03/16/06 Soil testing

There are two dozen Idaho aquifers that are nitrate impaired and over two thousand miles of streams impacted by nitrogen and phosphorus. For that reason alone says Doctor Dick Johnson of the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Boise says urban homeowners and their country neighbors need to apply less fertilizer and pesticides to their lawns and pastures. JOHNSON "If a grower is producing a crop and he leaves you know lets say 20 parts per million of nitrogen in the top two foot that equilibrates into it could be 80, it could be 160 pounds of nitrogen and if you look at the investment dollar of the nitrogen at a dollar a pound that's profit." Johnson says at a time when fertilizer costs are skyrocketing producers can cut costs by having a nutrient management plan that includes soil testing. JOHNSON "From that working with a grower we put together a plan, a nutrient plan. Of course the key to that you know it's up to him to follow that plan." Producers are encouraged to take their soil sample to a laboratory participating in the North American Proficiency TestingPerformance Assessment Program (NAPT-PAP). The NAPT-PAP approves laboratories meeting their standards and places them on their website at www.NAPT-PAP.org. For more information or to find the nearest approved soils lab, landowners can visit the NAPT-PAP website or contact their local NRCS Service Center. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott