Improving Farm Profitability and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions with 4R Nutrient Stewardship

In Canada, widespread adoption of these practices could reduce GHG emissions by 6.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents annually by 2030, contributing 3% toward the national Paris Accord target. While applicable across diverse agricultural settings, this brief focuses on implementing the 4R’s in intensive vegetable production systems, where overapplication and N loss are common due to shallow-rooted crops, high N demand over short periods, and frequent irrigation, which can contribute to significant N loss. Further contributing to these issues, limited data on nutrient application rates reduces the capacity to make informed recommendations that maximize yields while minimizing environmental losses. For these reasons, 4R Nutrient Stewardship is a key approach to minimizing N loss, improving farm profitability, and mitigating GHG emissions.