Crop Production Services in Blissfield, Michigan & Hamler, Ohio Certified in 4R Nutrient Stewardship
The 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program has announced that Crop Production Services, Inc.’s facilities located in Blissfield, Michigan and Hamler, Ohio have been added to its growing list of nutrient service providers to achieve certified status.
The two locations join Attica, Ohio and Morenci, Michigan as CPS facilities that have achieved 4R certified status.
The voluntary certification program is a concentrated effort by the agriculture industry to improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce nutrient loss in response to excessive levels of nutrients being cited as a contributing factor to harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie.
CPS Hamler started as Custom Farm Service in 1966 and continues as a full service center with four Ohio certified applicators, three crop consultants and two Certified Crop Advisers with over 30 years of experience. The location was the first in Henry County to start GPS grid sampling in the 1990s, and has the ability to program the correct nutrient needs for every acre and every crop using the latest technology and equipment and being agronomically efficient in its operation.
“We believe it is in the farmer’s best interest to be environmentally responsible,” said CPS Hamler staff. “We are their guide to making nutrients more efficient and placing it at the right time, right place, right source, right rate to increase production without injuring the environment.”
CPS Blissfield has been in operation for over 50 years, and currently features 18 full-time staff members, including four Certified Crop Advisers, providing services including fertilizer and chemical sales, custom application, crop and nutrient recommendations and variable-rate technology among other agronomic services.
“The 4R Nutrient Certification program gives all of us the opportunity to demonstrate that we are committed to doing the right thing environmentally and agronomically — for our customers, our communities and the environment where we operate,” said Blissfield CPS staff. “We understand being good stewards of the environment will preserve productive and profitable agriculture for future generations.”
The program certifies that individuals and entities in the Western Lake Erie Basin that sell, apply or make recommendations on how fertilizers should be applied to crops are doing so in accordance with 4R Nutrient Stewardship principles — which refers to using the Right Source of Nutrients at the Right Rate and Right Time in the Right Place. Applicants must go through an audit and demonstrate they not only understand 4R principles, but also follow them.
Approximately 1.5 million acres and approximately 3,800 grower customers are serviced by the 23 facilities in Ohio and Michigan that have earned 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification, with approximately 70 percent of those acres being in the Western Lake Erie Basin.
“CPS’ Blissfield and Hamler employees worked very hard to ensure their operations were following the 4R’s, and we congratulate them for their stewardship practices and success,” said Andrew Allman, executive director of the Nutrient Stewardship Council.
“These CPS facilities have proven their dedication to the long-term improvement of Lake Erie’s water quality by following the 4Rs,” said Carrie-Vollmer Sanders, Nutrient Stewardship Council chairwoman.
The 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program is governed and guided by the Nutrient Stewardship Council, a diverse set of stakeholders from business, government, university and non-governmental sectors with a common goal of maintaining agricultural productivity while also improving the quality of Lake Erie and its contributing watersheds. The program is administered by the Ohio AgriBusiness Association. For more information, visit 4Rcertified.org, email info@oaba.net or call 614-326-7520.
MEDIA: High-resolution photos of Crop Production Services’ facilities receiving their 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification signs are available below. Click the name of the photo with the associated cutline to download a high-resolution version.
CUTLINES:
CPS Blissfield: Crop Productions Services’ location in Blissfield, MI is now 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certified. Employees pictured include (from L to R), Front Row: RJ Bolz, Jake Whited, Jake Hasley, Jane Brenke, Larry McKown; Back Row: Don Pitock, Brad Strahan, Les Jones, John Veres, Suzi Holland
CPS Hamler: Crop Productions Services’ location in Hamler, Ohio is now 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certified. Employees pictured include (from L to R), Front Row: Cody Brubaker, Tom Brubaker, Tom Schmitz, Lisa Hoops, Dusty Hug, Russ Rice, Katy Hammer; Back Row: Ryan Imbrock, Austin Mayer