Almost half of North American Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs) holding a new 4R Nutrient Management designation reside in Ontario.
That puts Ontario’s crop advisors at the forefront of efforts to help farmers and agriculture improve water quality, environmental stewardship and sustainability, says Ontario Certified Crop Advisor Association executive director Susan Fitzgerald.
Earlier this week, the organization announced that another 40 Ontario CCAs had achieved the 4R Nutrient Management Specialty, which focuses on putting the right nutrient sources in the right place, at the right rate, at the right time. The 4R program is an additional specialty certification that builds upon the nutrient, soil and water components of the international CCA certification. It demonstrates the CCA’s proficiency in working with the 4R concept and building it into nutrient management planning.
In this interview, Fitzgerald explains that Ontario is the only CCA organization in Canada to offer the specialty along with 17 U.S. states.
“Our Ontario CCAs have shown a keen interest in attaining this new specialty certification and make up 89 of the 188 CCAs with their 4R specialty in North America,” says Fitzgerald. “Not all CCAs do nutrient management work but, for those who do, this 4R specialty designation allows them to be recognized for their knowledge and skills.”
Fitzgerald also discusses what’s required for CCAs to earn the 4R designation and the potential for the 585-member organization to add new resistance management and sustainability programs for its members in the future.