4Rs Pay Off for a Florida Cabbage Farm

Often, a grower needs to experiment on a field or two to test the value of adopting a new practice. This is the story about what happened when one Florida farm decided to put the 4Rs to the test. Would implementing the 4Rs make any significant positive difference for their operation?

What they found was that following 4R nutrient management practices reduced their costs, boosted their yields and produced more uniform, high quality crops. Plus, they reduced their excess nutrient runoff. But to be convinced to change their practices, first the farmers needed to conduct a little experiment.

Experimenting with Farm Conservation Practices

About eight miles east of Tampa Bay, in Manatee County, Florida, the Sam family has a thriving farm operation that has been in business since 1986. Owned by third generation farmer Chuck Sam, Jacob’s Farm grows primarily cabbage and Napa (Chinese) cabbage. His brother Robert Sam helps oversee the farm operation, which consists entirely of leased land, currently about 1,400 acres.

The Sams were wondering if they were overlooking innovative farming practices that could help boost their business. That’s when David Royal entered the picture. He’s the Nutrient Stewardship Project Manager for The Nature Conservancy in Florida. In his job, he helps Florida farmers learn to fine tune their nutrient inputs, which benefits farmers and the environment.

In 2015, David began talking first with Chuck and then Robert about practices that could improve their operation and benefit the environment. “David stopped by frequently,” says Robert. “And he always showed an interest in us saving money and in producing a good crop.”

Eventually, David persuaded Robert to try an experiment on five 30-acre fields. He wanted to show the Sams they could apply fertilizer in a way that would benefit their cabbage crops and also the local waterways by reducing nutrient runoff.

“They were putting the bulk of their fertilizers on the fields before they had planted,” says David. “A lot was leaching away. The thing is, they wanted to be good stewards of the land, too. You’ve got to remember, we’re close enough to Tampa Bay that any water runoff from here is going to find its way to the bay.”

The 4Rs Pay Off

Robert and Chuck liked the trial results so much they decided to apply the 4Rs to all their fields and talked with their longtime local Certified Crop Advisor at Nutrien Ag Solutions, Glenn Purvis. “I thought it was a positive development when David stepped in and suggested the 4R program for Jacob’s Farm,” says Purvis. “It reduces their costs, and it helps the environment. And I just think that the 4Rs program shines a good spotlight on growers in general and shows that they are being careful stewards of their lands and local waters.”

With advice from Glenn and David, the Sams went on to implement the other Rs—the right source, right rate and right time. David also helped them modify their irrigation practices to conserve water and further reduce runoff from the fields.

Lastly, David encouraged the Sams to add cover crops to help take up excess nutrients, reduce erosion and improve overall soil health. Currently, in the offseasons from cabbage production, they’re planting cover crops of corn (harvested for silage), sunn hemp and aeschynomene, also known as deer vetch. ”Aeschynomene is a legume,” says David. “It fixes nitrogen in the soil, which can reduce your need for nitrogen inputs going forward.”

With their adoption of the 4R approach, Robert and Chuck Sam are on the cutting edge of a growing movement in nutrient stewardship. In November 2019, Florida launched its statewide 4R Certification Program, joining programs in Ohio and New York, the Western Lake Erie Basin which includes parts of Indiana and Michigan, and the provinces of Prince Edward Island and Ontario, Canada.

“We liked what David was showing us,” says Robert. “With the changes we made, we found we could improve yields considerably, use less water, improve our nutrient management and get this operation more efficient.”

With these operational changes on the farm, yields have soared. Even though the Sams are farming fewer acres than before (because about 1,000 acres of their former fields have been sold to development), their yields have more than doubled.

“We’ve found that following the 4Rs is going to save you money,” says Robert. “You’re going to use a lot less nutrients. And you’re going to help the local water quality. All around it’s beneficial to the farm and the environment.”