Farmers would like nothing better than to control Mother Nature. Unfortunately, even in cases where extensive nutrient man­­agement and conservation plans are in place, excessive rain can lead to soil and nutrient losses.

The effects of last year’s extreme drought in the Midwest, followed by this year’s persistent and excessive rainfall provide a very clear reminder of an important and unfortunate fact: uncontrollable weather at the wrong time can wipe out the water quality benefits of even the best farm nutrient management programs.

When last year’s crops failed to grow or mature due to the drought, nutrients that would normally have been utilized in the formation of grain went unused.

These...