The aim of the project is the optimization of nitrogen fertilization in order to reduce nitrate leaching. This will protect the groundwater as well as the productive arable land in the Münsterland in the long term for sustainably oriented agriculture for future generations.
The LEADER project is a European funding program of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, a model project. Half of the funding for the project will be borne by the project partners.
Fresh matter tests on the field
The start of the activities was on Thomas Foing's farm in Borken. The spinach-growing farmers are represented by the Association for the Promotion of Field Vegetable Farming Westmünsterland eV Peter Epkenhans, Managing Director and Land Representative of the NRW Chamber of Agriculture, emphasizes the importance of spinach cultivation for regional agriculture. In addition to a variety of vegetables, the cultivation of spinach in the region alone covers an area of around 3,000 hectares. The sandy soils in the Münsterland offer the best conditions. However, in sandy soils and the cultivation of vegetable crops with high nitrogen requirements, there is an increased risk of nitrate leaching into the groundwater. The spinach is limited in the nutrient uptake to the approximately top 30 cm of the field surface, which increases the leaching risk, especially by heavy rainfall events.
The most important large customer in the region is the food company Iglo. From the field, the fine vegetables are harvested fresh delivered to the local Iglo plant in Reken to be processed there, among other things to frozen spinach with the famous Blubb. "The project", says Iglo-farming expert Florian Schwarzkopf, "underlines our goal for more sustainability". The partnership with local farmers, some of which is already in its third generation, also testifies to their shared responsibility regarding groundwater protection. Regional vegetable production is an important economic factor in the region.
More technical support for the field trials is provided by Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and the Rheinisch-Westfälische Wasserwerksgesellschaft and the fertilizer producer Yara. In 2020, valuable insights and results will be available that will benefit much more than just agriculture in Münsterland.
For more information:
Landwirtschaftskammer NRW