Fertilizer News: Prices, Markets & Tariffs

A Frustrating Spring: Spotty Spring Rains Push Southwest Iowa Planting Slightly Behind

Wed, 06 May 2026 18:33:18 GMT

USDA’s latest Crop Progress Report showed as of Sunday, 22 percent of Iowa’s corn crop is planted, which is right in line with the five-year average. Soybean planting sits at 11 percent, which is just slightly behind. But those statewide numbers don’t tell the whole planting story this year. In southern Iowa, spotty spring showers are creating a far more uneven planting picture for farmers trying to make progress in the field.

In the far southwestern corner of Iowa, farmer Pat Sheldon is finally back in the field and relieved to see planters rolling again after a stop-and-start spring.

“We’ll be 25 or 30 percent done with the beans by the end of the day,” says Pat Sheldon, a farmer from Percival, Iowa.

While Sheldon prefers to be wrapped up planting by now, this season is running just a bit behind his typical pace.

“Usually we like to try to have almost everything done by now. We’re shooting for the end of April, but we usually don’t make it. So we’re a little behind where we normally are,” Sheldon says.“For no sooner than we started, we’ve come right along.”

About 80 percent of his corn is already planted, but some acres remain too saturated to finish, especially on his heavier ground.

After being out of the field for much of the past week due to wet conditions, Sheldon says the moisture hasn’t been as severe as in other parts of the region, but still enough to delay progress.

“We’re not as wet as it’s been east and south, but just enough to keep you out,” Sheldon says.

Even so, he is confident that progress will accelerate quickly if the forecast holds.

“The forecast looks good for here anyway, dry weather for a week or so, and I can get a lot done on the bottom when it’s dry,” Sheldon says.“ Just need dry weather and sunshine and let us work. It won’t take long. It’ll go in fast once it stays dry like this for a few days.”

Input costs have been a concern across agriculture, but Sheldon says his operation avoided the worst of recent fertilizer price spikes by planning ahead.

“We had all of our dry on last fall and over half of our anhydrous before it got too nasty for us to keep going, and we finished it up this spring,” Sheldon says. “We had it all pre-bought before all the prices went crazy, so we were fortunate on that aspect.

With planting back up and running this week, Sheldon says their operation is “in good shape,” and it’s that sense of stability is a stark contrast to conditions just seven years ago.

Sheldon’s family farm is situated next to the Missouri River. It’s fertile ground that’s been in his family for generations. But in 2019, Sheldon’s farm was devastated by flooding along the Missouri River, with water levels reaching several feet high in areas that are now being planted.

“There was probably three feet of water where we’re standing. Nothing got planted in the bottom ground. There was some stuff in the hills, but that was about it,” says Sheldon.

The floodwaters lingered for months, leaving lasting reminders still visible today.

“The water was here about 100 days. It was late June, I think, when they closed the breach,” Sheldon says.

And he says for the water lines still stained on the rain bins, it’s a constant reminder of what the Missouri River can take away, often without warning.

“You have a reminder every day,” says Sheldon. “You see it every day.”

Farming along the Missouri River means managing both risk and resilience. Despite the challenges, Sheldon says recent years have brought more favorable growing conditions, and he’s hopeful this year is shaping up to be the same.

“Are you optimistic about this growing season,” we asked.

“Very, very, as far as raising a crop,” Sheldon says of his outlook for 2026. “We’ve got decent moisture, probably better than we had going in last year. We’ve been lucky the last two or three years—timely rains, not a lot of rain, but at the right time—and we’ve raised really good crops. We’re hoping for more of the same.”

Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Why Fertilizer Relief is Years Away for U.S. Farmers

Tue, 05 May 2026 21:55:30 GMT

As the Iran war and the closure of the Strait reach its tenth week fertilizer supplies aren’t moving. That means the window for a fertilizer price correction this spring has officially slammed shut.

Fertilizer Prices Near Record High Before Iran War

Phosphate and nitrogen prices were already elevated before the Iran war according to Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer with StoneX, as China, the world’s number two nitrogen exporter, banned exports.

Urea: Prices have nearly doubled since early December.
Potash: Up approximately 10% since the start of the year.

Then came the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz which added insult to injury as three of the top 10 largest urea and anhydrous exporters are cut off. Linville points out that’s because the Strait closure also shut down LNG or the natural gas supplies used to produce nitrogen fertilizer products, which further elevated prices at New Orleans, Louisiana.

Even if the Strait opened today, the last tons of fertilizer won’t reach U.S. farmers for 60 days. Still Linville is not sounding the alarm despite figures quoted by USDA officials and other trade groups that 20% of the U.S. fertilizer supply was not in place for spring planting.

“I believe North America’s actually in good shape on urea. Now, you look at anhydrous, we produce most of what we need and we’re sitting okay there. From UAN, we produce most of what we need,” he says.

(Source: Kpler)

U.S. Cheaper Than Global Prices

Still Linville says U.S. farmers are in a better position than the rest of the world as U.S. nitrogen and phosphate values are $250 lower than global fertilizer prices, on the aggressive end. He says using more conservative estimates that number tips slightly lower.

“If I go low on the Middle East price based on where futures have been trading, if I go low on the vessel freight, if I go low on every single thing, it’s still $150 a ton cheaper than that rate.”

Jordan Scott, who farms near Valley Springs, South Dakota, pre-booked his fertilizer but some farmers in his area are not that fortunate.

“Some couldn’t even get it for spring or had to wait and when they could get it, the prices were just 30 to 40% higher,” Scott says.

Scott says that is forcing some farmers to cut corn acreage for spring of 2026. “I’ve heard some of that where people are switching rotations to go to more beans. It takes less fertilizer to produce beans.”

Early estimates have called for a one to two million acre cut in corn plantings off the 95.3 million acres in the USDA Prospective Plantings Report, with a direct shift to soybeans.

Linville isn’t sure the cut to corn acres will be as high as predicted, and he’s seen no evidence of surveys quoting nearly half of farmers can’t afford fertilizer.

“I have not seen anything that indicates demand is down 50% across the board. We’ve not seen those type of numbers. Nothing close to it. In fact, some people are starting to come back and say, I’ve actually been surprised how many more sales I’ve made,” he says.

No Fix to Fertilizer Prices for 2026 and 2027?

Scott, who is also secretary of the American Soybean Association, says that group has been urging the Commerce Department to take action and drop the countervailing duties (CVDs) on Moroccan phosphate imports into the U.S. He knows there isn’t a short-term fix to the fertilizer price increase, but that would help.

“We’ve been pressuring the administration to work on the the countervailing duties. There was a study that came out that said it costs farmers almost $7 billion last year in in extra cost for fertilizer,” he explains.

Last week, the Trump administration announced its plan to lower fertilizer prices, which includes a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into price fixing by U.S. fertilizer companies and clamping down on anti-trust enforcement. USDA data indicates four players control 75% of the fertilizer supplies in North America and represent a monopoly.

Linville begs to differ.

“Is there really a monopoly? No. A monopoly is a market controlled by one party. Oligopoly, that’s where the argument could be had. That’s a, you know, controlled by a few people. Again, I’m splitting hairs here, right? I think the verbiage is important to talk about,” he says.

However, he points out that fertilizer is a global market and prices are also influenced by global and geopolitical events such as those playing out right now in the Middle East.

Is Domestic Investment the Answer?

The Trump administration has also assembled a plan to uncover more critical mineral production and to provide investments into U.S. fertilizer facilities. However, Linville says fertilizer production manufacturing infrastructure is expensive and so it will take a long time to fix prices by expanding U.S. fertilizer production capacity.

As such, Linville thinks the near to record high prices for fertilizer will linger into the fall of 2026 and even the spring of 2027 for U.S. and farmers around the world.

“This will still have phosphate and nitrogen impacts on the price spring of ’27. I really struggle to see how we can solve this in such a short amount of time,” he adds.

Beyond the Rate: 4 Ways to Sync Corn Nutrient Timing

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:53:59 GMT

Beyond “How much do I apply?” growers need to ask “When can my corn actually use it?” says Connor Sible, a crop physiologist at the University of Illinois. Sible and Fred Below’s research shows dialing in the timing and placement of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) applications can be the difference between a 160-bu. crop and a 230-bu. or even 300-bu. one.

“The key is peak uptake. Your crop doesn’t need the same amount of nutrients every day. There’s a short window when demand spikes, and that’s what really drives yield,” Sible noted during the 2026 Crop Management Conference.

Here are four ways Sible and Below say corn growers can use that insight in the field this season.

(Chart Source: Illinois Crop Physiology)

1. Build A Plan to Meet Peak Demand.

High-yield corn doesn’t consume nutrients at a steady, linear pace, according to Below. His research indicates that a 230-bu. crop can pull more than 2 lb. of P₂O₅ per acre per day during peak demand. N demand is even more intense, reaching 5 lb. to 9 lb. per acre per day.

He encourages high-yield farmers to shift their mindset from total seasonal pounds to daily availability. For example, growers hitting the 230-bu. mark typically:

Use realistic yield goals and removal charts to calculate total needs.
Overlay uptake curves provided by agronomists or seedsmen to identify the exact window of peak demand for specific hybrids.
Target the window and build fertilizer plans to meet that two- to three-week peak demand period.

(Chart Source: Illinois Crop Physiology)

2. Place Phosphorus Where Roots Can Reach It.

Phosphorus is notoriously immobile in the soil, relying on root interception to be absorbed. This makes placement a critical timing tool.

To support peak demand, Sible and Below suggest banding P under the row. The goal is to create a vertical column of phosphorus that corn roots naturally penetrate exactly when demand spikes. This results in the nutrient being in the path of the growing plant rather than scattered throughout the soil profile.

(Chart Source: Illinois Crop Physiology)

3. Use Split Nitrogen Applications to Cover the Surge.

To ensure N is present and accessible during the midseason surge, high-yield growers are increasingly moving toward split applications.

Sible notes a common successful strategy includes a preplant base followed by a sidedress application between V5 and V8. This can be achieved via knife, coulter or injection, often supplemented by Y-drops or high-clearance applications near tassel in some cases.

This strategy serves three purposes:

Reduces the time N sits in the field before the crop needs it.
Replenishes the root zone as demand ramps up.
Maintains the necessary 5 lb. to 9 lb. of daily available N during the fastest growth stages.

(Chart Source: Illinois Crop Physiology)

4. Protect Uptake With Soil Health And Residue Management.

Corn growers aiming for high yields can support peak nutrient uptake in corn by fostering soils that mineralize nutrients naturally. Sible points out that while fertilizer covers the shortfalls, the soil provides the baseline.

“High-yield growers keep residue managed, via strip-till or strategic tillage, so microbes can break it down and release N, P and S over time,” Sible says. “They also maintain or build organic matter, which feeds the mineralization engine that kicks in as soils warm into early summer.”

This “mineralization engine” provides a steady background flow of nutrients, Sible adds, allowing supplemental fertilizer and precision placement to push the crop through its highest-demand hurdles.

Analysts Fear 2027 Could Be The Toughest Year Yet For Farm Margins

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:09:43 GMT

The most important tool on many U.S. farms this spring isn’t a tractor or a high-speed planter — it’s a pencil. Faced with climbing fertilizer costs, some growers are still hunched over spreadsheets and notepads as April shifts to May, trying to determine if corn or soybeans can pencil out.

Market analysts Naomi Blohm of Total Farm Marketing and Matt Bennett of AgMarket.net say they believe the current planting season remains in a state of flux as farmers’ input budgets are tightened to the breaking point.

According to a recent American Farm Bureau Federation survey, 48% of Midwest farmers say they cannot afford their full fertilizer needs for this season.

“Farmers who haven’t paid for fertilizer, are running behind, or are stuck out of the field due to weather are having to factor that into their decision-making,” Bennett says.

Blohm is seeing this reality play out in real-time with her clients. “Two of them openly shared this [past] week that they booked some fertilizer early and went with corn on those acres,” she reports. “But for the remaining acres, they had to stop and think it through and ultimately decided to switch to soybeans.”

Bennett notes that while soybean futures aren’t necessarily “explosive,” they could be a safer bet for cash-strapped operations. “If I’m a grower, and I’m sitting here trying to figure out whether I can make money putting $1,000, $1,100 [of nitrogen an acre] into this corn crop, I look over on the board on beans, and you’re looking at a price a lot of growers can make work just with average yields,” he says.

Blohm adds that what farmers decide to plant will be much clearer by USDA’s June 30 acreage report.

A Three-Year Financial Drain

The current financial stress isn’t happening in a vacuum. Bennett points out that consecutive years of financial pressure have taken their toll across the Midwest.

“The liquidity drain over the last three years has made it really tough for people, and we are even seeing an equity drain for some,” Bennett says. “When cash is this tight, it highlights why you might plant soybeans if you don’t have your anhydrous or urea on yet.”

The fertilizer crisis is fueled by global energy markets and geopolitical instability. Blohm points to India’s recent, aggressive moves to secure supply as a sign of things to come.

“I saw that India this week booked what they needed for fertilizer at double the cost,” she says. “But they don’t have a choice really, based on the amount of wheat that they grow in the world. They have to have a good wheat crop there, and they need that fertilizer.”

Bennett adds the issue isn’t just price — it’s access. “India bought 2.5 million tons of urea to front-run a potentially problematic situation,” he notes. “Disrupted natural gas facilities create a cascade effect that impacts anhydrous and urea production globally.”

2027: “It Scares the Daylights Out of Me”

While 2026 is beyond difficult, analysts are sounding the alarm for 2027. During an afternoon AgriTalk segment , host Michelle Rook asked if 2027 will be even worse.

“It scares the daylights out of me,” Bennett replied. “Projected cash flows and breakevens for 2027 don’t look good at all. Even if someone talks about $5 corn, you have to look at what you’ll have invested in it.”

Blohm agrees that the uncertainty is unprecedented. “Producers have to stay on their toes,” she says. “We don’t know if this shock will be a springboard for higher prices or if it will simply compress margins further.”

The Rotation Debate: Markets vs. Agronomics

How will crop rotations look by 2027? Farm Journal regularly reaches out to a vetted list of 80 ag economists from across the industry. Providing directional insights, the latest Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows almost half of the respondents (seven of 16) to the April survey expect soybeans to gain more acres due to renewable diesel demand.

Northeast Iowa farmer Tim Recker sees some potential for a shift. “Renewable diesel demand underpins my local market,” he says. “I see value in policies that turn surplus crops into fuel, but we have to remember that Brazil is still eating our lunch in the global market.”

Central Illinois grain producer and hog producer Chad Lehman has a more cautious outlook.

“Pigs need corn,” Lehman says. “There are real risks with bean-on-bean rotations, including yield penalties and agronomic challenges. Even with more crush capacity, soybean meal prices remain strong, which reinforces the need for steady corn production.”

University of Missouri Agricultural Economist Ben Brown suggests that while “swing acres” might lean toward soybeans next season, many farmers will stick with their rotations.

“I believe 85% of acreage is determined by rotation,” Brown says. “That leaves only 15% to be adjusted based on outside influences.”

Long-Term Risks Of Changing Rotations

Shifting rotations in 2027 can’t be a financial decision only; it carries long-term agronomic consequences. Connor Sible, associate professor and row-crop field researcher at the University of Illinois, cautions that fertilizer cuts made this season could contribute to nutrient depletion in soils.

“If we pull back on nutrients now, those minerals are going to have to come from somewhere — likely the soil supply,” Sible says. “We want to maintain a healthy system over time, so we can’t go too far with input pullbacks.”

For those farmers already eyeing a move to soybeans in 2027, Sible recommends starting the planning process now.

“Think about what herbicide programs you are putting out this summer,” he advises. “You need to account for potential carryover effects if you switch the rotation in a field that was planned for corn to go with soybeans.”

You can hear more from farmers Chad Lehman and Tim Recker and their thoughts on the year ahead in this discussion on AgriTalk, available at the link below:

Dec Corn and Wheat see New Highs Before Fading: Live Cattle Chase Record Cash

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 21:39:28 GMT

Grains ended mostly higher except soft red winter wheat. Cattle ended mixed, hogs higher.

Grains Mostly Higher Chasing War Headlines
Grains ended mostly higher on Wednesday chasing war headlines with the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed and crude oil soaring $6 to $7 and looking poised to take out the March highs.

Dave Chatterton with Strategic Farm Marketing says the grain markets were supported by money flow and funds were buying adding risk premium tied to war, inflation fears tied to higher energy prices and weather.

“Big up move in crude oil on Wednesday afternoon. And I think that’s tied back to the comments that are coming out of Trump. The ceasefire, the two-week ceasefire extension expires on Wednesday, expired on Wednesday night. Trump has made it pretty clear that we’re preparing for a lengthy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. As long as that stays closed, we’re getting no energy, no fertilizer coming out of that. The longer we prolong that shortage, if you will, I think the more acute the problem becomes,” he says.

He says the longer it lasts the more the inflation concerns rise.

“The big move in oil, it spills over into the food commodities and particularly into the grains, whether it’s the biofuel connection or the outright just, you know, food connection that goes along with that. We’ve seen buying interest perk up there and money flowing into the complex.”

Wheat Makes New Highs Then Fades
All three classes of wheat hit new highs early Wednesday with new contract highs in hard red spring wheat and 22 month highs in hard red winter and soft red winter, before fading.

Chatterton says dry weather has been driving the hard red winter wheat market.

“Certainly, we’re looking at weather and what the production potential is in that hard red wheat crop, particularly the dryness in western Kansas. We had some more frost overnight. It didn’t help the situation,” he explains.

The other risk comes from inflation fears he says.

“I think the inflation play and just money flowing into our complex is the other side of that so a little bit of a marriage of those two and when you look at that and your money manager placing money into the grains complex wheat is where that fund length has not been present. So, it’s the natural absorber of that,” he adds.

Wheat Sees Profit Taking
The markets ended off their highs due to some farmer selling and profit taking as the market was overbought.

“Not enough damage here to really call any kind of a trend change or any kind of a top action in that chart.”

Still he thinks wheat prices could go higher until rains start falling.

“I think until we can get some assurance that you know the rains are going to start, the crop is going to stabilize these production ideas are going to stop going down you know we started at 700 million then it was 650 million then it was 625 and it was 600 now we’re sub 600 on that hard red wheat production number in some some analysts mind. So, we need to stop that trend and until we do I think that that upside emains open here,” he says.

Dec Corn Makes New Contract High, Does it Take Out $5?
The corn market has seen spillover support from higher wheat and crude oil and was also putting some inflation premium in.

December corn made a new contract high by 1 cent and then faded. So will it take out $5 eventually?

Chatterton says, “Yeah, I think we’re right on the cusp of it here. And again, I think, we’re well supported here and as being as close to that target as we are, I suspect that we make a, you know, make a move to and slightly above that. What happens from there, I guess we’ll have to see. But, you know, the market to me remains well supported again until we can get some kind of resolution in that Strait or Hormuz.”

Ethanol Production Down
Despite the run up in energy prices the ethanol production number was down 31,000 barrels per day for the week.

Chatterton says that is due to regular maintenance.

“We had the EIA data out on Wednesday at mid-session and another kind of sub par production week for ethanol. I think that’s just a sign that plants are taking their normal seasonal maintenance and a little bit of downturn here. Not anything that I would see as a long-term problem. If you look at kind of where we’re at production last week. Down 3% year over year. That is a little concerning. But overall, corn usage for ethanol is still up year over year. We are running a little bit below the seasonal pace to hit that USDA full-year target. But I think there’s plenty of time to recover from that. And blending fuels should certainly be in demand here as we go forward here, looking at the price of gasoline and diesel fuel,” he explains.

Planting Slowed
U.S. planting progress on Monday showed corn at 25%, 6% ahead of average and soybeans at a record 23%.

However, many planters are sidelined the last few days with heavy rains so will that negatively slow those numbers on Monday.

He says, “Yes, I suspect the progress numbers are still going to run ahead of normal here, Michelle, and not indicate any big overall problem. Now regionally there’s issues here. We had a pretty overdone rain here in central Illinois where I live over three inches here for the week so far and on top of some newly planted seeds for both corn and soybeans. So a little bit of replanting to be done. There’ll be a little bit of catch up that gets done.”

He says the cold temperatures will also slow emergence but so far there are no pending issues for traders to be concerned about.

I think the temperatures this week are going to prevent the crop from really you know, growing and accelerating, whether that’s germinating and coming out of the ground or just are just gaining on,

Soybeans Follow Bean Oil
Soybean futures were also higher following soaring soybean oil prices. The July contract was up 160 points and made new contract highs again supporting the soybeans.

“That certainly helps underpin what’s happening when you look at these crush rates whether it’s cash or board I mean these are some phenomenal $3 plus per bushel type crush rates no reason that these crushers won’t be running as fast as they possibly can or pushing through as much product as they can. The capacity constraint of of that is probably going to be tested here and going to be the issue going forward in terms of crush demand,” he says.

Record Soy Crush Margins
Crush margins have been running over $3.50 per bushel so very close to record highs.

“Historically, we’ve had some blips above that on a very short-term basis, but this time around, we’re looking at a little bit more of a sustained move that the change in the RVO and the biofuel regulations that have come out of the administration here, out of the EPA of late, are really changing the ideas here. And it looks like, you know, if we’re true to the numbers here, we’re going to follow those numbers to the letter of the law,”

So he says the U.S. refiners are going to need to not only use soybean oil, but probably import oils from other parts of the world.

“And on cue, we’re getting stories about China’s used cooking oil making its way to the U.S. West Coast here again,” he adds.

November Soybeans Near Contract Highs
November soybeans, despite 3.5 million or more additional acres expected this year, got within a penny of contract highs on Wednesday.

Will that market get over that technical barrier?

Chatterton says, “I think it’s a little bit more of a measure of approach here as we approach that level and kind of try and get on top of it. And where can we go? But, you know, the the outside markets or the oil markets are really floating all boats here. You know, so we’ll see how high that they can take us. In the meantime, like I said, the demand story has not changed. And, you know, we’re going to need those bean acres going forward here in the U.S. if we’re going to hold this kind of a domestic crush pace.”

FOMC Leaves Rates Unchanged, But For How Long?
The FOMC meeting wrapped up Wednesday and the Fed left rates unchanged which was no surprise.

However, with high energy prices driving inflation when is the Fed going to have to change its course of action here?

Chatterton says it is a very interesting scenario.

“You’ve got, you know, Warsh coming in as the new Fed chair. It’s a little bit unclear right now as to whether the current Fed chair is going to step aside or whether he’s going to, you know, run out his term here into the new year. And so depending on how that plays, if you get a new Fed chairman who has, I won’t say assured President Trump that he’s going to cut rates, but who has openly stated that he felt rates were too high. It can be very hard for him, I think, to initially raise rates in a situation where even if inflation is telling him to do so. So got a little bit of a cat and mouse game, I think, there going on,” he explains.

Still he thinks the market is better rates will go no where.

Live Cattle Make Record Highs on Record Cash
Feeder cattle futures set back on Wednesday, but nearby live cattle futures ended higher and made record highs.

This was on the heels of record cash trade which ranged from $250 to $258 live and $392 to $400 dressed.

Packers had to pay from $4 to $14 more for cattle this week to procure inventory so their margins are in the red.

But is the market looking anywhere close to a top?

you know, are the packers starting to bleed enough here that we’re going to roll this thing over

Chatterton says, “In reality, they were very aggressive buyers early in the week here, yesterday and today, midweek, you know, coming after cattle tells me that they’re short bought here and that they need the product. And even with margins getting worse, we’ve got them somewhere around a negative $140 a head on the spot marketplace. They’re continuing to come after cattle.”

He thinks cutout values will need to go higher to help balance out those negative margins.

“But for right now, you know, it’s really hard to call, you know, how high is high in this marketplace. They continue to bid up for cattle and show a need for them. So definitely the producers and the feeders have the upper hand here in the short term,” he adds.

Beef Demand Not Slowing
Even at these high prices it doesn’t seem like consumer demand is faltering.

“We’ve talked about record retail values, record wholesale values, the durability of the U.S. consumer and the demand base that’s going on there. So far, we continue to see that we’ve got the choice in the select basically neck and neck here in terms of, you know, not a premium for that choice or the select. I think that’s one thing. These grading rates with. you know more prime more choice you know coming out of the animal or out of the carcass here really kind of changing the old rules on that in real time,” he states.
and

Can Feeders Retest the Highs?
Feeder cattle set back on Wednesday with higher corn prices a limiting factor but Chatterton thinks there is a possibility to retest the highs.

“With the fund interest coming into the marketplace it looks like that door may be open. We had Florida announcing that they’re going to you know restrict cattle coming from the Texas border counties and require an inspection before they come into the state. I think that probably is a sign or can be at least interpreted as a sign that the Texas border opening or the U.S. Mexico border opening is nowhere close, that it’s still pretty far down the road and some things to be worked out there. So feeders to me still well supported,” he explains.

Hogs Higher on Technical Buying
Lean hog futures had a strong day with triple digit gains and June closed above the 20-day moving average.

He thinks the market saw some technical buying.

“Hogs have been, in a sideways pattern here, a little bit beat up. We’ve had that fund position get paired back a little bit. And then all of a sudden, you know, yesterday we got into that gap that was left two Fridays ago on the June chart. We weren’t able to kind of come out the other side yesterday, but we did that today. I think it’s a very positive technical sign with these funds a little bit, a little bit more dry powder than maybe what they’ve had here of late,” he says

News Highs Hit in Dec Corn, HRW Wheat and Live Cattle Wednesday

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:30:25 GMT

Grain and livestock futures were mostly higher early Wedneday.

Wheat Making More New Highs
Wheat futures were leading the gains again with new contract highs in hard red winter and hard red spring wheat contracts, which was pulling up soft red winter wheat.

Mark Knight with Farmer’s Keeper Financial says wheat continues to add weather premium with the drought conditions hitting the HRW production areas and deteriorating crop conditions.

The extended forecast has some rain in the works but totals from past forecasts have been disappointing and may be too late in some cases.

Knight says the wheat market is also adding risk premium tied to the prolonged Iran war and crude oil prices going back above $100 with the Strait of Hormuz still closed.

This is also adding to the fertilizer crunch and record price push that is driving global production concerns.

How Much Higher Will Wheat Prices Rally?
Knight says it’s tough to tell how high wheat prices may run.

“You know, when a market makes new highs in any of these markets, it’s difficult to try to pick a top and dangerous to try to pick a top, by the way. So we’ll just continue to see how that plays out. But yeah, it’s definitely leading the charge higher,” he says.

The two year highs in hard red winter wheat is also pulling soft red winter wheat along for the ride even though that crop is not seeing the same production concerns.

Knight says funds are buying HRW and SRW wheat just the same.

Corn and Wheat Add Fertilizer Premium
Both wheat and corn are also pricing in the higher fertilizer prices and the supply issues tied to the Iran war that may lead to lower acres and yields.

Knight explains, “Fertilizer prices are a real concern for wheat and corn, especially. You know, it still has me second guessing some of the acreage numbers that we’re dealing with on the corn side. Guys are going to, you know, I’ve talked to too many guys that just don’t want to chase those prices and they’re getting worse. I mean, I think we’re up $5 today in crude oil. So, yes, the Iran thing seems like it’s going to just continue.” he says.

Dec Corn Hits New Contract Highs
December corn made new contract highs on Tuesday night just shy of the $5 mark but is it just a matter of time before that level is cleared?

Knight says, “That’s a great question. There are so many orders around $5. I would encourage farmers to take advantage of these price levels. Like you said, we just put in a new high by, I think it was only a penny or so, or maybe even less than that. But take advantage of these price levels to get some grain marketed. Keep in mind what we did last year. I mean, I know we kept planting more corn, but markets kind of fell apart this time of year. Not to say that that’s going to happen anytime soon, but yeah. I think these are price levels that are profitable for guys.
And, yeah, I would absolutely get some marketing up here.”

Farmers Switching Out of Corn?
Farmer’s Keeper did a survey of 4,000 farmers and found that around 20% had decided to cut corn acres since the Middle East war drove up fertilizer prices.

Around 3.7% were going to plant more acres but the USDA Report will have the final vote.

“You know, I’m going to lean that when it’s all said and done on June 30th acreage report that we’re going to probably plant a little bit less corn than than even the planting intentions report said,” he adds.

Funds Buying Corn
All of those factors have funds back buying in the corn market and re-adding to their long position he says.

“I mean, look, the thought process is that, you know, beans are going to get the majority of those acres and you know funds are funds are long a 200,000 contracts of beans and they’re long 200,000 contracts of corn. Now they have just like you mentioned they have just gotten back into buying a little bit more corn as of as of late. So soybeans have been the laggard,” he explains.

Plus, corn has a record demand story and is slowing chewing through last year’s record crop.

“But you know we’re planting we’re likely to plant probably four million less acres less acres and demand remains really strong on the corn,” he adds.

Planting Slowed by Rain
Planting process nationally on corn was at 25% and soybeans were at a record 23% this week but that is likely to change with the heavy rain system that moved through the last few days.

“I was really surprised we were as far ahead as we are. Of course, I’m in Missouri here, and looking out my back door, we’ve caught every rain
possible. Iowa’s kind of in the same boat. But it was impressive to see, you know, we’ve got a quarter of the crop planted. I’m with you. I would think that we’re 11 points ahead on beans and six points ahead of the five-year average on corn. And I would expect that we’re going to probably look more like the five-year average or maybe even under it come this next week because with the cold, wet rains not much is getting done this week,” he states.

Soybeans Rally with Corn and Wheat
Soybeans were higher on Wednesday in tandem with corn, wheat and bean oil.

Despite the talk of more acres of soybeans the market has been held up by bean oil rallying to catch crude oil and higher diesel fuel prices.

However, the market is also holding China premium according to Knight.

“You know, I think there’s China premium and the Iranian thing is keeping bean oil extremely high. I am most worried about soybean prices long term and encouraging my farmers to really take advantage of these prices. Trump is is expected to go to China May 14 and 15 to get a deal signed. That meeting got kicked down the road once already. I’d give it a 50% chance of probably getting kicked down the road further. And I don’t think the bean market’s going to like that,” he says.

So he feels like prices are elevated.

“Trump has said multiple times in the last six months to a year, soybean farmers are really going to love me. And so there’s that anticipation that some great deal is going to get struck and signed with China. But it feels like to me that a lot of that’s already built into the soybean market. And so that coupled with my anticipation of more acres on the June 30th report has me really fearful for soybeans. So I would really encourage farmers to get more heavily sold, especially on the soybean side, and maybe keep some more risk open on the corn side.”

Soybeans Still Sideways
Even with all of those factors at work soybeans have remained sideways for weeks, so what will it take to break out of that range?

Knight says, “Some global event, weather-related event here in the U.S.”

Plus, if wheat and corn continue to rally he thinks they could lift soybeans.

EU Rejects Argentina Meal
The EU also rejected some cargoes of soybean meal this week as well due to non-approved GMO traits being detected and Knight says if that becomes a bigger issue it could push some business over to the U.S.

Knight says, “I’ve heard that it’s been happening quite a bit as of late. They’re throwing warning signs that could absolutely lead to to more U.S.
business. Obviously, we’ve had more crush facilities and crush capacity come online in the last couple of years. And the biggest worry has been, OK, we’re using more beans here are we going to fill up with meal? You know, what are we going to do with all the meal? And so that is obviously a positive for the U.S.:

Cattle Futures and Cash Hit Records
Live cattle futures were making record highs for a second day push by record cash trade on Tuesday.

Sales ran from $250 up to $256 late Tuesday and even some $257 was reported on Wednesday morning.

“The last six months every time we talk, it seems like we’ve just put in new highs. And I don’t know where it stops. It’d be great to be a cattle guy. Fundamentals are very strong. We’re getting into the grilling season. I don’t see prices declining anytime soon.” he adds.

From Football to Farming, 2026 is a Season of Ups and Downs

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 02:30:42 GMT

An early start to planting season doesn’t mean Cody White’s worries are out of the woods in DeWitt County, Ill. On Monday, 1.5" to 5" of rain as well as hail, straight-line winds and tornadoes hit his area. This year, White’s beans were planted earlier than ever before, April 14, which means he expects he’ll have to replant.

“We were off to almost a picture-perfect start here,” he says. “That has now been flipped on its head.”

However, the first-generation farmer is accustomed to changing directions. White’s NFL career is helping him make the game-time decision to navigate the highs and lows of the 2026 season.

From NFL to the Farm

After a standout collegiate career at Illinois State University, where he started as tight end and later moved to the offensive line, White signed with the Houston Texans in 2012 as an undrafted free agent. White’s third season was looking up when he ruptured his Achilles tendon.

(Cody White)

“That shut my year down. I had to have it restructured, repaired, tried to come back. It wasn’t the same. It wasn’t enough time,” he says. “I fought, fought, fought, and then finally there comes a day when football is done with you, and that’s just when my time was.”

The shift in 2016 forced him to pivot toward a new profession. Today, White farms with his father-in-law and sells seed for Wyffels Hybrids. He notes that the transition from the football field was more natural than some might expect.

“Football and farming — there’s a lot of similarities,” White says. “They both have an offseason, the planning, the game planning, executing that plan and knowing when to change it.”

Adjusting the Game Plan

Changing the game plan is exactly what White has had to do over the past three years. This growing season, expensive fertilizer and rising diesel prices are the primary problems he is trying to tackle.

While White secured his fertilizer for this year, he admits that diesel costs are at the top of his mind.

“I wish I would have booked our spring use back in December or January,” White says. “It was sub-$3 then. It’s one of those things that are out of your control, right? You just kind of control what you can control.”

To manage the squeeze, White says they are cutting back where possible. But he says there is only so much he can trim before it impacts his crops.

Concerns Over Market Concentration

White is keeping a close eye on the numerous dynamics in the fertilizer industry. He’s glad to see members of the president’s Cabinet meeting with industry leaders to discuss rising costs.

“I’m all for capitalism, but at some point, when there are three companies running everything, they’re able to dictate,” White explains. “We watch commodity prices go up, and now fertilizer prices are up. We’re just trading dollars constantly.”

In a game of pennies, or inches, White thinks most farmers will find a way to make the numbers work for the remainder of this year. However, he thinks 2027 could prove tough for many farmers.

“Football is a game of ups and downs,” White says. “You’re never too down; you’re never too up. That’s kind of the world we’re living in right now.”

(Haley Bickelhaupt)

Crop Progress Throughout the Midwest

According to the latest USDA reports, approximately one-quarter of the U.S. corn and soybean crops are now in the ground. Despite a pattern of spring storms moving across the Midwest, farmers are finding windows of opportunity to advance the 2024 planting season.

Northwest Iowa: Emergence Underway

In Northwest Iowa, Matt McCarthy is seeing significant progress. McCarthy has wrapped up corn planting and is roughly 75% finished with his soybeans. He expects to finish soybean planting by the end of the week. Progress on McCarthy’s farm is currently ahead of last year’s pace, largely because recent rains have missed his location.

“Yesterday [the crop] just was spiking through, and then with this little bit of rain really softened the top, and it’s coming up pretty nice,” McCarthy says. “It’s cold, probably 53 degrees right now, but you can row it. Those fields planted on the 14th and even some corn on the 17th are spiking through.”

Minnesota and Northeast Iowa: Rain and Cold Slow Momentum

Near Mankato, Minn., Chris Schenk reports that his soybean planting was completed last Saturday. He managed to seed more than 200 acres of corn before being sidelined by three-quarters of an inch of rain on Monday. While Schenk doesn’t expect to return to the field until early next week, he notes that roughly 60% of farmers in his area have already finished.

Farther south in Cresco, Iowa, Darrick Barnikle is still waiting for the right window. While fertilizer applications are nearly complete, planting has not yet begun on his farm. Cool temperatures and scattered showers have kept planters in the shed for most growers in the area, with Barnikle estimating only 5% of local corn and soybeans are planted. With a drier forecast ahead, activity is expected to ramp up midweek, though growers remain cautious of a forecasted dip to 32°F Friday night.

Southwest Iowa and Beyond: Navigating Variable Rains

In Percival, Iowa, Pat Sheldon reports that weekend rainfall was highly variable. Despite the scattered totals, planting progress remains strong in his area. Sheldon estimates that 75% of the corn and 20% of the soybeans are already in the ground, with planters expected to roll again later this week.

Meanwhile, for Chris Harrell, recent rains will likely keep fieldwork on pause for most of the week. Harrell currently has about two-thirds of his soybeans planted, but corn progress sits at roughly 20%. He hopes to return to the field by the weekend.

Is $5 Corn a Reality as Wheat Pushes Above $7? Why Soybeans Didn't Follow Tuesday

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 21:26:11 GMT

Corn, wheat and cattle were higher Tuesday, soybeans and wheat ended lower.

Wheat Makes New Highs
Wheat futures were up 25 to 30 cents and the hard red winter and hard red spring wheat both hit new contract highs, with soft red winter wheat also hitting new highs for the move.

Randy Martinson with Martinson Ag says the wheat market is adding risk premium tied to weather and global production and geopolitical concerns.

“I mean, most of it is weather because we’re looking at the dry conditions, rain being pulled out of the forecast. That really helped to push the market today. The fact that we continue to see the Strait of Hormuz closed and the idea that we could get some exports or some U.S. wheat moved into that region in the Middle East, continuing to help add some support,” he explains.

There are also concerns about tight fertilizer supplies globally.

“Lots of countries talking about cutting back on production or on acres because of the high cost of fertilizer and the tight supplies are hard to get. So I think all of that’s coming in to help push the wheat market,” he says.

Wheat Conditions Deteriorate
Hard red winter wheat ratings were steady at 30% good to excellent on Monday but the poor to very poor rating was up 2% which also gave the market a boost.

“The fact that we did see the increase in the poor to very poor, I think that did help push the wheat here. Then the weather forecast coming in later, taking the rain out or pulling some of that rain event out, added to it towards the end of the session,” he says.

Spring Wheat Planting Delays
Spring what planting delays are also supportive with 19% of the crop planted compared to the 22% five year average.’

He says, “You look up here in spring wheat country, in North Dakota we did get a little bit of progress done here this last week, but rain and cold
temperatures are in the forecast now. This week doesn’t look like we’re going to see a lot of activity taking place as a lot of the areas are just a little too wet and we’re not getting the heat to dry out the soil. So we’re going to see another week of poor progress as far as planting is concerned.”

How High Will Wheat Prices Rally?
So after the chart breakout how high will wheat prices rally?

He says, “I think as long as we continue to have this little bit of a problem and until we can get, you know, up in the spring wheat country and get planters rolling, I think we could see another 35 to possibly 75 cents push out of this. You know, we also see that, you know, USDA, we’re at USDA’s export projections. So exports are going to have to increase in the next report, which that’ll add a little bit of friendliness to it as well.”

Corn Follows Wheat Adds Risk Premium
Martinson says corn was also higher and made new highs for the move following the wheat complex but it was also adding risk premium.

“I mean, you know, the geopolitical, because of the straight staying closed, the fertilizer not getting to the U.S., you know, there’s still land changing hands and a lot of the new land that, you know, the producer doesn’t have fertilizer booked for isn’t going to go to corn. So we’re
looking at less corn acres being planted. There’s talk of even guys trying to tighten up their supplier, you know, spread it over more acres. It looks like corn acres will see a little suffer for that,” he explains.

He says this week’s weather also looks like it is going to slow down planting in the Corn Belt.

“And I think that added a little bit of support as well.”

How Far Will Corn Acres Fall?
The corn market is anticipating acres and production to fall due to the fertilizer crunch and higher prices, plus weather.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see, you know, I’ve been expecting corn to be closer to the 93 million acre level. So I expect we could lose close to a million acres of corn.”

Will Dec Corn Hit $5?
December corn is closing in on the March contract highs at $4.98 1/2 but can it make it through that chart area and take out $5.

Martinson is optimistic, “I think we can. I mean, we got plentiful stocks and this could be more of a story for corn later in the season once we see where acres fall and stuff. But I do think that we could get up into a mid $5 area to, you know. maybe encourage producers to plant a little bit more corn than what they were thinking of, try to spend a little bit more on that fertilizer. So I do think we will see this market get above $5.”

Soybeans Fall
Soybeans were not able to extend Monday’s gains or follow higher corn and wheat.

It is a combination of the fear of more acres of soybeans

“I think they’re looking at more acres. And then, you know, we can kind of see that in the rapid planting progress for soybeans. I mean, that’s really been stellar so far this year. And I think that’s adding to the put a little bit of pressure on. I do think there’s a little geopolitical there because not everybody’s convinced that we’re going to see a U.S.-China summit take place here in two weeks.”

The market also saw profit taking after running up to the top side of the trading range it has been in for weeks.

“I mean, yeah, it’s been an extremely tight sideways trend in the soybean market. I do think we have an ability to get above it, but it’s going to take China and the U.S. having that summit meeting, and it’s going to take China saying they’re going to buy some more soybeans from the U.S.” adds Martinson.

Soybeans Await China Meeting
There is a concern for the market tied to the idea that if the Strait of Hormuz is closed and the conflict with Iran continues it could blow up the mid-May meeting and its outcome according to Martinson.

“Iran and China are friends and a lot of China’s energy comes from Iran. So the fact that the Strait stays closed and we’re putting a blockade on any oil vessels, crude oil vessels coming out of Iran, that is causing some concerns and raising a little bit of tensions with China.”

$100 Crude Oil Supports Bean Oil
On the flip side, the $100 crude oil market is supporting the bean oil rally.

Martinson says, “It is helping bean oil, and it is encouraging a little bit more of our, maybe our biofuels industry to continue to expand.”

Meal Reacts to EU Canceling Argentine Soybean Meal
The soybean meal market was higher on Monday on the news that Argentina soybean meal was rejected by the European Union due to the detection of an unapproved GMO trait.

So will the U.S. see any sales as a result?

“I think we will get some, but I think the market was disappointed. We didn’t see anything sooner than, you know, of course, it was tough to get, you know, something right away. But I think the market set back a little today off of the concerns that we didn’t see any repurchasing
from the European Union. But I do think we will be able to get into that market and sell a little bit more, especially if this GMO trait continues to be showing up in the Argentina beans,” he says.

Live Cattle Hit Record Highs Again
Live cattle futures soared again on Tuesday and nearby contracts made record highs.

It was a combination of technical buying but also cash bids from packers at $250, which is higher than last week and those bids were being offered already on a Tuesday.

Martinson says that pushed the futures, “I mean, you know, right now cash is, I mean, cash has been king for quite a while and that’s what’s been continuing to drive both the live cattle and the feeder cattle market. You know, supplies continue to be tight. We’re not seeing that change any and it’s unlikely we’re going to see any border opening because of the large increase in cases of screw worm up in Mexico. So I do think that, you know, cash continues to be the king and that continues to what’s main driver of this market.”

Feeder Cattle Also Testing Highs
The feeder cattle futures were also testing the highs.

Martinson says the cash feeder market has been strong on tight supplies, “I mean, a lot of that crop has been moved now so that supplies are going to continue to tighten up. That, I think, will keep that price a little bit strong. It’s going to be interesting to see where all this settles out, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this market continue to hold until the fall calves start coming in.”

And drought in cattle areas is going to result in more cattle coming to market early because they have no grass.

“You’re starting to see those western regions, you know, rain being pulled out of the forecast. Getting a little tougher for them to get rain. And they’re seeing the wildfires that we saw earlier, especially in Nebraska earlier this spring. So there is a lot of concern about being able to hold the cattle,” he adds.

Can Biologicals Fill The Gap From Reduced Fertilizer Use?

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 19:55:50 GMT

As thin margins and high fertilizer costs squeeze budgets, many corn and soybean growers are asking a hard question this spring: can biological products help out and pay their way in the field?

The answer depends on the goal, according to Connor Sible, University of Illinois field researcher and associate professor.

“Is the goal to get more out of what we’re already doing, enhance the yield in an already pretty intensive, progressive system?” he asks. “Or, are we trying to reduce inputs and then make up for that by maintaining yields with a biological?”

Sible studies high-yield corn and soybean systems and has spent years looking at how biologicals fit into real-world management. He says profitability hinges on getting a biological and a farming system to match. He offers two trains of thought on reaching a return-on-investment (ROI).

1. The Yield Response: Achieving a direct yield increase to offset the product cost.
2. The Efficiency Response: Improving nutrient uptake to maintain yields while reducing traditional inputs.

That framework for biological use underpinned the discussion during an Illinois Soybean Growers webinar on Tuesday: “Stretching Every Pound: Using Biologicals to Maximize Fertility During Input Shortages.” The program was hosted by the University of Illinois and Valent Biosciences.

Drew Harmon, Valent technical agronomist, provided an overview of row-crop farmers’ persistent struggles with accessing and covering the cost of fertilizer going into the 2026 season. He referenced recent American Farm Bureau and Bushel surveys showing the struggle underway across the Corn Belt and how the strain on farmers is changing their behavior.

(AFBF)

Nearly one-third of farmers Bushel surveyed said they will be doing more to manage costs and inputs this season.

(Bushel, Valent BioSciences)

“A lot of people are considering cutting their fertilizer by about 25%,” Harmon says. He reports that on his own farm, where soil tests are “on the higher end of a maintenance plan,” he and his tenant “decided to cut back our P and K by about a third this year.”

Cutting back fertilizer raises a practical question: how do crops still access enough nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) to perform and meet yield expectations?

One potential answer, Harmon and Sible say, is to use arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, or AMF, especially where phosphorus rates are being reduced.

Harmon explains that mycorrhizal fungi are essentially a beneficial relationship that the fungi have with a host crop such as corn or soybeans. The root system supplies carbon through root exudates and, “in return for that carbon, the mycorrhizal fungi exchange nutrients and water.”

Applied as a seed treatment or in-furrow, AMF spores germinate in response to root exudates and colonize roots, then spread out as fine hyphae – branching, thread-like filaments – through the soil. That network effectively enlarges the rooting zone.

“Utilizing the mycorrhizal hyphae can expand the amount of surface area that [the crop] has to interact with, and it can expand that area by upwards of 50%,” Harmon says. “What that does is increase the opportunities for P and K uptake through diffusion, and it also allows greater access to soil water.”

In fields with lighter soils or facing recurring drought stress, that extended reach can be important. Even as much of the Midwest moves out of formal drought classification, according to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor, Harmon notes that “we still can get those stretches of heat stress or stretches of flash drought… where we can see strain on our plants for needing water.”

Harmon also lays out an economic example for a typical two-year corn–soybean rotation under a biennial maintenance plan for phosphorus and potassium.

Using removal rates, yield estimates and recent DAP and potash prices, he calculates that a 25% reduction in P and K could offer “savings of mid-$40-ish per acre over a two-year period.”

The cost of using AMF in that scenario, he says, is about $6 per crop or just under $13 per acre over two years.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are essentially a beneficial relationship that the fungi have with a host crop such as corn or soybeans. The root system supplies carbon through root exudates and, “in return for that carbon, the mycorrhizal fungi exchange nutrients and water,” according to Drew Harmon, technical services representative for Valent Biosciences.

(Valent)

“AMF can be a potentially economical tool that could help increase nutrient uptake efficiency for the P and K that we’re reducing,” Harmon says, “while still protecting yield and preserving the majority of the fertilizer savings that you were looking to do.”

Harmon and Sible emphasize, however, that biologicals are not replacements for good agronomy—or for basic fertility.

“I don’t know a biological today that will fix a pH,” Sible says, as a for instance. “If we have a pH issue in the system, we probably need to resolve that before we go looking at new practices.”

A similar principle applies to nitrogen. Sible says nitrogen-fixing products can be useful as “a third source” of N, but they do not remove the need for a sound base rate.

“We often see an early-season biomass bump and higher kernel number potential [resulting from the biological product],” he says.

But to turn that into yield, the corn plant must have the nutrient resources to fill ears, which means adequate nitrogen and in-season management such as late fungicide use and/or supplemental nutrients.

For many farmers, another option this season for consideration is organic acids. Such products are positioned as biostimulants that support nutrient use efficiency, improve stress tolerance, and contribute to early growth.

Across both AMF and organic acids, Sible reminds growers that many biologicals are living tools, whether bacteria or fungi, and must be managed that way.

“A happy plant probably indicates happy microbes. Just like we need good conditions for plant growth, we need good conditions for microbial growth,” he says. “Plants need water, microbes need water. Plants need nutrients, microbes need nutrients.”
Harmon offers a similar caution on having the right set of expectations for using a biological.

“These products are not silver bullets,” he says. “They’re not fertilizer. They’re not going to [deliver] crazy amounts of yields. The majority of time you’re seeing it [improve] somewhere around 5% to 7% if you do see a biological response.”

Trump Admin to Roll Out Major Fertilizer Plan This Week, Accelerate U.S. Production Push

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:36:27 GMT

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says the Trump administration will unveil a sweeping set of fertilizer initiatives this week, warning that surging input costs are putting intense pressure on American farmers. Speaking at a Missouri farm on Friday, Rollins told those in attendance that fertilizer has become an issue of national security, which is why she says this week’s announcement will be broader than just USDA, also including EPA, Department of Energy, Department of Commerce and Department of the Interior.

While at GR Farms in Higginsville, Mo., on Friday to roll out an announcement on the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) top-up payments, Rollins described the Trump administration’s upcoming announcement on fertilizer as a large-scale investment initiative. She says while she hoped to roll out the plan while in Missouri, the administration is still finalizing the size of the funding package.

Rollins says the plan will address both immediate actions to stabilize fertilizer prices and a longer-term roadmap aimed at ensuring affordable, domestically produced supply for U.S. farmers.

Washington analyst Jim Wiesemeyer says the plan will likely need to include a mix of financial and policy tools, such as grants, tax incentives, loan guarantees outside of existing USDA programs and greater consistency in U.S. trade policy, while noting imports will still play a role, particularly for key nutrients like potash sourced from Canada.

Short-Term Fertilizer Price Pain

During her comments Friday, Rollins highlighted how quickly fertilizer prices have increased since the conflict started in Iran, outlining the additional strain it is placing on producers.

“We know that urea prices have gone up 50% over the last month. Ammonia is up 30% or more,” she said, adding that “our farmers are feeling that pinch.”

Rollins also told the crowd fertilizer has been a longer-term challenge, even before the situation in Iran caused the latest price spike.

“To be clear, this has been a problem for years. The actual numbers are lower, believe it or not, than they were even in 2022,” she says. “But nevertheless, that jump in prices overnight, we have to address.”

Framing the issue as more than just an economic challenge and one that is a matter of national security after decades of offshoring fertilizer production, Rollins says the administration views the issue as part of a broader structural problem within the fertilizer industry.

“The loss of competition in the fertilizer industry has obviously led to higher fertilizer costs over time,” she says. “When combined with what’s happening overseas with the current geopolitical issues facing our world, certainly we have come to a crossroads that requires immediate action. This is indeed a matter of national security, and we are working to tackle it head on.”

Focus on Domestic Fertilizer Production

While Rollins didn’t give details, she hinted the centerpiece of this week’s announcement will be a major push to reshore fertilizer production, backed by federal investment to accomplish that. Working with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, she says the administration is preparing to direct significant funding toward building new fertilizer plants across the country, while also supporting existing projects.

“I have asked Howard to do, and his team to do, and what we’re doing in partnership is to identify a significant number ... that we can deploy into building out fertilizer plants in America,” she says.

Rollins emphasizes cutting regulatory delays will be critical to making that plan work. She says projects are already being identified nationwide, but permitting delays remain a major obstacle — with the goal of getting that process down to months versus the current years it takes.

“We’ve already begun to identify all over the country. Some are under production. How do we move them along more quickly? Some are in the permitting bureaucracy, which sometimes takes years to get through permitting,” she says. “Our goal is to, instead of years, to get to permitting in a matter of weeks, or perhaps months, so that even in one year, two years and three years, we will have facilities up and running that we will never have had that opportunity or option before.”

United States’ Energy Advantage for Nitrogen Fertilizer

Rollins also points to domestic energy resources as a key factor in expanding fertilizer output, particularly for nitrogen production.

“We became, in a matter of just a short period of time, a net exporter of LNG versus importer, meaning we were producing our own energy in America, so much so that we no longer had to rely on other countries,” she says. “The reason that is important is, as our farmers are facing these exponential nitrogen fertilizer costs, we now have the resources in America. We just have to build the facilities, the manufacturing facilities, to turn that LNG into nitrogen. So this is going to happen quicker than you would normally expect, I think because of the pieces of the puzzle that have already been put into place.”

In the meantime, Rollins says the administration is continuing short-term efforts to improve supply availability and reduce costs.

While the longer-term strategy ramps up, she says the administration is continuing short-term interventions to ease pressure on farmers. These include:

Extending a waiver of the Jones Act
Opening new import channels
Working and meeting with industry/fertilizer companies

Highlighting cooperation with domestic producers, she pointed to CF Industries as an example.

“They have said, in order to protect our farmers, we are going to stop maintenance. We are going look at holding our prices steady,” she says.

She also points to ongoing coordination with the Department of Justice.

“Last year, we signed a joint agreement, USDA did, with the Department of Justice, ensuring that farmers have access to competitive and affordable inputs,” she says. “Looking into the activities of our fertilizer companies and what has happened over the last few years, but with a new eye on potential price gouging right now.”

Long-Term Goal: Reduce Foreign Dependence

Looking longer term, Rollins says the administration is focused on reversing decades of reliance on foreign suppliers.

“America has offshored for far too long, far too much of our fertilizer production, leaving us dangerously reliant on Russia and China,” she says. “Changing that long-standing industry that is reliant on global markets won’t happen overnight,” she says. “But working with our farmers and across industry and government, we will find ways to make fertilizer that we can do here in America and make sure it is a price that our great farmers can afford.”

At the same time, the administration is increasing scrutiny of fertilizer markets. Rollins noted ongoing coordination with the Department of Justice, saying officials are taking “a new eye on potential price gouging right now.”

Ultimately, she framed this week’s announcement as the beginning of a broader shift away from foreign dependence.

Rollins says additional details, including funding levels and project specifics, will be included in next week’s announcement.

“We’re at a crossroads that requires immediate action,” she says.

Watch Rollins’ full press conference here:

Farmers Emphasize Demand, Not Payments, Is The ‘Bridge To Better Times' For Agriculture

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 22:25:36 GMT

Two Midwest farmers are pinning their hopes for the future on stronger demand for corn and soybeans — especially the latter — as they navigate tight margins, high input costs, and an uncertain price outlook.

Northern Illinois farmer Steve Pitstick and south-central Iowa farmer Dennis Bogaards say they have exhausted most cost-cutting options for this season. They believe future profitability now rests on whether demand for both crops — particularly from domestic soybean crush and fuel markets — expands enough to support higher prices.

One silver lining currently, Pitstick says, is his relatively strong position on fertilizer heading into the 2026 planting season.

“We will do pretty much the dry spread program we always do,” he says. “We cut the rates a little bit on the phosphates just because of price. We booked our 32% in September, something we traditionally do. We have all the nitrogen bought, so I feel good about 2026 from that aspect.”

While he believes additional fertilizer is available, he notes it will likely be priced at a premium.

“I believe I can get more if I need it. I may not like the price, but I can get more,” he told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory during the weekly Farmer Forum segment.

Little To No Expansion On The Horizon

As the season begins, both farmers emphasize that the coming years will have farmers focusing on survival and strategic adjustments rather than acreage expansion.

One adjustment Bogaards is making is front-loading some of his nitrogen needs this season while leaving a portion open in case prices break.

“We booked anhydrous early on for this year, back in early fall, and got an OK price,” Bogaards says. “I have a little bit of sidedress that we do. We book about half of that, and I sit open on the rest of it. I’ll wait and see where it goes.”

Bogaards remains committed to sidedressing as long as product is available and prices do not continue ratcheting up. “If I can get it, I’ll put it on, unless it is a crazy, crazy price,” he says.

Like many U.S. growers, both Bogaards and Pitstick say there is virtually no room left to cut fertilizer use without risking yields.

“There is no place to cut back. We are being as efficient as we can be,” Pitstick says.

Bogaards agrees, noting that nitrogen is not the place to skimp. “Maybe a year or so, you can cut back on the P and K a little bit, but you do not want to get caught in three or four years of that.”

He also remains reluctant to drop fungicides. “Fungicides really pay off,” he says. “In the past, we did not use them, but the last few years they really paid, and I would hate to not spray them.”

Uncertainty About The 2027 Crop Mix

While the 2026 crop is largely “business as usual,” both farmers told Flory that 2027 brings real uncertainty—especially regarding nitrogen supplies. Pitstick is concerned about how global demand could impact costs for U.S. producers.

“I am worried about the price of the nitrogen,” he says. “It may not be an issue in the United States from a supply standpoint, but the rest of the world… could export our product because of opportunity cost, and that drives the price up. It is a total wait and see.”

Flory underscored how global trade flows directly shape what American farmers pay, noting that some fertilizer shipments originally destined for the U.S. were recently rerouted.

“Some boats are diverted from the U.S. to other countries,” Flory says. “If you want your share, you have to beat the next guy in line with the price.”

If nitrogen prices soar while corn prices stagnate, Pitstick says his rotation could shift. “That might change how we do things in 2027. We may have to go to more soybeans,” he says.

Bogaards also expects to alter his corn–soybean mix, given the potential demand from domestic crush and renewable fuels.

“In the past, we were probably 60% to 65% corn,” he says. “We have been backing off of that. I still do a little bit of corn-on-corn, but I might try to go to a 50–50 rotation.”

Flory believes this shift could help rebalance supplies and improve price prospects. “If we can pull some acres away from corn and get this thing rebalanced, maybe that is our bridge to a better time,” Flory says. “Our bridge to a better time is more demand across the board and crops competing for acres — not another payment.”

Bogaards says the shifting economics are already evident. “A couple of years ago, people said soybeans are a drag on our financial statements. It looks like almost the opposite right now.”

Even so, Bogaards is cautious about making long-term decisions based on short-term signals. “I can change acres right now, but by next fall, it might be the worst decision. I think you have to go with your rotation and stick with it.”

Pitstick links his long-term outlook to fuel sector growth, noting that both corn and soybeans increasingly function as energy crops.

“Some of the most profitable years of my career were when we had high fuel prices because we were also a fuel crop,” he says. “I have some optimism that these high fuel prices will cause some demand and increase our crop prices.”

For now, both farmers say their immediate job is to manage through 2026 while keeping their options open. With high costs for fertilizer, fuel, and machinery, they see expanded demand as the only realistic path forward.

“It is just survival at this point,” Bogaards says. “We just have to make sure we can survive and keep plugging through it.”

You can listen to the complete discussion between Bogaards, Pitstick and Flory on AgriTalk at the link below:

Survey Says Farmers Cut Corn Acres Since the War Started

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:15:50 GMT

Surging input costs and questions about fertilizer prices and availability have some farmers reconsidering their planting intentions.

A private survey conducted by grain merchandiser Farmer’s Keeper shows a sizable cut in corn acres since USDA’s March Prospective Planting report . Remember, the USDA survey was fielded in early March before the full impact of the war in Iran was felt. Since then the fertilizer supply crunch and price spike might have forced some farmers to move away from corn last minute.

Farmer’s Keeper asked nearly 4,000 of its customers in 27 states the following question: “Since fertilizer prices have risen, how have your corn acres changed?”

The results show:

No Change - 76%
Decrease - 20.3%
Increase - 3.7%

(Farmer’s Keeper )

“We just saw in March a surprisingly high to many of us corn acreage number from USDA and a relatively lower soybean number,” says Nick Tsiolis, CEO, Farmer’s Keeper. “What that tells us is potentially we might start to see those numbers converge with corn acres coming down and soybean acres coming up.”

Acreage Shifts Tied to Fertilizer Prices and Supplies

Tsiolis says the fertilizer supply crunch is one factor causing last-minute shifts.

“What we’re hearing from the co-ops is many farmers are not even going to be able to get the fertilizer they want,” he explains. “Even if they wanted to increase their corn acres, they wouldn’t be able to do that.”

The near-record high prices, especially for urea, are also playing a role in the decision, according to Tsiolis.

“When you get a price spike in fertilizer, with already a challenged ag economy out there, it’s going to lead the farmer to say, ‘Man, I’m spending several hundred dollars an acre more to put in this corn crop for relatively less profitability when I could put in some bean acres and almost know that at least at today’s current prices, I’m going to break even or a little bit better.’”

A fertilizer study conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation shows 67% of Midwest farmers pre-booked fertilizer. Where are the shifts likely to come from?

“I think if we’re going to see any kind of big movement from the March intentions for corn and soybeans, it’s probably going to come from the fringe area,” says Brian Grete, CommStock Investments. “I will include [that area] up into the Plains and the northern Plains and down through the South and Southeast. Those are the areas where we could see the biggest shift.”

There probably won’t be many acreage changes in the central Corn Belt, he says, so the crops most at risk are peanuts, cotton and others specific to the South.

USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden Says High-Level Washington Meeting Puts Fertilizer Industry on the Spot

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:09:58 GMT

The fertilizer market has been a growing point of tension in agriculture for years, but USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden says recent meetings in Washington marked a more direct and wide-ranging confrontation between federal officials and the companies that dominate input supply. Those discussions, he says, were not limited to USDA alone but included a broader slice of the administration’s economic leadership, signaling how central fertilizer costs have become to the national conversation on food production and inflation.

Vaden says cabinet-level officials from the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative were present, alongside USDA leadership and state agriculture commissioners from Iowa and Georgia. Fertilizer executives were also in the room, making the meeting a rare setting where policy makers, regulators and industry leaders sat together to address pricing, supply constraints and long-term market structure.

He says the purpose was not simply informational, but confrontational in the sense of putting real-world farm impacts directly in front of industry decision-makers.

“It was an opportunity for those other cabinet officials to hear from the fertilizer company executives,” Vaden says, “and for those fertilizer company executives to hear from the secretary and me, as well as our two state counterparts who joined, about the real harm that farmers are facing from uncertainty in the market and, equally as importantly, years of elevated prices.”

Vaden says what often gets lost outside agriculture is that the current fertilizer environment is not a short-term disruption, but the continuation of a multi-year pricing trend that has reshaped farm budgets.

“For people who don’t pay attention to ag every day like your listeners do, they may think this fertilizer thing came out of nowhere,” Vaden says. “But American farmers know that we’re on year five or more of elevated prices for fertilizer, and questions about adequate supply of all fertilizer types.”

He adds that the timing of the discussions is critical, as global geopolitical tensions are only adding pressure to already strained markets.

“So I see this as an opportunity now that the attention of everyone is focused on fertilizer, not just agriculture, to begin to solve the problem that has taken years to develop and that has been exacerbated by the current situation in the Middle East,” Vaden says. “So that we don’t find ourselves in another long-term question about fertilizer supply going forward.”

USDA Pushes Industry: Bring Projects Forward or Explain the Bottlenecks

As discussions continue with fertilizer companies, Vaden says USDA is shifting the conversation from general concern to specific accountability. Rather than broad discussions about market conditions, he says officials are now asking companies to identify concrete projects that could increase supply and to explain why those investments have not yet materialized.

This approach, he says, reflects a broader strategy inside the department to move beyond analysis and toward action, particularly in areas where supply constraints have persisted for years without meaningful change.

In meetings held both jointly and separately with industry leaders, Vaden says USDA has been consistent in its message to fertilizer companies.

“We are saying the same thing to everyone who comes before the department,” Vaden says. “Be a part of the solution, don’t be a part of the problem.”

He says that includes detailed questions about whether expansion projects are already in development but stalled due to permitting delays, regulatory barriers or capital constraints. In some cases, he says, USDA is asking companies to identify where federal or state action could realistically speed up timelines.

“We are asking them what projects they have in the pipeline that they can bring on board to create new fertilizer supplies, hopefully here domestically, but if necessary, near-shoring overseas,” Vaden says. “And are there steps that we can take to make those projects move faster? Are there permits that are held up? Are there states or localities that are holding up their expansions? Are there investments that they are looking for with regard to needing capital to be able to expand their production capacity?”

He adds the department is not approaching the issue passively, but actively pressing for answers.

“We’re asking as many questions as we are making declarative statements, and we’re trying to see what levers we can pull to get more supply on the market,” Vaden says.

Market Concentration at Center of USDA Concerns

Beyond supply timelines and permitting issues, Vaden says one of the core structural concerns in fertilizer markets is the level of consolidation, particularly in phosphate production where a small number of companies control a dominant share of supply.

He says that level of concentration raises fundamental questions about how prices are formed and whether farmers are receiving signals that reflect true market conditions.

With that in mind, Vaden says USDA is focusing heavily on competition and price discovery as part of its broader review of input markets.

“With one of our fertilizer markets, there are two companies that control 90% market share,” Vaden says. “Anybody, I don’t care whether it’s fertilizer or what any other commodity you want to talk about, if there are only two major players, how can anyone be sure that the price you are paying reflects actual market conditions?”

He says the issue is not simply about individual price spikes, but about whether enough competition exists to keep pricing behavior transparent and responsive.

“In order to have adequate price discovery in a market, you need multiple players,” Vaden says.

That concern, he adds, is one of the reasons fertilizer investigations already underway by federal agencies predate recent geopolitical disruptions and continue to expand.

Vaden Details Heated Meeting With Mosaic: “A Different Tune in My Conference Room”

Among the most pointed parts of Vaden’s interview are his comments about a recent face-to-face meeting with Mosaic, one of the most influential players in the phosphate fertilizer market. He says the discussion, held in his conference room just this week, was direct and, at times, uncomfortable, focusing heavily on production decisions, capacity investment and the company’s role in a highly concentrated global market.

Vaden says he challenged Mosaic on why additional production capacity has not been brought online in the United States over a long period of time, and what barriers the company believes are preventing expansion.

He says he left the meeting with clear expectations for follow-up information from the company, describing it as an assignment rather than a casual discussion.

“I gave them a homework assignment,” Vaden says. “I told them what I expected to see, and I hope that they will get back to me as soon as possible.”

But what stood out most to him, he says, was not just what was said in the room, but how it contrasted with the company’s public messaging.

So disappointed in this response, @MosaicCompany, especially as you decide to idle two fertilizer production facilities, removing 1 MMT of supply from the world market. 🚨

Our Great President and this Administration have our farmers' backs. 💪🌾

Any sleight of hand will not be… https://t.co/GTCxcBQNgi
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) April 13, 2026

In his view, there was a noticeable difference between internal discussions and external communications, particularly on social media, where fertilizer policy debates have increasingly played out in public.

“And I will say, without being able to go into details, when they were in my office, they were singing a slightly different tune than they were signing on Twitter responding to the president’s Truth Social message that you noted,” Vaden says.

He uses that contrast to underscore what he sees as a broader disconnect between industry messaging and the realities USDA believes farmers are facing.

“We need more supply, we need answers, your company hasn’t provided either of those two things,” Vaden says. “It’s about time that you did.”

Industry Responses, Trade Policy Pressure and the Mosaic Question

While Vaden applies pressure to Mosaic, he notes that not all fertilizer companies are taking the same stance on trade policy and tariffs. He points specifically to Nutrien, which he says has indicated support for removing certain trade enforcement measures.

“I was very happy after I met with the Nutrien CEO that they came out and announced we don’t need this CVD order anymore,” Vaden says.

By contrast, he says Mosaic’s position on countervailing duties and phosphate trade enforcement remains unresolved, and that broader policy decisions are now effectively waiting on the company’s response.

He characterizes the situation as fluid but heavily dependent on industry input.

“Right now the question is in Mosaic’s court, if you will,” Vaden says. “And we’re waiting for an answer from them.”

He adds that regulatory or executive action is unlikely to be taken in a vacuum while negotiations and responses are still unfolding.

“One thing that I know as a lawyer is that there’s a whole lot more possible if you have consent of the parties than if you don’t,” Vaden says. “With consent, nearly all things are possible.”

Investigations Expand as USDA Seeks Farmer-Reported Data

Alongside industry meetings, Vaden says USDA is working with the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission on ongoing fertilizer market investigations, with a particular focus on pricing behavior and market transparency.

He says one challenge is the nature of pricing information itself, which often reaches farmers through informal channels and can change quickly.

“We’re asking questions and waiting for answers, and we need farmers’ help as part of our question asking,” Vaden says.

He describes a pattern many farmers have reported directly to USDA, where fertilizer prices are quoted in a way that encourages immediate purchase rather than delayed buying.

“I know in my own family’s operation that you get phone calls, and those phone calls tell you ‘Here’s what the price is now, and if you wait, here’s what the price will be later,’” Vaden says. “And that later price is never lower than the price that it is now.”

To address that, he says USDA is working on a confidential reporting system designed to protect farmer identity while improving data quality for investigators.

“If they trust us with their information, if they trust us with the facts that they have, they’ll be able to remain anonymous,” Vaden says. “And the companies under investigation will not know who shared what data with us.”

“This Has Been Going On for Too Long”

Vaden closes by emphasizing that fertilizer prices and supply constraints are not a new challenge for agriculture, but an entrenched issue that has persisted through multiple years and market cycles.

He says the administration is trying to shift both short-term supply conditions and long-term structural dynamics at the same time, adding that USDA’s goal is not temporary relief, but sustained changes in supply, competition and pricing stability.

“We are focused on getting new supplies here now, and not just now, but next year and the year after that and the years after that,” Vaden says. “So that we can have guaranteed new supplies over the long term.”

Vaden’s Message to Farmers: “We’re Saying the Same Thing in Public and in Private”

At the end of the conversation, Vaden returned to what he described as the central audience for everything USDA is doing on fertilizer: farmers themselves. He acknowledged frustration is not just growing, but it has become a defining sentiment across much of farm country as input costs remain elevated and supply questions persist year after year.

He emphasized USDA’s posture is not different depending on the room or the audience, whether speaking with industry executives, other federal agencies, or producers themselves.

“I want farmers to know that when I am sitting with representatives of other cabinet departments or when I am sitting with big fertilizer CEOs, I am saying the same thing in private that you hear me saying in public,” Vaden says. “I do not change my tune. I may be slightly more polite, but I am equally as direct in terms of telling them what I think the situation is.”

Vaden says that directness is rooted in what he believes farmers are already experiencing on the ground, particularly when it comes to fertilizer pricing volatility and uncertainty in purchasing decisions. He says producers are not misreading the situation — they are responding to real, long-running pressures.

He also acknowledges the emotional toll on producers is part of the reality USDA is hearing more frequently.

“I especially communicate to them that farmers have gone from exasperation to anger with the situation that we have now,” Vaden says. “They are not wrong to be feeling those emotions because they understand that this is not a new situation.”

Looking ahead, Vaden says USDA’s goal is not just to address short-term pricing spikes, but to change the underlying conditions that have kept fertilizer costs elevated for years. That includes expanding supply, increasing competition and improving long-term stability in input markets.

“This is an issue that has bedeviled American agriculture for at least five years, and it is time that it stopped,” Vaden says.

Maryland Farmer Turns Stringent Fertilizer Restrictions Into An Opportunity To Innovate

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:13:18 GMT

On the Delmarva Peninsula, where every pound of fertilizer applied is regulated, Maryland farmer Temple Rhodes is rebuilding his corn production system from the ground up — literally.

“We are in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, so all eyes are on us,” Rhodes says. “I am 50 miles from Baltimore, 50 miles from D.C., 67 miles from Philadelphia. We are in a hotbed of regulation.”

For the past 25-plus years, Chestnut Manor Farms has operated under a state-mandated nutrient management plan that caps how much nitrogen and phosphorus can be applied. Rhodes says participating in the program is not voluntary.

“It is forced on us with no incentive. You just have to do it,” he says. “So, we have to reinvent ourselves. We have to start looking at other ways to do things.”

Rhodes grows corn, soybeans and wheat, along with a few acres of grain sorghum. He also runs a cow-calf operation and backgrounds a couple hundred head of steers each winter on cover crops. The diversity helps, but the real transformation is happening in how he feeds his 1,700-acre corn crop.

From Front-Loading To Spoon-Feeding

For years, the standard practice was to front-load fertilizer before planting and hope enough stayed in place through the growing season. Under tighter rules and scrutiny, Rhodes says that approach no longer works.

“We used to put 100% of our nitrogen up front, then plant a crop on it and expect it to be there all along,” he says. “That is where we find out we are making a mistake. We are limited in how much fertility we can put on, so we better get it on at the right time, in the right place, or we are going to run out.”

Today, Chestnut Manor relies on what Rhodes describes as a systematic, layered approach that can include planter-applied fertilizer (in-furrow and 2x2 programs), split in-season applications of nitrogen, extensive cover crops and biologicals.

“When you take a systematic approach to all these things, it becomes a different animal,” Rhodes says.

Most of his corn is grown using a strip-till system with strips built in the spring. State rules prevent him from applying fertilizer in the fall, so he must work ahead of the planter using modest rates of nitrogen and then follow up with in-season applications.

“My end goal is to grow 225 bushels per acre,” he says. “I am going to put about 0.7 pounds of nitrogen per bushel on my crop. I can get away with that if I spoon-feed it correctly. If I put it all down up front, I am going to need about 1.25 pounds. I’m saving a lot of fertility by doing it this way.”

Rhodes says Maryland’s regulatory framework ensures he stays within strict application limits. The state’s phosphorus usage tool combines soil samples, yield history, location and soil type into an algorithm that dictates what farmers can apply.

“You put your soil samples in, you put your yield goal in, and it spits out what you can put on,” Rhodes says. “If you say your yield goal is 250 bushels but your APH is only 180, that is not how it works. Your APH and your yield goal have to be very similar, or you are not going to get to put on what you want. They are going to tell you what you can put on. Period.”

A New Technology Takes Root

Working under those constraints, Rhodes has become aggressive about testing new technologies that promise better nutrient efficiency and stronger root systems. Not one to be painted into a corner, Rhodes stays open to all ideas of what could work within the state’s mandated parameters. One of those is a biostimuant from NewLeaf Symbiotics.

The product is a non-GMO, naturally occurring bacteria known as PPFMs (Pink-Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs), often called “M-trophs”. The PPFM-powered biostimulant is designed to improve crop yield, nutrient uptake, and stress tolerance, according to NewLeaf.

In the process of trialing the product, Rhodes shared the technology with XtremeAg, a group of seven farmers across the country who rigorously test new technologies in different environments.

“If we can test a product at multiple locations — a guy from Iowa, a guy from Maryland, a guy down South — and it works across everybody, that is big,” Rhodes says. “It is huge, because what works for me might not work for the guy in the Midwest. It all goes back to soil type and environment.”

Rhodes says what he was looking for from the biostimulant was stress mitigation and nutrient scavenging that can improve his current foundation for the future.

“I need a massive root system that can go out and get more nutrients, because I am limited on how many nutrients I can put on,” he says. “If I build a plant that scavenges more, that is a home run for us.”

Cutting Irrigation And Boosting Biomass

Rhodes farms a mix of acres, with about 25% irrigated and 75% dryland. After the first year of trialing the NewLeaf technology he found he didn’t need to run his irrigation system as frequently.

“The root system and the plant that it makes, I do not have anywhere near the stress,” he says. “When it’s hot and dry we would normally run the irrigation system, but I found I do not need to put on as much water.”

With irrigation costing about $125 per acre, every pass he eliminates adds up to a significant savings.

“If I make 12 passes a year, I can save $10 an acre just by not turning it on one time,” he says.

Beyond water savings, Rhodes estimates he is getting 30% more biomass in the plants.

“We actually cut corn stalks off at the ground and weighed them. We did not even measure the roots — just the plant itself. Thirty percent more biomass than my grower standard practice,” he says.

The biomass offers a payoff for grain production and nutrients for his cattle operation.

“I chop silage, so if I can add 30% more, that is 30% fewer acres I need to chop,” he reports. “It costs me by the acre, so 30% less is massive. And the nutrients in that plant are higher than in my grower standard practice. It all follows each other.”

Learning Curve And Next Steps

While the product delivers more biomass and higher yields, it did create new management challenges. Rhodes discovered the downside of building a much bigger plant on a tight nitrogen budget.

“In my system, I put about 30% of my nitrogen needs down with my strip till. I plant on top of it, everything looks great, it makes this massive system — and then I end up running out of nitrogen later in the season,” he recalls.

He spotted the problem at harvest, with many ears showing considerable tip-back of an inch or two. Rhodes figures the crop just “outran” his nitrogen program. Even so, the fields containing the experimental treatment still out-yielded his standard fields by an average of 11 bushels per acre.

The experience pushed him to rethink nitrogen application timing and total rate.

“I’m pulling some of the front-end nitrogen out and putting it into reproduction, so I do not run out at the end,” he says. “Instead of 0.7 pounds per bushel, maybe I can go to 0.8 or 0.9, maybe even one-to-one, and still be efficient because of what this product is doing.”

The results from the past two years of field testing are strong enough that Rhodes is no longer treating the technology as a small trial.
“We plant about 1,700 acres of corn, so it’s going on every acre of corn,” he says.

On a tightly regulated farm in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, Rhodes is betting that bigger roots, smarter fertilizer use and careful experimentation with nutrients will keep his operation profitable — all while staying within the rules.

Cut Through The Biological Noise To Find Real ROI

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:03:28 GMT

Biologicals are booming across the agricultural landscape, propelled by a surge of new products and high-octane promises. Yet, when the invoice arrives, farmers are often left with this nagging question: Did I actually need that?

University of Illinois field researcher and assistant professor Connor Sible is on a mission to provide clarity. Drawing on a decade-plus of in-field study in corn and soybean systems, Sible offers a farmer-first filter to cut through the marketing noise. His research is helping growers determine where these tools offer a reliable return on investment — and where they fall flat.

“Start with your agronomy, then decide if a biological adds value on top,” he advises. “They’re not a shortcut around good fundamentals.”

One of the key reasons why farmers struggle to cut through the noise and identify which biological products will work for them results from the shear number of biological products in the marketplace. Another challenge is what this class of products is called. Academia and regulators use the term biostimulants. Ag media, companies and most farmers increasingly use the broader term biologicals.

The 2025 crop biostimulant list was capped at 450 companies. Sible notes that most companies offer multiple products, so if the chart were redrawn by product labels instead of company logos, it would “get out of control pretty quickly.” In his own review of just row-crop (corn, wheat, soy) products, he examined 155 products and found 139 unique microbial species used as active ingredients.

(Connor Sible Presentation)

The Baseline: Deliver on Fundamentals

For all the excitement surrounding biologicals, Sible encourages farmers to focus on unglamorous agronomic foundations first. He describes biologicals as next-step inputs; they can sharpen a high-performing cropping system, but they will not rescue one built on outdated practices.

“I do not know of a biostimulant or biological today that will fix your pH,” Sible says. “If you’ve got a soil pH issue, fix that first. Same with drainage, and same with using the same hybrid you’ve used for six years just because it’s still available.”

The Logistics: Is it Dead or Alive?

Once the fundamentals are solid, Sible says a practical next step is to consider whether a product is living or non-living.

Beneficial microbes — such as nitrogen-fixers, phosphorus-solubilizers, residue degraders, and many seed-applied inoculants — are alive. Many biostimulants — including humic and fulvic acids, certain enzymes, and kelp- or marine-based formulations — are not.

That distinction isn’t just academic; it determines whether a product has any chance of working by the time it reaches your field.

“If you’re buying something living, you’re buying a responsibility,” Sible says. “You have to keep it alive from delivery to application.”

He urges farmers to evaluate their shop conditions: Can you provide temperature stability? Is the product sitting against an uninsulated exterior wall? If the logistics of babysitting a living organism do not fit your management style, Sible suggests using only non-living biostimulants.

Nutrient Efficiency: Boosting Nitrogen

Few biological categories have generated as much buzz as nitrogen fixers. Sible’s work suggests they can play a role — but not the one many farmers might first imagine.

For a typical corn crop, about half the nitrogen comes from applied fertilizer and about half from soil organic matter and mineralization.

Biological N fixers are best thought of as a third source of nitrogen, he says, helping to cover shortfalls when fertilizer is lost or tied up, or soil mineralization doesn’t keep pace with crop demand.

From his data on a 230-bushel corn crop, the key number is 7 pounds of nitrogen per acre per day. That’s how much the plant must take up every day for about three weeks at peak demand. At 300 bushels, that jumps to around 9 pounds per acre per day. One of the questions farmers need to ask their retailer on a nitrogen-fixing biological they’re considering is, how much will it help provide during the key periods of demand?

Corn requires significant amounts of nitrogen during key growth stages to deliver a 230-bushel corn crop. The demand makes it hugely challenging for a biological to deliver sufficient N as a standalone product.

(Connor Sible)

Sible makes two critical points:

Don’t cut N and expect a biological to fully replace it.
When growers drop early-season nitrogen in hopes that microbes will fill the gap, his team often sees corn respond by reducing kernel set. The yield ceiling falls before the biological has time to colonize and contribute.
Placement and mode of action matter.
Products marketed as N fixers don’t all work the same way. Some colonize roots externally, some live inside the plant as endophytes, and some may enhance N assimilation rather than truly fixing atmospheric N. That affects:
- Whether they’re best applied in-furrow, on-seed or foliar.
- What they can be tank-mixed with.
- When they’ll begin supplying nitrogen.

Farmers trialing N-fixing products this season should treat them as insurance or a supplement and not a license to slash N rates across the board, Sible advises.

Phosphorus-Solubilizing Microbes

Soils often hold a high volume of total phosphorus, but much of it is locked in forms plants cannot access. Certain microbes can free up this nutrient by secreting weak organic acids that chelate soil cations away from phosphate.

In field trials, the most consistent benefits occurred when microbes were supplied in-furrow or very near the roots and applied alongside phosphorus fertilizer. Using “difference methods” to track uptake, Sible reports that baseline efficiencies often sat between 4% and 7%. With a P-solubilizing product, that jumped to the 7% to 11% range in some environments.

“It’s still not great, but it nearly doubled our efficiency in some environments,” he says. However, he cautions that cutting fertilizer back significantly and expecting microbes to “mine” the difference is not a reliable strategy.

The Carbon Battle: Residue Management

Residue degradation is where Sible sees some of the strongest opportunities for biologicals, especially in high-yield or no-till systems.

Every 10 bushels of corn adds about 440 pounds of residue; over a decade, a yield gain of 25 bushels can mean an extra half-ton of residue per acre.

The challenge is the high carbon-to-sulfur ratio in corn stalks, which ties up nutrients. Sible’s research has found that biological degraders are inconsistent on their own but show significant synergy when paired with nitrogen and sulfur.

“If you’re going to use these, understand they’re fighting an uphill battle against carbon,” Sible says.

He also stresses application timing: “Spray on cloudy days or in the evening to take advantage of overnight dew. You have to set the product up to succeed.”

Carbon and Humic Products

When evaluating humic acids and molasses-type products (sugar), Sible notes a clear divide between crops. In soybeans, results have been largely inconsistent. In corn, however, in-furrow carbon and humic products produced small but consistent yield gains that held up under economic analysis.

Sible attributes this to crop physiology. Corn makes major yield decisions twice: during early vegetative stages (kernel potential) and at pollination (kernel retention). Supporting the plant during these specific windows has offered a measurable response.

Soybeans, by contrast, adjust yield daily from flowering through seed fill, making them a much harder target for a single application of a biostimulant.

Stress-Mitigating Products

Sible sees value in some stress-mitigating products — often kelp or marine extracts — that claim to help crops tolerate drought, heat or other abiotic stress. He notes these materials are often rich in metabolites that help plants survive extreme fluctuations in temperature, moisture and salinity.

When applied to crop leaves, these materials can trigger stress-defense pathways.But they only work if they’re applied before the stress hits.

“You have to be proactive, not reactive,” Sible says. “If the corn is already curled or the soybean leaves are flipped over, it’s too late for these products to do much.”

He tells farmers to watch their 7- to 10-day forecasts and time applications ahead of expected heat waves or dry spells, adding that these products are ineffective as rescue treatments.

From Products to Purpose

Across all categories of biological products, Sible’s advice remains the same: define your “why.” If a product doesn’t clearly fit a specific goal — such as improving N efficiency at peak uptake or accelerating residue breakdown — it may not be worth the investment.

“There are some really exciting tools out there,” Sible says. “But the value comes when you use them precisely, not when you expect them to fix everything.”

As farmers evaluate biological products, Sible notes there are about 10 frequently used types of “active ingredients” that are better-understood, likely credible and worth evaluating. They include:

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens
Bacillus subtilis
Bradyrhizobium spp. (classic soybean inoculant – “the original biological”)
Azospirillum spp.
Trichoderma spp.
Azotobacter spp.
Several other Bacillus and related species are in the top-10 list, as well.

Sible’s framing of these for farmers’ consideration:
If a new product contains one or more of these top 10 species, it “fits the larger narrative of this market.”
If it has something totally different, it might be:
— a random/unproven one-off, or
— truly novel and promising – but in that case he suggests being more cautious and asking more questions.

Corteva Unveils Executive Team Lineup For Its Two-Way Company Split

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:58:00 GMT

Corteva Inc. has reached a pivotal milestone in its corporate restructuring, announcing the executive leadership teams that will guide its transition into two independent, publicly traded entities.

The separation, which will result in the formation of New Corteva and SpinCo, is expected to be finalized in the fourth quarter of 2026.

New Corteva: A Focus on Crop Protection

Luther “Luke” Kissam has been appointed as the future chief executive officer of New Corteva, the entity that will retain the company’s crop protection portfolio. Kissam is scheduled to join the firm on June 1 as CEO.

Corteva’s Greg Page says the company board of directors selected Kissam following a global search, citing his ability to drive growth through innovation. Page notes that Kissam’s history of leading public companies and delivering market-focused solutions will benefit farmers and shareholders alike, according to a company press release.

Kissam brings a background in both agriculture and specialty chemicals to the new role. He previously served as the chairman and CEO of Albemarle Corporation and held legal and executive positions at Monsanto and Merisant Company.

Joining Kissam at New Corteva in key leadership roles will be:

Jeff Rudolph, chief financial officer
Brook Cunningham, chief commercial officer
Ralph Ford, chief integrated operations officer
Reza Rasoulpour, chief technology officer
Jim Alcombright, chief digital and information officer

SpinCo: Advancing Seed and Genetics

The second entity, provisionally named SpinCo, will operate as a standalone seed and genetics company. This business will focus on elite germplasm and cutting-edge biotechnologies, including gene editing and molecular breeding for row crops.

Current Corteva CEO Chuck Magro will transition to the role of SpinCo CEO at the time of formal separation. Magro says SpinCo’s success will be built on technological investments that allow farmers to increase yields in row crops and potentially new markets.

Along with Magro, the leadership team for SpinCo will include:

David Johnson, chief financial officer
Judd O’Connor, chief commercial and operations officer
Sam Eathington, chief technology officer
Audrey Grimm, chief people officer
Brian Lutz, chief digital and information officer
Jennifer Johnson, chief legal officer

Trump Warns Fertilizer Giants Against "Price Gouging" as Costs Soar 40%

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:46:51 GMT

Fertilizer market volatility is once again taking center stage as geopolitical tensions disrupt global supply lines and push input costs sharply higher. New analysis shows the increase in fertilizer prices may not be over, even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens soon.

Even with the situation in Iran pushing prices even higher, the sharp increase in fertilizer prices from 2020 to now is catching attention in Washington. Not only did President Donald Trump take to social media to warn of ‘price gouging,’ but Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins also posted on X Monday, specifically expressing frustration over Mosaic’s response to farmers.

While Rollins and USDA Under Secretary Stephen Vaden have raised concerns over fertilizer prices this year, the president posted on Truth Social over the weekend that he is closely monitoring fertilizer prices and pledged support for American farmers.

Trump said Saturday on his Truth Social platform he is “watching fertilizer prices CLOSELY” during what he described as the US “FIGHT FOR FREEDOM in Iran”, adding that the administration “will not accept PRICE GOUGING from the fertilizer monopoly”.

On Monday, Rollins posted on X, saying she was “So disappointed in this response” from Mosaic, “especially as you decide to idle two fertilizer production facilities, removing 1 MMT of supply from the world market.”

So disappointed in this response, @MosaicCompany, especially as you decide to idle two fertilizer production facilities, removing 1 MMT of supply from the world market. 🚨

Our Great President and this Administration have our farmers' backs. 💪🌾

Any sleight of hand will not be… https://t.co/GTCxcBQNgi
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) April 13, 2026

Mosaic announced last week the decision to shut down major phosphate operations in Brazil, a move the that will cut production, reduce jobs, and signal a *strategic shift in how the fertilizer giant deploys its capital.

Mosaic Company announced Thursday it will idle two phosphate facilities in Brazil as part of a broader effort to cut costs and shift capital. Mosaic expects idling of the facilities to reduce annual phosphate production by approximately 1 million tonnes. CEO Bruce Bodine says the decision reflects what he calls a disciplined focus on long-term returns.

.@MosaicCompany, you’re right that U.S. farmers are facing a difficult economic situation, only made worse by the extra $6.9 BILLION they have had to spend on fertilizer since you petitioned the government to place duties on imported phosphorus. This has played a major role in… https://t.co/UuOqjE0jBu
— National Corn (NCGA) (@NationalCorn) April 13, 2026

Mosaic and Simplot have also been in the cross hairs of the push to remove countervailing duties on Moroccan phosphate . Groups like the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) claim the CVDs are costing U.S. agriculture $1 billion each year.

The CVDs on Moroccan phosphate were put into place by the International Trade Commission (ITC) in 2021. As the sunset review begins, more than 50 state grower groups including the Texas Corn Producers Association, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the ITC to revoke the countervailing duties on imported phosphate fertilizers from Morocco and Russia.

In separate filings by Mosaic and Simplot to the ITC and the Department of Commerce, both companies said the continuation is necessary to maintain a “level playing field.”

In a written response to Farm Journal, Mosaic said:

“American farmers depend on a strong domestic fertilizer industry, which in turn depends on strong enforcement of U.S. trade laws that ensure a level playing field. Mosaic is proud to support U.S. agriculture with high-quality, reliable products produced here at home.”

Iran War’s Current Impact on Fertilizer Prices

The message from the Trump adminstration comes as tensions escalate in the Strait of Hormuz, where the United States is weighing a potential full naval blockade. Ship traffic through the critical waterway has already dropped from roughly 135 vessels per day to the single digits. A complete shutdown could halt flows entirely, further increasing fertilizer prices.

The stakes are high as roughly one-third of global fertilizer shipments move through the strait, and the disruption is already sending prices higher, up more than 40% compared to a year ago.

It is the 6-week anniversary of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Fert price comparisons:

NOLA urea - +$230 or 49%
NOLA UAN - +$145 or 38%
Midwest NH3 - +$245 or 32%
NOLA DAP - +$130 or 21%
NOLA potash - +$10 or 3%

...corn - 2-cents or 0.5% higher#sickeningforfarmers
— Josh Linville (@JLinvilleFert) April 10, 2026

Market data shows the impact Iran is having on already high fertilizer prices. According to StoneX analyst Josh Linville says in the six weeks since the war started:

Urea prices have surged by $230 per ton, a 49% increase
UAN is up $145 per ton, or 38%
Anhydrous ammonia has climbed $245 per ton, a 32% jump.
In contrast, corn prices have barely responded, rising just two cents, or about half a percent. The divergence is putting additional pressure on farm margins.

DOJ Probe Into Fertilizer Costs Seeks Input From Farmers

The Trump administration is asking farmers to help provide information as part of an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice investigation into elevated costs for fertilizer, machinery and other key agricultural inputs, according to reporting from Bloomberg.

Bloomberg reported the effort is aimed at gathering more on-the-ground data as regulators examine whether fertilizer producers may have coordinated to raise prices. The DOJ investigation was first reported in early March, when Bloomberg said federal officials had begun looking into whether fertilizer companies engaged in price coordination.

According to the Bloomberg report, Vaden said he has already met with officials at both the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to discuss potential lines of inquiry. He also noted that farmers could play a key role in the process.

Vaden said farmers “have a lot of information that might be relevant to these investigations.”

Bloomberg previously reported in early March that the Department of Justice is investigating whether fertilizer producers colluded to increase prices.

Speaking at the North American Agricultural Journalists’ annual conference in Washington on Monday, Vaden encouraged farmer participation in the probe, emphasizing confidentiality protections.

“We need farmers to help provide us with that information on a confidential basis, so that that can help inform the investigations that are ongoing,” Vaden said, according to Bloomberg. “I think we will have a mechanism in order to help encourage that exchange of information.”

NCGA Surveys Show Not All Farmers Have Fertilizer Secured for 2026

Against that backdrop, along with fertilizer prices climbing even higher in the six weeks after the conflict started with Iran, new surveys results from NCGA highlight how those market pressures are translating to on-farm realities.

Krista Swanson, chief economist for NCGA, says the organization conducted the survey to better understand fertilizer availability from the farmer perspective. Ag Secretary Rollins has told mainstream media that 80% of farmers have fertilizer locked in for 2026, but NCGA data contradicts that figure.

“We’re hearing that number being thrown around too, which is why we really wanted to find out directly from farmers what the status is for them,” Swanson says.

NCGA Grower Survey

(National Corn Growers Association (NCGA))

A Significant Gap in Fertilizer Readiness

The surveys show that only 60% of farmers report having their nitrogen fully purchased or secured for the 2026 growing season, while 64% say the same for phosphate. That leaves a sizable portion of producers still working to lock in supplies.

“When you think about over 500,000 corn farmers in the U.S., this isn’t a small number,” Swanson says. “Our survey results indicate that over 200,000 farmers still need at least some fertilizer for this year.”

Nitrogen remains a critical input for corn production and is closely tied to yield potential. Any shortfall, whether driven by availability or cost, can directly affect productivity and profitability.

NCGA Grower Surveys

(National Corn Growers Association (NCGA))

Younger Farmers Feeling the Pressure Most

The survey also points to uneven impacts across the farm sector, with younger farmers facing greater challenges in securing fertilizer.

Swanson says younger producers reported having more nitrogen left to purchase compared to older farmers.

“You think about younger farmers that have less capital already built up in their business, maybe tighter cash flow needs because of their equity position,” she says. “This does seem to have a disproportional impact on younger farmers.”

That dynamic raises concerns about financial strain among newer operations in a high-cost environment.

Corn Acres Likely Stable, But With Reduced Inputs

Despite the challenges, most farmers are not planning to reduce corn acreage. The survey found that 80% of respondents expect to maintain their planned acres.

NCGA Grower Survey

(National Corn Growers Association (NCGA))

At the same time, fertilizer application rates may fall short. Half of the farmers surveyed say they do not expect to apply their full amount of fertilizer.

“Pairing these two together, it seems to me like we are still going to see a lot of corn acres get planted,” Swanson says. “But those corn acres will have less fertilizer than maybe what they would have otherwise had.”

That combination could limit yield potential if input reductions become widespread.

Growing Concern Shifts to 2027

While fertilizer availability remains a concern for 2026, attention is already turning to the next crop year. Fertilizer purchasing follows a rolling cycle, and planning for 2027 will begin soon.

Survey responses show that for every one farmer more concerned about fertilizer price and availability for 2026, nearly two are more concerned about 2027.

NCGA Grower Survey

(National Corn Growers Association (NCGA))

“So farmers are concerned as we look ahead to next year,” Swanson says.

The shift reflects uncertainty about how long supply disruptions and elevated prices will persist.

Supply Chain Recovery May Take Time

Even if geopolitical tensions ease, relief may not come quickly. Swanson notes that the fertilizer market is still dealing with production disruptions and supply chain backlogs.

“A short-term ceasefire has limited immediate impact on this ongoing fertilizer crisis for farmers,” she says. “Even when a permanent end to the situation is reached, we’re still looking at recovery from supply chain backlogs and halted production that could take a long time to recover from.”

Damage to key inputs such as liquid natural gas and sulfur production could take years to repair, keeping pressure on supply.

A Tightening Outlook

The NCGA survey underscores a challenging environment for corn producers. Most acres are expected to be planted this year, but not all will receive optimal fertilizer applications. At the same time, concern is building for 2027 as farmers look ahead to the next purchasing cycle.

For many producers, the issue is no longer just securing fertilizer for this season. It is navigating a period of sustained uncertainty that could shape production decisions, costs, and risk management strategies across the U.S. corn sector.

Longstanding Concerns Over Market Concentration

Groups like the Texas Corn Producers Association have been raising concerns about fertilizer market concentration for years. Texas farmer Dee Vaughan says the organization began studying the issue in 2020, working with the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M to examine pricing trends.

“We’ve been very concerned about all of our input costs, but specifically fertilizer, because it’s the one that just keeps going up almost exponentially,” Vaughan says.

He adds those studies found a shift in how fertilizer prices are determined . Historically tied closely to natural gas costs, the study found nitrogen fertilizer pricing began tracking corn prices more closely after 2010, a change Vaughan says reflects deeper structural issues.

According to Vaughan, the small number of firms controlling the market have the data and market awareness to price inputs based on farmers’ revenue potential, rather than production costs.

“They all have economists on staff,” Vaughan says. “They know exactly what our costs are, what our income is, and they’re able to extract value based on what they see as the gross income of a farmer. It’s not based on cost of production any longer.”

The New Ag Economy: Why This Downturn is a Structural Shift, Not Just a Cycle

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 21:22:16 GMT

What You Need to Know:

Structural Evolution: This downturn is a permanent market shift, not just a temporary cycle.
Friend-Shoring: Trade is moving toward geopolitical allies to ensure supply chain resilience.
Aggressive Cost-Cutting: Farmers are doubling generic input use and delaying machinery purchases to protect margins.
Financial Resilience: Better management and working capital make today far more stable than the 1980s.
Premium Protein Demand: GLP-1 medications are driving consumers toward smaller, higher-quality meat portions

As the industry enters the third year of this downturn, farmers and agribusinesses are questioning if a recovery is on the two-year horizon. While cyclical behavior is normal, two economists suggest the structural evolution within crop protection, machinery, technology, livestock and other individual sectors is creating a different kind of staying power for those who survive the recovery.

The Evolution of the Cycle

When characterizing the current economic cycle in agriculture, historical patterns provide a necessary baseline, yet the present landscape is defined by unique pressures. Typical agricultural cycles consist of roughly six years of expansion followed by four years of decline. Currently, the market is navigating a “corrective period,” returning to long-run averages.

The drivers of growth are typically demand shocks — export surges, fuel demand or policy shifts such as the Renewable Fuel Standard. However, Wes Davis, ag economist at Meridian Ag Advisors, notes the current environment is an intersection of traditional contraction and sector-specific evolution.

“What I think we’re experiencing right now is that typical cycle behavior where we see growth in some business firms, and then some contraction and pullback to adjust to the cycle going back to more of the long-run average,” Davis explains. “I think we’re also seeing evolution of individual sectors within the market where there’s adjustments happening because of the industry itself.”

In other words, this isn’t just a cycle — it’s also a structural shift.

Change Fatigue and Modern Volatility

Farmers aren’t strangers to volatility, but global trade disruptions, policy shifts and rising competition, especially from Brazil, are layering uncertainty onto already volatile markets.
Farmers are grappling with “change fatigue,” a byproduct of the high velocity of information and extreme price swings that dwarf the relative stability of the early 2000s.

“When I go talk to any industry group right now, the phrase that I hear is ‘change fatigue’, and I feel that. Every couple minutes, something shifts,” says Trey Malone, Purdue University ag econ professor. “But to be clear, it’s not that the farm economy isn’t used to volatility, it’s just the uncertainty and the volatility now is, like, ‘hold my beer relative’ to the old volatility.”

Malone attributes this to layers of uncertainty created by global trade and policy. The rise of Brazilian production, coinciding with the disruption of U.S.-China trade relations, has created a permanent state of flux. This sentiment is reflected in the Purdue Ag Economy Barometer, which shares a higher correlation with the Small Business Index (.5) than with actual commodity prices. This suggests farmers view themselves primarily as small business owners facing broad economic pressures rather than just price-takers.

“We don’t see very strong correlations even with lagged soybean prices and corn prices,” Malone notes. “The world is more complicated than just looking at what happened in the market yesterday and gauging how farmers feel.”

Global Competitiveness and the Trade Reallocation

A primary concern for U.S. producers is their position as low-cost providers. While the U.S. maintains an infrastructure advantage that lowers the cost of getting products to export ports, Brazil continues to close the gap.

“It’s a fair question farmers ask a lot: Are we actually the ones who are the low-cost producers, and do we still have a place in the global market if Brazil continues to lower the cost of production and transport their grain to export terminals?” Davis asks.

However, Davis points out that global trade hasn’t shut off; it has reallocated. Only three global regions — North America, Latin America and parts of Southeastern Europe/Central Asia — are net exporters. The rest of the world remains net importers.

“While our trade has kind of shifted around ... that shift has really reallocated stuff in different places. Those calories and products end up going somewhere. It’s just a question of where,” he says.

The Shift to “Friend-Shoring” and Resilient Supply Chains

The industry is moving from “just-in-time” (hyper-lean) procurement to “just-in-case” (inventory-heavy) strategies, a lesson reinforced by the pandemic. This shift is accompanied by “friend-shoring,” where the U.S. prioritizes trade with geopolitical allies.

“We’ve gone from offshoring to onshoring to nearshoring to friendshoring,” Malone explains. “We’ve got a paper that’ll be coming out ... where we document friend-shoring in ag and food supply chains. Over the last 10 years, there’s been a shift where we mostly in the U.S. trade with other people who vote like us in the WTO. That’s kind of one way to measure friends.”

This resilience is also visible in crop protection. In 2019, 80% of active ingredients were sourced from China. Today, that is closer to 60%, with manufacturing shifting to India and domestic sites. Davis calls these “geopolitically resilient” supply chains.

The Rise of Generics and Decision Paralysis

The economic downturn is fundamentally changing the business model for input providers. Farmers are aggressively cutting costs, leading to a massive surge in generic usage.

“The latest survey I saw shows about 60% of farmers use generics today. That was about 30% to 40% just 5 years ago,” Davis says. This forces companies to pivot from differentiation to operational volume.

In the machinery sector, high costs and economic uncertainty have led to “decision paralysis.” Farmers are extending the life of their equipment, treating machinery replacement as the most controllable variable in managing annual ROI. Davis notes the U.S. ag equipment cycle is currently 15 to 20 percentage points lower than typical low points, driven by this hesitation. Furthermore, there is significant skepticism toward subscription-based technology models.

“Farmers don’t terribly love this idea, and I think the other interesting thought here is I’m not sure that retailers like selling them either,” Malone adds.

AI: The “Undergraduate Intern”

While artificial intelligence (AI) is a major talking point, its current role in agriculture is more supportive than transformative. Malone views AI as a “highly capable undergraduate intern” — useful for processing information but incapable of replacing the trust and risk management provided by human advisors.

“I don’t think you need to be replacing your agronomist. I think your mediocre agronomist just got OK,” Malone says, noting while LLMs can pass CCA exams, they cannot manage the risk of a wrong decision. “The risk management value proposition of an in-person Claude, or whoever, is probably going to win out because there’s still a risk.”

Currently, the adoption gap is wide: While 75% of agribusiness managers see potential in AI, only 4% have implemented it, according to a Purdue University survey in 2025.

Livestock and the GLP-1 Impact

The livestock sector is facing a unique demand shift driven by weight-loss medications (GLP-1s). This is leading to “premiumization.” As consumers eat smaller portions, they are opting for higher-quality cuts.

“The explosion in demand for protein is just shocking,” Malone says. “What GLP-1s do to that calorie count is they are all shifting toward premium cuts. You don’t care how much it costs because you’re only going to have seven bites of it. But you’re going to have a steak. That premiumization is going to really, really take off in the next 10 years.”

Conversely, the hype surrounding “fake meat” has largely faded, proving to be more of an investor-led phenomenon than a market-driven one.

Financial Stability: Not the 1980s

Despite the downturn, the financial health of the American farmer remains more stable than during the crisis of the 1980s. Currently, 10% to 12% of farmers are in a “tight” financial position , compared to 20% to 30% in the 80s.

“We do have a completely different, more professional ag workforce than we did back then,” Malone says. “The farm policy we have right now does not necessarily match what we need for the future, but all of these things make me think we’re in a much more stable position.”

Farmers have built-in “shock absorbers,” Davis adds, including off-farm income and working capital built up during the expansion years. However, in his research Davis has seen how alternative financing is becoming a major tool for the 50% of farmers who use it — either to manage stress or, for larger operations, to leverage relationships with retailers.

Strategic Reassessment: Winning at the Bottom

The experts agree the “bottom of the cycle” is the time for professionalization and upskilling. Surviving — and thriving — will require sharper management. It is an opportunity to reassess farm transitions and management disciplines, such as financial management, accounting and planning, which become critical in tight margins.

“Farmers are going to have to get smarter and get more creative with how they manage,” Malone says. “This is a good opportunity to take a step back and think about what the strategy needs to be moving forward.”

Davis emphasizes relationships are solidified during these periods: “Farmers are going to remember the folks who were around when they were in the bottom of the cycle, and who were there to support them. The best farmers will continue to get better ... I get excited about what we can look like as we come out of this cycle.”

So Is This Ag Cycle Different?

These experts say yes as every cycle presents its own unique reshaping of future opportunities.

To download the full report on why this ag cycle is different and what it means for your operation, click here .

Young Farmer Bets On ‘Lightning In A Tank’ To Tame His Fertilizer Bill

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:39:22 GMT

Farmer talk at the coffee shop often follows a predictable script: weather, grain prices and the eye-watering cost of inputs. But Carson Kahler, based in Martin County, Minn., is giving viewers of his 6th Gen Farmer videos on YouTube something more unique to discuss.

He’s decided to manufacture his own nitrogen.

“Starting my farming journey, I’m quickly realizing that there are certain things that I have to look at differently than a lot of other farmers do,” Kahler says. “One of those is the increased price in fertilizer and other inputs.”

While most corn and soybean growers are writing checks to their local co-op for all their nitrogen, Kahler is standing in his family’s machinery shed next to something he calls an “ugly conglomeration” of tanks and hoses. It’s a Green Lightning machine, a system that essentially tries to bottle a thunderstorm.

The Science Of The Spark

The technology behind the machine is an attempt to harness one of Mother Nature’s phenomenons. During a thunderstorm, a lightning strike generates enough heat and energy to break the incredibly strong triple bond that holds two nitrogen molecules together in the atmosphere. Once freed, the nitrogen atoms bond with oxygen and dissolve into falling raindrops. The result is a natural, nitrate-rich “fertigation” from the sky.

Kahler’s machine seeks to replicate this process in a controlled environment. By forcing compressed air, water, and electricity through a small chamber, it creates a miniature, continuous lightning storm. The output is water “high in nitrates” that can be stored and applied directly to the field.

For Kahler, the initial investment this past year was a calculated risk. Between the machine itself, the reverse osmosis unit to ensure water purity, the tanks, and the plumbing, he has approximately $10,000 in the system. His current unit is the smallest version available, rated to produce about 6,000 gallons of nitrate water annually. According to the manufacturer, that volume is equivalent to roughly 18,000 pounds of nitrogen.

However, as a young farmer who values data over marketing, Kahler isn’t taking those numbers at face value. “I took a sample out of one of my storage tanks and sent it over to the lab, and sure enough, it has nitrate in it,” he confirms. But knowing it’s there and knowing how the crop will react to it are two very different things.

Navigating Farmer Skepticism

Online, the reputation of Green Lightning is mixed. On forums like AgTalk, some farmers swear by it, while others say it’s a scam.

Much of the early failure associated with the technology stemmed from growers trying to use the nitrate water as a 1:1 replacement for traditional synthetic nitrogen. Research from Precision Planting’s PTI (Precision Technology Institute) Farm in Pontiac, Ill., backed up these concerns.

Precision Planting researchers have conducted a variety of tests on the Green Lightning technology at its Precision Technology Institute Farm based near Pontiac, Ill. More Info

(PTI/Carson Kahler)

Kahler points to data showing that in 2024, using the product as a total nitrogen replacement resulted in a nearly 45-bushel-per-acre yield hit, with similar disappointing results in 2025.

“When it first came out, a lot of people were thinking of it as a nitrogen replacer,” Kahler says. “But based on my research, that’s not the case.”

A Three-Pronged Strategy

Rather than asking the machine to do the impossible, Kahler has developed a strategy where the green lightning water acts as a supporting player — a utility player in his nitrogen lineup. He has identified three key areas where the product might provide a good ROI.

1. In-Furrow Advantage: Kahler modified his 12-row planter with two small tanks and a simple electric pump to apply the product in-furrow. One of the primary benefits of the nitrate water is its lack of salt.

“You don’t need to worry about burning the seed, burning the crops, creating a salt stress,” he says. “Also, if I have a leak or a spill or something, it’s not going to corrode my planter.”

He plans to run about 5 gallons per acre in-furrow, potentially pairing it with biologicals like Novonesis Torque IF. Based on PTI trials that showed a 3.5- to 5-bushel bump, Kahler is optimistic about the synergy.

2. Sidedress Blend The second pillar of his plan involves blending the product with UAN (28% or 32%) during sidedress. While the product performs poorly on its own, studies have suggested that when mixed with traditional nitrogen, it can enhance uptake. Kahler is planning a 70/30 ratio of UAN to green lightning.

Beck’s Hybrids 2025 research shows Green Lighting can replace a significant percentage of UAN:

Trial Insights: Beck’s PFR data shows that using Green Lightning as a starter (2x2x2) followed by a UAN sidedress was highly effective, yielding 207.6 Bu./A. However, when Green Lightning was used to replace the entire sidedress pass (UAN 2x2x2 followed by Green Lightning at V3), yields dropped significantly to 186.1 Bu./A.
Best Use Case: It is currently best utilized as a supplemental nitrogen source or to replace 25% to 55% of synthetic nitrogen. It excels as a “spoon-feeding” tool through foliar applications rather than a single bulk replacement for high-rate soil applications.

3. Water Conditioner: Perhaps the most overlooked benefit of the Green Lightning system, Kahler notes, is the water quality itself. Because the process starts with reverse osmosis water and ends with a product that has a pH of roughly 2.7, it could serve as an ideal carrier for fungicides.

“If you go and use a water that has a pH of 9, for example, the half-life of that fungicide… can go down to 2 minutes,” he explains.

By using the highly acidic, pure nitrate water as a carrier, he hopes to maximize the effectiveness of his chemical passes. “The water… is very pure, so it’s going to be able to be absorbed into the plant leaf a lot better than if you just took some well water and threw some AMS in it,” he estimates.

Dollars And Cents Have To Add Up

For Kahler, the math has to work. With electricity and water costs estimated at roughly 4 cents per gallon — or about 20 cents an acre — the operating costs are negligible compared to traditional starters that can run $20 to $30 per acre.

He is also being disciplined about his “nitrogen bill.” He doesn’t credit the green lightning for his total nitrogen needs in his primary calculations, treating it instead as a bonus or a conditioner. This conservative approach prevents him from under-applying traditional nitrogen and risking significant yield loss.

Despite the hurdles, Kahler remains a realist with an optimistic streak.

“If you add up all the small bushel increases from planting to fungicide, I think that there is a lot of potential efficacy for this product,” he says.

As the season progresses, Kahler will be watching his check strips and his storage tanks. He even has a safety valve in his contract that allows him to return the machine mid-summer if the results aren’t there. But for now, the 6th Gen Farmer is betting on the lightning.

“I’m pretty excited,” he says. “Sure hope it does good.”

Watch Kahler’s video on Green Lightning here:

‘If You’re Still Farming, You’ve Already Done Most of It’

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:26:35 GMT

On Chad Ingels’ northeast Iowa farm, every pass across the field is under the microscope as he fights to keep tight margins from slipping into the red.

“Oh, it’s tough,” Ingels said during an AgriTalk Farmer Forum discussion on Wednesday. “I think we’re going to have to really look at in-season passes that we planned to do. Maybe we’ll have to cut back one or two of those.”

Ingels, who splits his time between the farm and the Iowa Statehouse in Des Moines, says he can’t afford to simply slash expenses without weighing the risk to corn and soybean performance.

“You don’t want to impact yield,” he says. “You really want to take a look at what your return on investment is going to be on those passes.”

Across the Midwest, farmers like Ingels and Wisconsin grower and United Soybean Board director Tony Mellenthin are grappling with what they both describe as an “input price problem.” Corn and soybean prices have improved modestly from their lows, but fertilizer, pesticides and other inputs remain stubbornly high.

“I don’t think we necessarily have a corn or soybean price problem,” Mellenthin told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory. “We really have an input price problem, and until that can kind of get that addressed and fixed, that’s what I’m more concerned about than the price of corn and beans.”

Squeezing More From Every Dollar

On Ingels’ operation, the immediate response to high input costs is a sharper pencil and a more disciplined marketing plan.

In the field, that means reassessing every in-season trip across the crop. He’s eyeballing fertilizer or crop protection passes that might have been routine in good years, but now must clear a stricter bar: Will they pay?

On the balance sheet, Ingels says the focus turns to risk management and pricing discipline.

“Then it’s going to get to the marketing side,” he says. “We need to really do a better job of marketing corn and beans and — if we get a price run up — protect that run up so we can take advantage of it.”

The livestock side of the farm, he adds, is helping stabilize the operation, though it’s no windfall.

“The hog side is better than the crop side, but it’s not anywhere near like the beef side has been,” Ingels explains.

His hogs are sold into a specialty market through Niman Ranch, which ties its base price to grain and input costs.

“They’re setting a good base for us based on the corn and bean prices and our input costs,” Ingels says. “As we look out in the futures, the commercial price last year got higher than our base price, and so they adjusted our contract to say, ‘Hey, you’re going to get the better of the base price or the increased commercial price if the commercial price is higher.’”

That kind of contract flexibility, Ingels suggests, is one way the broader ag industry can help farmers weather volatile cost structures.

‘Not A Whole Lot Left To Do’

In western Wisconsin, Mellenthin says most of the fat has already been trimmed from farm budgets.

“If you’re still farming today, you’ve already done most of it, so there’s not a whole lot left to do,” he says. “There’s a little bit of tweaking to do, but I wouldn’t say there’s really any cuts to do.”

Instead of dramatic reductions, Mellenthin is stretching out capital decisions and switching to lower-cost inputs. That includes extending machinery trade cycles to delay big-ticket purchases and substituting generic fungicides for name-brand products when performance is comparable.

On the fertility side for corn, Mellenthin’s farm has been managing its nitrogen use through smaller, more targeted applications.

“We’ve been doing that for over a decade now,” he says. “There’s some of our ground that gets four passes of nitrogen.”

Recently, he’s begun to lean into alternative nitrogen sources to reduce dependence on high-priced synthetics. He points to biological products as one example.

“We have started utilizing some Pivot Bio,” he notes. “We haven’t seen a yield reduction, while at the same time reducing synthetic nitrogen, but we haven’t seen a yield gain, either. So I think we’re able to maintain there. And this year, that was the cheapest form of nitrogen a guy could buy.”

Policy and Industry: What Farmers Want Next

While individually they work to control what they can, both Ingels and Mellenthin are looking upstream — to input suppliers, processors and policymakers — to tackle what they can’t fix alone.

Regarding policy, Ingels points to the impact of global conflict and trade policy on fertilizer costs.

“There’s still some concerns out there with the war and how that’s impacted fertilizer prices going forward,” he notes. He adds that the greatest worry may lie beyond the current season to 2027, as farmers consider the next round of purchases.

During the discussion, Flory referenced efforts by the National Corn Growers Association and other ag organizations to push the administration to remove countervailing duties on phosphate imports from Morocco — one example of how farm groups are trying to pull down input prices through policy changes.

Ingels says those kinds of structural issues in fertilizer pricing could ultimately have more impact on future acreage decisions than anything farmers can do on their own fields this spring.

Demand, Renewable Fuels and Market Signals

Both farmers also stressed the importance of growing demand for the crops they produce, to help offset stubbornly high costs.

From his seat in the Iowa House, Ingels is backing measures aimed at strengthening markets for corn and soybeans, including renewable fuels. He references the Iowa Farm Act, saying it would increase the cap on the renewable fuels infrastructure fund grants to retailers from $100,000 to $150,000, and also help finance upgrades so more stations can offer E15 and higher ethanol blends.

“Retailers are taking advantage of that,” Ingels says “A few years ago, we had an E15 bill that went through… It certainly incentivized that all retailers handle E15 over time. And so this fund is being utilized all the time, and we’re trying to get to those last bit of retailers that maybe their costs are higher.”

At the federal level, though, Ingels is frustrated with delays on year-round E15 approval.

“This is the most frustrating thing I think the federal government has done to us,” he says. “They just keep kicking this down the road. We need to get it done.”

For soybean growers, Mellenthin is looking for similarly clear, long-term signals on low-carbon fuels.

In Wisconsin, he notes, lawmakers and the governor have already taken a supportive step by promoting “soy-based firefighting foam” to replace PFAS-based products. Nationally, Mellenthin wants to see the same kind of certainty for biomass-based diesel and other soy-driven fuels.

“We’ll take the good news when we can get it,” Mellenthin says of recent positive developments for biomass-based diesel. “Hopefully that could give a little certainty so infrastructure and investments can maintain being used.”

Relay Cropping System Lowers Input Costs, Raises ROI

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:57:07 GMT

Standing at the edge of a wheat field that will never break yield records, Jason Mauck explains that is exactly the point.

Instead of chasing trophies, the Gaston, Ind., farmer and CEO of Constant Canopy has spent over a decade turning wheat into a biological workhorse designed to support his soybean crops and, ultimately, protect his bottom line.

“It’s about economics,” Mauck says in an April 5 post to X.

Made some infographics tonight to explain our relay wheat system.

The main idea is we can grow 70 bushel wheat and 70 bushel soybeans and make about $250 more revenue per acre than pushing wheat yields up over 100 bu/ac and double cropping them.

We also save over $150 ac in… pic.twitter.com/ClmkKt1Jsq
— Jason Mauck (@jasonmauck1) April 6, 2026

By rethinking the traditional hierarchy of his fields, Mauck has engineered a relay system where wheat plays the perfect supporting actor, setting the stage for his soybean crop to take the lead and shine.

Rethinking Wheat’s Role On The Farm

Mauck’s strategy starts with a mental shift many growers may find uncomfortable: he does not try to push wheat past 100 bushels per acre.

“That takes too much time, too much sunlight,” he says. “You see your revenue is a lot less pushing wheat, selling 60 pounds of crop at a cheaper commodity price.”

Instead, he looks at how wheat and soybeans can perform together in the relay system — wheat first, then soybeans taking over as the season progresses. As wheat yields are dialed back, more resources open up for the beans.

“As your wheat yields go down, it creates space and opportunity and more water for beans,” Mauck explains.

He illustrates the benefit of the relay approach with a comparison. In one scenario, when wheat was pushed to yield 110 bushels, his soybean yields lagged. In a second scenario, both crops delivered yields of about 70 bushels.

“The main idea is we can grow 70-bushel wheat and 70-bushel soybeans and make about $250 more revenue per acre than pushing wheat yields up over 100 bushels per acre and double-cropping (soybeans),” he says in the post on X.

“We also save over $150 an acre in costs due to less wheat and soybean seed, less nitrogen… p+k, less fuel at harvest… and maybe the best thing is we can leave the field after wheat harvest and the soybeans are 2’ tall … not requiring baling/burning/ or tilling the straw,” he adds.

Mauck shows what his wheat crop looked like on April 5.

(Jason Mauck)

Lower Populations, Lower Inputs

To make the relay system work, over time Mauck has adjusted how he plants and manages wheat. One of the biggest changes has been to his seeding rate.

He plants a reduced wheat stand — about 425,000 seeds per acre — using only 18 rows of a 32-row planter. That leaves room in the system to intercrop soybeans while still establishing a solid wheat crop.

With fewer plants in the field, the wheat has access to more room and sunlight. Mauck notes that the result is heavy tillering which compensates for the lower population.

“We can get, you know, five, seven, nine wheat heads off of a single seed, and that helps drive the aggregate cost down to be about $150 [an acre] less than a corn crop,” he says.

Lower plant numbers also change how he fertilizes, reducing costs.

“It doesn’t take nearly as much nitrogen to push wheat to healthy vigor, with more light and less plants to feed,” he notes.

Wheat As A “Hybrid” Cover Crop

Another pillar of Mauck’s approach is timing of the crops. Wheat begins growing in February, well before soybeans go into the ground.

By early to mid-April, the wheat is about 10 inches tall. That growth is important, as the wheat pulls moisture out of the profile and conditions the field for the soybeans that will soon be planted.

Mauck says the wheat works like a “revenue-generating cover crop.” It creates a unique growing environment, allowing him to plant soybeans into a clean, conventional seedbed centered between the wheat rows. With a row of wheat positioned just inches to either side of the beans, the system naturally forms a solar corridor. This setup allows the wheat to manage soil moisture early on, while ensuring the soybeans have plenty of direct sunlight and space to flourish.

Once the wheat is harvested, the soybeans get an additional boost. “When we remove the wheat, it essentially prunes the biomass, allowing more light for the soybeans,” Mauck says.

In effect, wheat serves three purposes, he adds: it functions as a cash crop, a living cover that prepares the soil environment, and a temporary competitor to weeds before soybeans close the canopy.

A farmer a little south of me just shared these pics of him planting his relay beans… with the harvesting videos from last summer.

He’s not up to 285 acres and has plans to scale to 700+ next year revising to a 40’ system.

He’s finding this system to be much more profitable… pic.twitter.com/L6lvsM0E31
— Jason Mauck (@jasonmauck1) April 7, 2026

Built For Controlled Traffic And Big Iron

While Mauck says the agronomics of the relay system are impressive, the secret to its scalability is mechanical precision. He uses a 40-foot “controlled traffic” system in fields, which essentially designates permanent highways for heavy machinery and protects the rest of the soil from compaction.

Here is how he breaks down the math of the wheel tracks:

The Triple Row (135-inch centers): The widest part of the layout is designed so the combine’s “fat tires” roll directly over a specific triple row of wheat.

The Inside Rows (60-inch centers): These are spaced to match the standard wheel tracks of a tractor, allowing it to pass through the field without touching the crop zone.

GPS Guidance: Thanks to GPS, every pass — from the sprayer to the harvester — follows the same lines year after year.

By concentrating all the heavy weight into these narrow, dedicated lanes, Mauck keeps the majority of his soils loose and aerated. It turns the logistical headache of “driving over two crops” into a streamlined, repeatable process that limits damage.

Eleven Years Of Refinement

Mauck has been working with the wheat–soybean relay concept for more than a decade, tweaking details as he learns how the crops interact and how the economics pencil out.

At this point, he is largely satisfied with the agronomics and structure of the system. The next frontier, he believes, is adding more precision to how he applies inputs.

“The only change that we can make is getting equipment to where we can band spray, we can sidedress the wheat when we plant the beans, and we can do a little bit more with the system,” he says. “But I’m very happy with the agronomics that we’ve got this year. Really looking forward to how this will play out as we go forward.”

Mauck believes his experience offers a different way to think about having small grains and soybeans in the same field. Rather than treating wheat as a standalone crop or a cover that must be terminated, he uses it as a living partner that hands off moisture, light and space to soybeans at just the right time.

The takeaway for other farmers, he says, is straightforward: focus on profit, not just bushels, and let each crop in the system do the job it’s best suited to do.

Blake Vince Shares 1.7 Million Reasons To Stop Tilling Your Soil

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:05:44 GMT

Blake Vince says some of the most highly-valued help on his 1,200-acre Ontario, Canada, farm never show up on a payroll sheet.

They live under his boots.

“One day I went out with a shovel, flipped over a slice of soil about 12 inches by 12 inches, and I started counting earthworms,” Vince recalls. “I counted 40 in that one square.”

He quickly estimated how many earthworms likely live in one acre of his cropland: “Multiply that 40 by 43,560 [the square feet in one acre] and you get 1,742,400. That’s a hell of a lot of earthworms out there in my soil doing the work.”

For Vince, earthworms are more than a sign of good soil — they’re central characters in how he farms, evaluates risk and stays profitable. In a production system shaped by no-till, planting green and cover crops, he sees earthworms as the quiet workforce that’s helping hold the whole thing together, he recently told farmers attending the 2026 Soil Health Conference in Aberdeen, S.D.

(Blake Vince)

From Traditional Tillage To Tiny Tillers

Vince grew up believing that aggressive tillage comes at a cost. The renowned fifth-generation farmer from Merlin — a 750-person farming community in southwest Ontario — is considered a conservation farming pioneer in the region, having used no-till for over 40 years to protect soil structure.

“(I learned early) that tillage was eroding our largest capital investment, our soil. Soil is not an infinite resource. I can’t stress that enough,” he says.

Blake’s father and his brothers started to no-till in 1983 when he was just 11 years old.

“Our motive for what we do on our farm first and foremost is to remain financially viable,” he says. “And then what’s important is the fact that we’re protecting the environment.”

Those two goals continue today on the farm, which he operates with his father, Elwin. Together, they grow commercial corn, soybeans and winter wheat, and cover crop for seed on approximately 1,200 acres.

The father-son team seeds cash crops directly into living covers such as cereal rye to suppress weeds, protect soil and extend the period of living roots. Vince says they use planting green to cut passes, reduce herbicide pressure and boost resilience in dry spells, evaluating the benefits by agronomics and economics, not appearances.

Even with its proximity to the Great Lakes (see image below), the farm’s heavy Brookston clay operates within a moisture-strapped, 16-inch rainfall zone. In such an environment, soil disturbance is critical.

Blake Vince’s farm is based just north of Lake Erie and south of Lake Huron. But despite its proximity to the Great Lakes, the farm only sees about 16 inches of rain annually.

(Blake Vince)

Vince categorizes soils as either “defensive” or “offensive.” On offensive soils, he believes aggressive tillage can continue for years with little visible impact.

“You can till it with the most aggressive tillage passes, and you can still grow a crop… So the decline is gradual,” he contends, noting he believes much of the upper Midwest has offensive soils.

His own ground is the opposite, and he refers to his soils as being defensive. As a result, the wrong tillage pass at the wrong moisture level could smear the soil profile, seal off pores and restrict roots just when crops need water the most.

“We can’t go down into the depth of the soil to bring up the much-needed moisture during that critical period of year when it’s 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside and the corn is trying to pollinate,” Vince says.

Betting On Biology Instead Of Iron

When Vince talks about earthworms, he sounds like a businessman who’s discovered an overlooked, underpaid labor force.

“When an earthworm poops, it’s pH neutral,” he says. “So it’s bringing all of those nutrients from depth, turning organic material — last year’s crop residue — into plant-available nutrients for subsequent crops that we grow.”

In other words: free nutrient cycling, free aggregation, free tillage.

A moment that cemented Vince’s faith in earthworms started with a disagreement. His independent agronomist, looking at soil test results, told him he needed to apply lime. Vince didn’t dispute that. The sticking point was how to use it.

“She suggested to me, ‘Blake, you need to add lime, which I agreed, but in order to use that lime and make it most effective, you need to till it in,’” he recalls. “And I said, ‘No. That’s where the buck stops. I am not interested in doing tillage. It costs time, it costs energy, it costs money — diesel fuel, depreciation, as we all know.’”

Vince’s answer sounded simple, almost unbelievable, even naive.

“I’ve got so many earthworms, they’ll do the work for me,” he told her.

Later, while installing tile drainage, he found the proof he’d been looking for. At the top of an earthworm midden — a vertical burrow —he saw a dusting of white on the soil surface.

“So folks, this is an earthworm midden,” he told the audience as he showed the image (see below). “You can see at the top of the picture, that’s lime that’s been broadcast on the surface. That earthworm has crawled to the surface. It’s got its body coated in lime that we’ve spread just on the surface, and now it’s bringing it down in its middens, down in its vertical burrows.”

Earthworms help move lime below the soil’s surface.

(Blake Vince)

For most farmers, incorporating lime means fuel, wear on steel and the risk of compaction or smearing. For Vince, it meant waiting on the night shift.

“If we think back to that picture where I was standing there with those earthworm casts, how much horsepower would be required to do tillage at that depth?” he asked the audience. “More than I have.”

In his view, every pass he doesn’t make is one more way he can reduce costs and protect his bottom line.

The contributions of earthworms to global food development have been assessed by the National Institutes of Health . The agency reports earthworms contribute to roughly 6.5% of global grain (maize, rice, wheat, barley) production and 2.3% of legume production, equivalent to over 140 million metric tons annually.

The Unseen Economics Underfoot

Behind Vince’s enthusiasm for earthworms and farming green lies a hard-edged focus on economics. From a brief stint in financial services, he brought one non-negotiable rule home to the farm: pay yourself first.

“The number one rule of financial planning is what? Pay yourself first,” he says. “With that mentality, I started thinking: how do I do that here? I don’t control the price of seed, chemicals, fertilizer, diesel, or machinery. But I can control how I manage my soil.”

One of his major “pay yourself first” decisions a decade ago was switching to 100% non-GMO soybeans. Growing them allows him to brown bag his own seed without worrying about patent infringement, all while securing a market premium.

“I’ve been doing this for over 10 years now,” he says. “Mathematically, I figure I’m well over a million dollars ahead in net profit, simply because of my willingness to think differently.”

That thinking applies to earthworms, too. To Vince, every earthworm burrow is a tiny cost-saving device. Every casting is a granule of fertilizer he doesn’t have to buy or risk losing to runoff. Every year he skips deep tillage is a year he avoids burning diesel and breaking shear bolts.

“Doing nothing, in all actuality, is doing something,” he told the audience. By “nothing,” he doesn’t mean neglect; he means resisting the urge to disturb the natural infrastructure the worms are building for him.

More Than A Soil Test Number

Vince doesn’t romanticize his soils. He’s pragmatic, often blunt, about what’s at stake when farmers ignore the biology just beneath the surface.

“We abuse our land because we regard it as a commodity,” he says, quoting conservationist Aldo Leopold. Then he adds his own twist. “‘Dirt’ is a four-letter word I wish everybody in agriculture would remove from their vocabulary… It’s soil. It’s a collection of living, breathing organisms, and we need to treat it with respect.”

On his farm, that respect looks like cover crops to keep the soil armored, no-till to protect structure and planting green to keep living roots feeding the underground food web as long as possible. Earthworms are both beneficiaries and drivers of that system.

“My main focus is preparing our transfer of our farm to the next generation, regardless if they’re our kids, or they’re somebody else’s kids,” Vince says. “I want [the farm] to be as productive as possible, so they can be a success.”

As long as he keeps the soils covered and the roots living, he knows his million-man workforce underground will be clocking in for their shift every single day, helping the farm thrive.

Listen to Vince’s keynote presentation during the 2026 Soil Health Conference here .

From Constraints to Catalysts: How Ag Leaders Turn Hardships into Strategy

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 18:19:02 GMT

In an industry defined by “one-year-at-a-time” cycles, the greatest threat to a growing operation isn’t just a market downturn—it’s the inertia that comes with size. Farm Journal CEO Prescott Shibles argues that long-term survival requires a rare blend of faith and agility. To maintain an entrepreneurial mindset, leaders must lean into “conviction” as the core of a strategy that survives the lows.

Here is how four industry leaders are turning today’s constraints into tomorrow’s differentiators.

1. Build when times are hard.

When Brent Smith, president and CEO of NewLeaf Symbiotics, joined the company in 2023, the grain market was entering a significant down cycle. While some saw a risky time to lead a startup, he saw an opportunity.

“I learned in my first startup that the best time to build a business is in hard times,” Smith said said during a discussion at Top Producer Summit. “Because if you can’t withstand tough times, you’re not going to survive long term.”

For Smith, survival meant doubling down on the company’s core: science. Despite the pressure to cut costs, NewLeaf continues to spend half of its operating expenses on science.

“It would be very easy to peel that back,” he admits. “But we focused on projects that make the most impact the quickest, while keeping an eye on the long-term innovation in our pipeline.”

2. Control what you can control.

Farmers face the ultimate constraint every year: the weather. Scott Beck, president of Beck’s Hybrids, recalls the planting crisis of 2019 when constant rains kept tractors out of the fields well into May.

“I was concerned for our customers not being able to plant, but also for us not being able to plant our seed for the next year,” Beck says. “There was nothing that we could do to control the weather, but we could control how we interacted with our customers.”

Rather than retreating, the Beck’s team focused on transparency and empathy, using video series to connect with farmers and even forming small groups for prayer and support. Ultimately, they wanted farmers to know they cared and were there to support them however they could.

Despite the financial reality of what could happen if farmers didn’t plant and returned seed, Beck’s decided their course of action would not include employee layoffs. Instead, they prepared to sell land to protect their people.

“Fortunately, the weather broke and everybody was able to get planted,” he says. “Then the second miracle happened. We had the second warmest September on record, and that’s what brought the crop through to enable 2019 to not turn out as bad as it started.”

3. Turn disadvantages into advantages.

In 2014, Lamar Steiger, owner of The 808 Ranch, was tasked with a monumental challenge: helping Walmart reinvent its beef supply chain. At the time, the retail giant was at a disadvantage, forced to accept whatever the major meatpackers provided.

Steiger’s strategy was to turn that lack of control into a new kind of independence.

“I convinced the Walmart team to go around the traditional supply chain,” Steiger says. Today, Walmart sources 28% of its beef from its own “farm-to-table” supply chain.

There’s no question that decision was really good for Walmart. But Steiger says it was also really good for him personally.

“It reminded me that no matter how big you are, there are always challenges,” he says.

4. Create “white space” for the future.

When the day-to-day tasks of an operation become overwhelming, long-term strategy is often the first thing to go. James Burgum, CEO of The Arthur Companies, believes leaders must intentionally carve out “white space” for their teams.

“It’s important to find ways where people can actually spend their time working on the business, not just in the business,” he says.

By protecting time for team members to execute ideas that are three to five years out, Burgum manages the tension between short-term urgency and long-term viability.

“It’s hard to step away from the daily fires you’ll face in your operation, but it’s important,” he adds. “How we manage that tension of short term and long term is creating that white space and making sure that we consciously work on the business.

The Long Game

Ultimately, resilience in agriculture is about knowing when to push and when to pivot.

“You have to know when to put the gas down, and you need to know when to tap the brake,” Smith says. “And regardless of what you are doing, you need to stay focused on what you’re doing.”

Whether it is investing in science during a downturn or choosing customer empathy over the bottom line, these leaders say constraints don’t have to be roadblocks; they can be the very catalysts that drive an operation forward.

Boost Your Bottom Line By Keeping Your Soils In Place

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:20:39 GMT

Not every cost on the farm shows up on an invoice. In the view of Eric Beckett, some of the most expensive losses corn and soybean growers face this spring will be invisible — soil carried away by winds moving across their fields.

Beckett, an agronomist with Sunrise FS, says a combination of windier springs, tighter margins and volatile fertilizer prices is forcing a reckoning with long-standing tillage and nutrient application habits. The goal for farmers, he contends, shouldn’t be just agronomic performance this season but risk management, as well.

“Anytime we drag a piece of tillage equipment across the field, we are essentially breaking down that soil aggregate into smaller aggregates,” Beckett says. “That makes soil more susceptible to loss.”

While Beckett isn’t calling for an end to tillage, he is urging farmers in Illinois and beyond to consider the “ramifications coming down the road” before making multiple passes to clean up winter annuals or level tile lines.

A Growing Storm in the Midwest

Beckett’s concerns are grounded in shifting weather patterns. Meteorologists like Victor Gensini at Northern Illinois University have noted a rise in the frequency of convective storms and damaging straight-line winds across the Midwest and Southeast.

Likewise, Nutrien principal atmospheric scientist Eric Snodgrass reports that the Midwest is in a rapid transition from La Niña to ENSO-neutral conditions. While this “swift exit” can open planting windows, it also creates erratic atmospheric patterns. High-velocity winds are expected to surge through the Mississippi and Missouri River valleys through early April.

Beckett offers a concerned reminder for farmers tempted to push through windy conditions: “You’ve paid good money for that fertilizer. Why would we go out there when it’s windy and we have no idea where that fertilizer is going to end up, especially if it’s a variable-rate application where we know specific areas of a field need those nutrients?”

Calculating the True Cost of a Pass

Beyond the risk of blowing nutrients, Beckett suggests farmers “crunch the numbers” on the physical cost of every pass. With diesel prices hovering around $5 a gallon currently and tractor leases reaching $300 to $400 per hour, the overhead of extra tillage adds up quickly.

Beyond hard costs, tillage in what are currently dry soils will create additional costs. Beckett describes the ground in his area as “dry as a bone” six to eight feet down.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, this isn’t just an east-central Illinois issue: 41% of the U.S. corn-producing area and 42% of soybean acreage are currently experiencing some degree of drought. In droughty conditions, every unnecessary tillage pass further dries out the seedbed and can impact topsoil.

Navigating the Label and the Law

Wind doesn’t just steal nutrients; it creates significant legal liability. Most herbicide labels cap applications at 10 mph—a limit that is a legally binding mandate for many products, not a suggestion.

“If you are applying outside those windows and something goes wrong, you can be held liable,” Beckett cautions. To navigate these tighter windows, he suggests focusing on three tactical areas:

Carrier Volume: Increasing from 5 or 10 gallons per acre to 15 or 20 gallons can improve coverage and reduce the risk of fine, drift-prone droplets.
The Dust Factor: Even if winds are within legal limits, fine soil particles can “tie up” product and carry it off-target before it even hits the ground.
Drift-Reduction Tools: While not a license to spray in a gale, modern spray tips and drift-reduction agents are underutilized tools that can significantly improve stewardship.

The New Era Of Documentation

As new requirements tied to the Endangered Species Act take hold, Beckett says the burden of proof for compliance falls squarely on the applicator—whether that is the farmer or a custom applicator.

“Each field has got to have its own documentation,” he says. “Even if it’s just a manila folder... fill out what your mitigation practices are, what your setbacks are. Have that established in a file so the applicator can add to it as the season progresses.”

This level of detail is necessary because the industry is “under the microscope.” In an era where every passerby has a smartphone camera, Beckett says an application in a dusty field can end up on social media in minutes.

Ultimately, Beckett is asking farmers to make a deliberate pause to question habits and routine applications.

“I’m not standing here saying that everybody’s got to put cover crops on and turn every field green,” he says. “But if, collectively, everybody took it a little bit more upon themselves, I think we’d be in a lot better shape.”

Beckett addresses the topic of managing tillage and spray applications in unpredictable weather conditions during a recent episode of the Illinois Field Advisor podcast. You can watch the complete podcast here .

Farmers and Congress Demand Action as Fertilizer Prices Spike

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:18:57 GMT

As temperatures rise across the Midwest and Delta, the familiar sound of spring planting is returning. From Missouri to Mississippi, planters are beginning to roll, signaling the start of another growing season.

But beneath that seasonal optimism lies a deepening financial strain for U.S. farmers, driven not just by high input costs overall, but by sharp increases in fertilizer and diesel prices that are reshaping planting decisions and profitability outlooks. The recent price surge is also fueling Congress to push for greater transparency into fertilizer pricing.

Lawmakers Push for Transparency and Answers

Just this week, Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and Brad Finstad (R-MN) introduced the bipartisan Fertilizer Transparency Act in the House with support from co-sponsors, including Angie Craig (D-MN). The legislation would require USDA to publish weekly fertilizer price reports, providing farmers with more timely and accurate market data.

The House legislation came a week after the Senate introduced similar legislation. The Senate Fertilizer Transparency Act of 2026 was introduced by a bipartisan group of lawmakers last week, led by Sen. John Thune (R‑SD) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D‑MN), with additional support from Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D‑WI) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R‑IA). The Senate bill would also require USDA to collect and publish weekly fertilizer price data to give farmers clearer, more timely market information.

Meanwhile, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is calling for a federal investigation into recent fertilizer price spikes, raising concerns about possible gouging linked to shipping disruptions and demanding answers from major fertilizer companies by the end of the month. He sent a letter to the Department of Justice and fertilizer companies earlier this month demanding answers by today, March 27.

Farm Journal reached out to Mosaic Company, Nutrien and CF Industries for comment but did not receive responses.

Texas Corn Producers member and farmer Dee Vaughan says Hawley is asking the questions farmers need answered.

“This shouldn’t even be impacting us for another 75 days, but yet our prices on fertilizer that’s already in the warehouse are seeing dramatic increases,” he says. “It certainly appears to be price gouging on the part of the fertilizer industry.”

Longstanding Concerns Over Market Concentration

In September 2025, USDA and the U.S. Department of Justice signed a Memorandum of Understanding, committing both agencies to jointly examine high and volatile input costs, which included fertilizer, by scrutinizing competitive conditions in agricultural markets and enforcing antitrust laws, particularly around price setting and market concentration.

While geopolitical tensions are the latest driver of volatility, many farm groups argue the root of the problem runs deeper. Matt Perdue, president of the North Dakota Farmers Union, says ongoing federal investigations into fertilizer pricing must lead to meaningful action.

“We appreciate the administration’s investigations into input costs,” Perdue says. “But investigations don’t do anything if they’re not followed by enforcement, and they don’t do anything if we don’t learn what came out of those investigations.”

Groups like the Texas Corn Producers Association have been raising concerns about fertilizer market concentration for years. Vaughan says the organization began studying the issue in 2020, working with the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M to examine pricing trends.

“We’ve been very concerned about all of our input costs, but specifically fertilizer, because it’s the one that just keeps going up almost exponentially,” Vaughan says.

He adds those studies found a shift in how fertilizer prices are determined . Historically tied closely to natural gas costs, the study found nitrogen fertilizer pricing began tracking corn prices more closely after 2010, a change Vaughan says reflects deeper structural issues.

According to Vaughan, the small number of firms controlling the market have the data and market awareness to price inputs based on farmers’ revenue potential, rather than production costs.

“They all have economists on staff,” Vaughan says. “They know exactly what our costs are, what our income is, and they’re able to extract value based on what they see as the gross income of a farmer. It’s not based on cost of production any longer.”

The 2022 study also found of the nitrogen fertilizer industry found that four major manufacturers - CF Industries, Nutrien, Koch Industries, and Yara International - account for roughly 75% of total U.S. nitrogen fertilizer production.

While the industry cited inflation and nationwide supply chain disruptions as drivers of higher prices for farmers at the time, the study found trends that challenge that narrative. According to the research, natural gas, which typically makes up 70-90% of variable production costs for nitrogen fertilizer, contributes only a fraction to recent price spikes. Specifically, for anhydrous ammonia, the study showed that natural gas accounts for just 15% of the increase, about $102, suggesting other factors are influencing soaring costs.

That concern is also the focus of a reported antitrust investigation by the DOJ announced in September, which is looking into whether major fertilizer producers have coordinated to inflate prices.

Similar to Perdue’s sentiments, Vaughan says farmers are waiting for results.

“Very simple; take action,” he says. “It’s one thing to have a memorandum of understanding or an executive order. But if it’s not followed through with actual investigation and actual work, it’s just words on paper.”

Fertilizer Prices Add Additional Strains at Planting

Perdue says the situation on the ground is as concerning as he has seen in years. Speaking after a recent fly-in to Washington, D.C., Perdue says many farmers are bracing for a difficult year ahead.

“We’re really, really concerned about the state of the farm economy,” Perdue says. “I asked our group yesterday to raise their hand if they anticipated breaking even in 2026, and not a single person raised their hand. That’s a message that Congress needs to hear.”

Perdue says fertilizer prices have become one of the most pressing challenges this spring. While some producers locked in inputs early — either through fall application or prepurchasing — many others delayed decisions, hoping for price relief that never came.

“There are some producers who got ahead with it and did some fall application, some who saw that prices were going to start jumping and bought their fertilizer a few weeks ago,” he says. “But there are a lot of people who still have fertilizer to book. When we’re seeing skyrocketing prices already at high levels, that’s a big concern for farmers across the country.”

That hesitation, he says, was driven by both financial pressure and uncertainty. Many farmers spent the winter working with lenders to map out their 2026 plans, while others gambled that prices might ease.

“I think there were two factors,” Perdue says. “One is the economic pain. A lot of producers have spent the last few months trying to figure out what 2026 looks like with their lender. The other is that producers saw high fertilizer costs in the fall and winter and said, ‘Maybe I’ll hold off and see if we get some relief.’ That’s obviously not coming with the current environment.”

Policy Pressure Builds in Washington

Fertilizer costs were a central topic during Perdue’s recent testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. While the hearing focused on increasing domestic consumption of U.S. agricultural products, input costs quickly entered the discussion.

“The fertilizer cost on an acre of wheat is about 40% of your production cost, and that’s going up 30% now,” Perdue says. “You can’t make it work. You can’t make it pencil out. We have to look at market structures and the way they create challenges for market participants.”

At the same time, global events are compounding the issue. The White House recently announced a 60-day waiver of the Jones Act, citing disruptions tied to conflict involving Iran that have impacted global shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz. The move is intended to ease pressure on energy and fertilizer markets by allowing foreign vessels to transport goods between U.S. ports.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says the waiver will help keep supplies moving, while National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett says the administration is also seeking alternative fertilizer sources, including potential imports from Venezuela and Morocco.

“It’s almost planting season, and there’s a lot of fertilizer that usually goes down during planting season,” Hassett says. “What we’ve been doing as an insurance policy to the disruption is finding other sources. I’m not saying we can eliminate disruption, but we can minimize it.”

The Search for Immediate Relief

As farmers head into planting season, the search for both short-term relief and long-term reform continues. Darren Hudson of Texas Tech University suggests one immediate step could involve revisiting regulations tied to diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), which uses urea — a key nitrogen fertilizer component.

“Do away with it for multiple reasons,” Hudson says. “It’s urea that’s being put into people’s tanks rather than on people’s fields. That would ease things in the short run. In the long run, that was a disaster of a regulation.”

For now, however, most farmers are focused on getting crops in the ground, despite an economic outlook that remains highly uncertain. With input costs climbing, global instability lingering and policy solutions still in development, the 2026 growing season is shaping up to be one of the most financially challenging in recent memory.

Turn Your Soil Test Results Into Better Fertility Decisions

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 21:02:00 GMT

Knowing your soil test results is one thing. Knowing how the lab got those numbers — and which extractants it used — is just as important for making solid fertility decisions.

“At Ward laboratories, we like to use multiple extracts changing as we change the elements we’re looking at in the soil,” says Nick Ward, PhD, president of Ward Laboratories, Kearney, Neb.

“Given the diverse soils that we work with in our customer base, we try to do these different extracts to best accommodate and make an even playing field for everybody,” he adds.

That “even playing field” matters because not all soils — or regions — behave the same way. A number that signals a fertilizer response in one soil type or environment might mean something very different in another, depending on the extractant used.

Phosphorus Is An Important Example

Phosphorus (P) is a prime case where understanding the extractants and where they fit can help you make better fertility decisions.

Ward Laboratories typically uses Mehlich-3 ICP as its standard extractant because of its versatility across various soil textures and organic matter levels.

“When we have a Mehlich-3 value of 18 parts per million of P, the chances for yield response by adding fertilizer is very good,” Ward says, noting that decades of university research tie these specific numbers to actual yield outcomes.

While the Mehlich-3 is being used more extensively in the Corn Belt, some agronomic experts say it’s not the right extractant for all soil types and conditions. Two other common ones laboratories use are:

1. Olsen P (Bicarbonate P): It is often preferred for high-pH, alkaline, and calcareous soils typical of the Western U.S.

“The Olsen test extracts P using sodium bicarbonate and is the best test to use for situations where soil pH is 7.4 or greater,” says Dan Kaiser, a nutrient management specialist with University of Minnesota Extension, in this online article .

2. Bray-P1: It is often used in slightly alkaline to highly acidic soils (pH of 7.4 or less). Kaiser says the Bray-P1 test extracts P with acids and has been a popular test for over 50 years as data continue to show the ability of Bray-P1 to predict crop yield response to P.

Kaiser adds that soil-test labs using the Bray-P1 or Olsen will often run the Olsen test at a certain pH automatically, which makes it easier for farmers “as you do not have to decide which test to use before you submit samples.”

Matching Extractants To Nutrients

While Mehlich-3 is sometimes promoted as universal, Ward agrees with other experts that different nutrients are best served by different extractants and tests.

For example, when shifting focus to potassium (K) and other cations like calcium and magnesium, Ward Laboratories moves to ammonium acetate, a neutral-pH solution.

This method is used to determine a soil’s Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC).

Ward explains that because ammonium acetate is neutral, it prevents overestimating the nutrients a plant can actually absorb. “It’s not a harsh chemical that’s going to give us too much of an element that would not otherwise be something the plant would see,” he says.

For micronutrients like zinc, iron, and copper, the lab employs DTPA, a chelating agent.
The DTPA process “grabs” micronutrient ions so they can be measured with high precision. Ward notes that he is “very confident” in the results because they are backed by decades of data regarding fertilizer responsiveness.

Ask The Lab Or Your Retailer Questions

For farmers and advisers, the main takeaway is that soil tests results and reports are not all created equal — even when the numbers look similar on paper. Knowing which extractant a lab uses, and why, is key to interpreting results correctly and comparing them across time, fields and regions.

For farmers and crop advisers looking to make the most of their investment in soil sampling, Ward offers three recommendations:

Identify the extractant: Know which method your lab is using for each specific nutrient.
Maintain consistency: Stick with the same method over several years to accurately track trends and compare fields. Don’t “mix and match” methods.
Seek regional alignment: Use the extractant that matches the calibrated research performed by your local land-grant university.

For those farmers requiring specialized testing not found on a standard menu, Ward encourages direct communication with your laboratory to check your options.

“We try to be accommodating,” he says. “If you don’t see it on our fee schedule, you’re more than welcome to send us an email and ask.”

Learn more of Ward’s insights on the use of various extractants in his latest video on YouTube.

Warm, Dry Spring Speeds Mississippi Planting Pace as March Freeze Forces Some Replanting

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:07:16 GMT

An unusually warm and dry spring is accelerating planting progress across parts of Mississippi, allowing farmers to move ahead of their typical schedule while also raising concerns about crop resilience and shifting acreage decisions.

On his farm in Sunflower County, Adron Belk’s planters are already running at full speed as conditions remain favorable.

“If everything goes well, the weather keeps on like it’s going, by the end of this week we should have all of our corn in the ground and probably all of our grain sorghum or milo,” Belk says.

Farmers Hit by March Freeze

Belk notes this year’s planting pace is slightly ahead of normal for his operation, though not unprecedented.

“It depends on who you ask… for us, this is about on time. Typically we’re a little bit later. I’d say maybe we’re a week earlier than normal,” he says. “A bit south of here, some guys planted a couple weeks ago and then we got an unexpected freeze.”

Corn in Mississippi hit by the freeze earlier this month.

(Chris, Mississippi )

That freeze is now creating challenges for some producers. Reports from nearby fields suggest damage to early-emerged corn, with some needing to be replanted.

“There’s a lot of talk going around right now of some of the corn looking like about 20% has got to be replanted, which was kind of a surprise,” Belk says. “Most of the time when you get freezes like that, the corn comes out of it.”

Buggy-whipping often occurs as corn recovers from freeze. This happens as new growth temporarily hangs on dead vegetation. They should soon pull free with little adverse effects.

For reference, the corn in the last photo still made over 250 bu/a despite severe hail damage. 🌽 pic.twitter.com/ptAO0nxYst
— Erick Larson (@MStateCorn) March 26, 2026

Focus on Fertilizer

Despite broader concerns about rising input costs across the U.S., Belk says his operation has avoided major supply issues so far.

“We book fertilizer early, and we’re very much in the South, and so we have not had any problems so far with getting supply,” he says.

While Belk is maintaining a relatively steady crop rotation — roughly a 50/50 split between corn and soybeans — other parts of the Mississippi Delta are seeing more dramatic changes.

Cotton Acreage Changes

Just north in Clarksdale, crop consultant Andy Graves says cotton acreage is expected to drop sharply this season.

“In this area, this is cotton country… it’s supposed to be,” Graves says. “We’re going to be about 50% off of what we planted in 2024.”

Graves says the reduction is significant, especially considering many growers typically plant thousands of acres of cotton each year.

“I’ve got guys that have been growing cotton — my average customer is going to grow three to four thousand acres of cotton every year — and a lot of these guys are going down to 500 to 1,500 acres,” he says.

He points to a combination of economic pressures behind the shift.

“The only reason they’re doing that is because they’re tied into a gin or they have a million-dollar cotton picker sitting there that they can’t park,” Graves says. “With what’s going on with fertilizer and fuel prices right now, it makes it even more unattractive to plant the stuff. The market isn’t there.”

Dry Conditions Aid Planting Progress

84% of the South is seeing dry conditions as of March 26, 2026

(U.S. Drought Monitor )

It’s not just the dry spring causing many farmers in the region to make strong progress and run slightly ahead of their typical planting window, it’s also how dry it’s been. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, 84% of the South is seeing dry conditions as of March 26, 2026. If you look just at Mississippi, 68% of the state is seeing some level of drought.

Farmers say there’s enough topsoil moisture to plant the crop, but the drought picture this early in the year is a concern.