Free Nitrate Water Testing at Farmfest

George Rhem, the Discover Farms coordinator for the Minnesota Agriculture Water Resources Center, called me the other day and asked me to help get the word out to farmers about free water testing at Farmfest in Redwood Falls. Last year the Minnesota Agriculture Water Resources Center tested well and tile line water for nitrates. It was well received so Rhem said they were doing it again this year. Rhem emphasized the results are not reported to anyone or any organization. It is just for the farmer's information.

Collect about one cup of water, put it in a ziploc bag, freeze it and bring it along to Farmfest. Rhem said he will be in the AURI tent right across from the Forum building running the tests. It only takes about 20 minutes and the test is quite accurate. Water quality and the use of nitrogen and nitrates has been in the news a lot recently. I am not sure how serious the problem is with nitrates in water. Rhem said last year only one sample exceeded nitrate standards. That was from a shallow well next to an old feed lot. He said you would expect that well to have nitrates in it.