Indiana 4R Survey

Since launching in November 2020, the Indiana 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program has seen significant success. Developed through collaboration between the Agribusiness Council of Indiana and the Indiana Agricultural Nutrient Alliance, the program was built on extensive research, member input and strategic discussion to ensure it met the needs of Indiana agriculture and established a strong framework that has enabled the program to grow rapidly. Today, more than 900,000 acres across Indiana are certified under the program, demonstrating agriculture’s continued commitment to responsible nutrient management and environmental stewardship.

The survey will focus on key areas such as nitrogen and phosphorus application rates, conservation practices, the use of manure and soil testing, and the factors that influence nutrient management decisions. The results will help track the adoption of nutrient management practices and quantify reductions in nutrient loss over time, while supporting Indiana agriculture in demonstrating measurable progress and reinforcing the value of a voluntary, farmer-led conservation framework. To learn more about why we are conducting the Indiana 4R survey, click here.

How is the Indiana 4R Ag Retail Survey Performed?

The survey design and sampling framework were created by the Iowa State University Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology (ISU CSSM) to provide practice implementation information on randomly selected farm fields using ag retailer records. This approach matches similar retail surveys conducted among Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois retailer locations. ACI-appointed regional liaisons will work with selected ag retailers to gather anonymous data from grower records for the 2025 crop year. Data collection will take place in January through March of 2026, with support from the Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council.

Survey structure:

  • Indiana is divided into nine crop reporting districts (CRDs). The number of retailers in each CRD determines each liaison’s sampling workload.
  • Of Indiana’s 325 agronomy retailers, 150 will be randomly selected. Each will provide 10 randomly selected field records.
  • Liaisons will meet in person with retailers, conduct random selection and submit data via a secure online form.
  • Each visit should take no more than two hours.
  • Growers may opt out at any time.
  • No personal grower information is collected, and all reporting is aggregated at the state level.

Indiana 4R Survey FAQs

About the Survey:

Q: Where does the survey take place?
A: Survey data collection will occur at the ag retailer location.

Q: How long does the survey interview take?
A: We anticipate that field selection and data collection will take no more than two hours per location.

Q: Who will administer the survey/be reaching out to us?
A: ACI will contract regional liaisons to schedule visits and collect on-site, anonymized survey data, following trained protocols.

Q: Who needs to be involved at the site visit?
A: Regional liaisons will contact selected locations. Location managers or agronomists will provide field-level data, and liaisons will complete the anonymized survey.

Q: How are the locations chosen?
A: Locations are randomly selected on an annual basis from all ag retailer sites in Indiana.

About Data Collection: 

Q: What sort of information will be gathered?
A: The survey collects field level information about nitrogen and phosphorus management, tillage, and conservation practices.

Q: What happens to the farmer’s data?
A: Farmer and field data is completely anonymized and will be unknown to all parties except the ag retail location. 

Q: What happens to the location data?
A: Ten random fields will be selected per ag retail location, each assigned a token number known only to the retailer. Submitted data excludes identifying information and is aggregated by Crop Reporting District and statewide, ensuring no results can be traced to any specific retailer, farmer, or field.

Q: How/when will data be released?
A: After collection, data will be securely uploaded, aggregated by Crop Reporting District and statewide, and shared by early fall. ACI will share results with members and stakeholders to show trends and progress in 4R adoption.

About 4R Certification:

Q: Is this survey a replacement for the 4R Certification?
A: No. The Indiana 4R Survey complements existing data by showing regional and statewide adoption of voluntary 4R nutrient management and stewardship practices over time. 4R Certification still allows ag retailers to highlight their own and their farmers’ efforts in implementing and promoting 4R practices.