Analytics executes the agronomic recommendation with technological expertise for a positive impact on your farm goals.