The 2021 Ag Field Day took place Friday at the university farms, presenting local soil nutrient management research.
The SIU College of Agricultural, Life and Physical Sciences and the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council hosted around 100 guest Friday to present the latest trends in agricultural research.
Farmers, farm bureaus representatives, university professors and N-REC members attended the event.
Topics covered during the farm tour included optimizing herbicide use and nitrogen management with cover crops, conservation practices for water quality and more.
University Farms Program Director Chris Vick says the research is looking for ways to prevent nutrients and nitrogen phosphorus from entering streams.
“Which is going down the river causing hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico, so farmers are trying to be ahead of the curve and be good stewards of our environment and of our soils and trying to manage our crops where we’re not causing any kind of environmental impact that’s our goal.”
Vick says the use of cover crops helps prevent soil erosion and loss of nutrients.