Improved nitrogen (N) management in corn production is needed to optimize economic returns to farmers and minimize environmental concerns associated with agricultural N use. Nitrogen losses through nitrate leaching can reduce the efficiency of N fertilizers and contribute to elevated nitrate concentrations in groundwater. Concerns about nitrate leaching are particularly relevant in areas with course-textured soils receiving N fertilizer inputs for intensive, irrigated crop production, such as the Central Sands Region of Wisconsin. Several strategies have been used to control N leaching losses on sandy soils including use of delayed (sidedress) or multiple split applications of N and the use of nitrification inhibitors with ammonium forms of N fertilizers to delay the conversion of ammonium N to nitrate which is susceptible to loss by leaching. Slow-release N fertilizers have been available for many years, but their higher cost has usually limited their use to high value specialty crops. Recently, a polymer-coated urea product (ESN) has become available at a lower cost than traditional slow-release N fertilizers. This product may have potential for controlling N leaching losses from applied N and could allow greater flexibility in the timing of N fertilizer applications relative to conventional fertilizer materials. The polymer coating on the ESN material allows water to diffuse into the capsule, dissolve the urea and allows urea to diffuse back into the soil solution over an extended period of time. Typically, release of urea from the polymer-coated granules is complete in about 6 weeks after application. The release process is also temperature dependent so that the rate of urea release increases as temperature increases. The delayed release of urea from the polymer-coated material could help to avoid N leaching losses during the early part of the growing season and could allow application of the fertilizer material earlier in the growing season without greatly increasing the risk of N loss.