![\"Ag](\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/growingreturns\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/52\/files\/2017\/04\/farmer-with-ipad-tablet-computer-on-farm-RF-istock-300x200.jpg\")
Farmers have a host of competing priorities clamoring for their time, energy and money. Fortunately, they often have trusted advisers to help them make good decisions for their operations \u2013 including about conservation practices on the farm.<\/p>\n
These practices, such as improving fertilizer efficiency<\/a> and planting cover crops, can provide significant benefits for farmers: increasing or stabilizing yields, reducing erosion, and ensuring more of the fertilizer applied delivers yield instead of being lost to water or air. They can also increase profitability.<\/p>\n But in order to get the best bang for every conservation buck, many of these practices require technical and agronomic expertise. As PrecisionAg suggested<\/a>, who better to help integrate these practices into farm operations than the ag retailers and consultants who know their clients\u2019 farms so well?<\/p>\n By expanding their conservation service offerings, ag retailers and crop advisers can meet growing demand from farmers \u2013 while also keeping their businesses, and that of their farmer clients, competitive.<\/p>\n [Tweet “Why ag advisers should increase conservation offerings to farmers, via @jamesbpowers.https:\/\/edf.org\/7KF”]<\/p>\n Room for improvement<\/strong><\/p>\n According to a 2015 paper [PDF]<\/a>\u00a0published by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, 60 percent of Iowa farmers felt that their \u201cfertilizer and ag chemical dealers should do more to help farmers address nutrient losses into waterways.\u201d Not only are farmers demanding increased conservation services, they look to their ag retailer advisers to provide them.<\/p>\n This same paper noted that less than 14 percent of farmers learned about the state\u2019s nutrient loss reduction strategy from their ag retailers, seed salespeople, or independent crop advisers and agronomists. Contrast that with the 63 percent that learned of the strategy from the farm press, or the more than 40 percent who heard about it through extension, NRCS or their Conservation District.<\/p>\n This suggests a bigger need for retailers to communicate with farmers on conservation topics, including how it can benefit their bottom line and make them more resilient to extreme weather.<\/p>\n Opportunity abounds <\/strong><\/p>\n Crop consultants and ag retailers should also recognize the growing demand for services that address concerns about\u00a0more frequent dry periods and drought, increased heat stress on crops, higher incidence of crop disease, increased weed and insect pressures, more frequent extreme rains and increases in saturated soils. For example, service providers can help farmers be more resilient in the face of drought by planting cover crops, exploring crop rotations that reduce the risk and impact of pests and disease, or reducing erosion during extreme storms through conservation tillage.<\/p>\n Staying competitive<\/strong><\/p>\n Ag retailers and crop consultants can absolutely lead the way in helping farmers to improve, increase and develop conservation practices. This will not just improve growers\u2019 bottom lines, but also help ag retailers maintain customer loyalty.<\/p>\n Retailers can also take the lead in collecting, measuring and tracking appropriate ag data<\/a> to help farmers show their customers, consumers and communities that farmers are champions of stewardship<\/a>.<\/p>\n Related:<\/em><\/p>\n If you’re marketing a product to a farmer, show them where and how it will work >><\/a><\/p>\n This Iowa farmer proves that profit and sustainability go hand in hand >><\/a><\/p>\n![\"Fertilizer](\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/growingreturns\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/52\/files\/2016\/05\/Y1C0891-300x200.jpg\")
Farmers are under pressure from\u00a0many fronts \u2013 their communities, state and federal government, and customers \u2013 to help address water quality issues. Government conservation services<\/a> cannot keep up with demand from farmers for conservation practices. Yet that demand will continue to grow while funding for government programs is likely to decline \u2013 creating the space for retailers and consultants to play an even larger role.<\/p>\n