Morral Companies Certified in 4R Nutrient Stewardship
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Oct. 13, 2014) – The 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program has announced that the Morral Companies’ Caledonia, Ohio facility has been added to its growing list of nutrient service providers to achieve certified status.
The voluntary certification program is a concentrated effort by the agriculture industry to significantly reduce and prevent applied nutrients from running off fields, which has contributed to harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, such as the one responsible for the shutdown of Toledo’s water supply in early August.
With a 24/7 liquid load-out system at its main plant in Morral and an 11,000 ton dry fertilizer warehouse at Caledonia, Morral Companies has become one of the nation’s largest formulators and manufacturers of liquid fertilizer. The company serves farmers and professionals in the agricultural and lawn/garden industries. Other services include soil analysis, custom application and retail seed sales.
“We believe the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program validates and authenticates the recommendations our Certified Crop Advisers and other sales staff make with our growers,” said Daryl Gates, president and CEO of Morral Companies. “Further, it supports our efforts in the whole area of environmental stewardship while still working with our customers to achieve maximum economic yields with minimum environmental impact.”
“We have a long and rich heritage of working with our customers, having been in business in this area for more than 50 years. With that comes a tremendous responsibility to do the right things for our company, our customers and our communities in which we live and work. The 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification affirms this effort and tells all with whom we interact that we can be trusted to provide the best in agronomic advice and service. We are proud to display the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification title.”
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.
“We’re proud of the work Morral Companies continues to do in being recognized as a 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certified facility,” said Chris Henney, president and CEO of the Ohio AgriBusiness Association, which serves as the administrator of the program. “By participating in the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program, Morral Companies’ Caledonia facility has proven its commitment to the long-term improvement of Lake Erie’s water quality.”
Approximately 50 facilities servicing more than 1 million acres in the Lake Erie Watershed in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio have signed up to go through the certification program.
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.