Issues surrounding nitrogen fertilizer pose a significant challenge for Minnesota farmers and our natural resources, prompting increased attention toward nitrogen regulations. While these concerns rightly demand attention, Minnesota farmers are doing what they do best — taking proactive and innovative steps to solve agriculture’s big challenges.

It’s time for the state to acknowledge those efforts and partner with growers to scale new solutions that reduce reliance on synthetic nitrogen and safeguard our environment.

I’m a third-generation Minnesota farmer, working the same soil my grandfather, a Norwegian immigrant, first turned over in the early 1900s. This year marks the 54th crop I’ve planted in the ground. Although much has changed since those early years, our intention is still the same — grow a good crop, sustain it through harvest and do it again the following year so that, if we’re lucky, our children and grandchildren can do the same.

In the 1970s, our practices were far from what they are today, and society as well as farmers have greatly benefited from those improvements. Technology has developed rapidly, allowing my family to produce more food, feed, fuel and fiber with fewer natural resources. We have embraced sustainability practices — including biological nitrogen, precision agriculture and minimized tillage — to preserve and enhance our soil health and reduce erosion.

One of the most groundbreaking technologies in modern agriculture was the invention of nitrogen fertilizer. Created in 1913 with the discovery of the Haber-Bosch process, nitrogen fertilizer has allowed farmers to increase crop yields and meet the growing global demands of nutritious food. Nearly half of meals eaten globally are made possible by farmers using synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. But we also know that its widespread use is not without environmental impact.

It turns out the age-old nitrogen fertilizer practices aren’t our only option. In recent years, farmers and scientists have developed a variety of new and innovative solutions that allow farmers to manage crop nutrition effectively and have less impact on the environment.

One promising solution that we implement on our farm is biological nitrogen. We’ve used it to replace about 20% of our synthetic nitrogen needs. This crop nutrition technology reliably produces nitrogen on demand at the plant root, providing necessary nutrients when the crop requires them. And it does this without compromising yields, and while protecting our air and water.

Other practices to reduce reliance on synthetic nitrogen include using satellite technology to more precisely apply the amount of fertilizer a plant needs, limiting waste.

It would be irresponsible to suggest that farmers should stop using nitrogen fertilizer. Equally, creating such a complex regulatory environment to discourage farming in Minnesota would be irresponsible. Unfortunately, we seem to be heading down that path.

While agriculture accounts for 30% of Minnesota’s GDP, we’re losing farmers and farmland at an alarming rate, threatening the vitality of our rural communities and our state’s economy.

As Minnesota farmers navigate the delicate balance between producing crops and minimizing environmental impact, we urge our state lawmakers to do the same.

While some advocate for stricter legislative action, many farmers already take proactive measures to manage nitrogen effectively. Through programs like water certification initiatives led by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, farmers are voluntarily participating in nitrogen management practices to safeguard our water.

It’s imperative as a state that we work in partnership to educate and promote new practices and technologies, so that together we can solve this challenge.

Farmers want what is best for our state and the people for whom we work to provide food, feed, fuel and fiber. By leveraging voluntary programs and innovative nitrogen management technologies, we can collectively preserve our natural resources for Minnesota’s next generation.

— Bob Worth is a third-generation corn and soybean farmer in Lincoln County. He currently serves as the president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association.