Phosphate

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.

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:

Use Hybrid Flex To Time Nitrogen Use: ‘When It’s Needed, You Better Be There’

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 20:49:13 GMT

“Know your hybrids” isn’t a new message. But Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer is urging corn growers to take it a step further this season. She wants growers to understand how their hybrids flex under stress, so they can prioritize field management practices and time nitrogen (N) applications for maximum efficiency and ROI.

What Is Hybrid Flex—And Why Does It Matter?

Hybrid flex describes how a corn ear adjusts its size and development in response to plant populations, growing conditions and nutrient availability.

Some hybrids are “fixed” and perform best when grown in higher populations and with consistent nutrition to reach top-end yields. Other hybrids will “flex” considerably, with ears adjusting in length, girth (rows around), or kernel depth when stressed.

“All ears definitely are going to flex, just some flex more than others,” Bauer says.

Here are the three different kinds of flex that occur in corn hybrids and how N application timing impacts them:

1. Length Flex: The Sidedress Priority

Hybrids that flex in length are sensitive to mid- to late-season N application timing. If weather or logistics delay a sidedress or Y-drop application, these hybrids commonly “tip back,” losing kernels off the end of the ear. This can cost 20% or more of potential yield, notes Bauer.

“If the weather’s pushing us on Y-drop, which field are you going to make sure you get to first? Any hybrid that is a length flexor, you better be there,” she says.

2. Depth Flex: Late-Season N “Hogs”

Modern genetics have shifted hybrids toward developing deeper kernels with more starch. Twenty years ago, hybrids commonly produced 90,000 kernels per bushel; today, that number is often 60,000 to 65,000 kernels per bushel. In 2024, Bauer’s average was 62,000, with some dropping as low as 54,000.

“Those things are hogs,” Bauer says of hybrids that emphasize depth-of-fill. “These are the hybrids we’ve got to make sure we’re really taking care of late-season, or they are going to flex backward on us.”

To optimize performance, growers should ensure these hybrids receive late-season N and fungicide, especially in high-yield zones. Also, be aware that if these hybrids don’t have adequate late-season N, kernels will be smaller and lighter, dragging down test weight.

3. Girth Flex: Early-Season Opportunity

Hybrids that flex in girth (rows around the ear) are most affected by early-season conditions and nutrition. Factors like planting quality and the use of starter fertilizer are big needle-movers for these hybrids.

“We’ve seen this type of hybrid respond a lot to early-season N applications with a furrow-jet and things like that,” Bauer notes.

A Practical Plan For Nitrogen Timing

Bauer acknowledges that tracking how every hybrid flexes can be a tall order. “This is no easy task,” she told farmers during a recent meeting. “This is why you need to be paired up with a very, very good dealer.”

She suggests a three-step approach to matching genetics to a good nitrogen plan:

Classify your hybrids: Ask your seed dealer which hybrids you’re planting are “fixed” and which ones flex in length, girth or depth.
Match hybrids to field zones: Place high-response length or depth flexors on your best soils where you can justify mid- to late-season N applications. Use conservative, stress-tolerant hybrids on marginal ground.
Set application priorities: Use hybrid flex type to determine which fields get N applications first, especially when application windows are short.

Sound Principles To Adopt

Regardless of whether a hybrid is fixed or flexes, Bauer’s broader nitrogen message is that total N availability to hybrids matters. In dryland corn–soybean rotations, her current research points to total N use in the 225- to 250‑pound per acre range to optimize ROI. But where and when that nitrogen is applied increasingly depends on the genetics in the field.

Bauer advocates these three principles:

Band nitrogen in-season whenever possible
Surface-broadcast urea rates low on her list of preferred tools. She favors banded UAN solutions that deliver the N directly where corn roots can access it, especially in sidedress or Y-drop systems.
Always stabilize surface-applied N
With Y-drop or other surface bands, Bauer insists on using N stabilizers, even when ammonium thiosulfate (ATS) is in the mix. Generics are fine, she says, but notes that skipping stabilizers is a “false economy” when N is expensive, like it is currently.
Keep sulfur in the program
Bauer views ammonium sulfate as nonnegotiable in most corn programs and likes to see sulfur used in starter and in-season passes as well. Variable rate application nitrogen maps can be paired with sulfur placement to ensure high-demand zones have both nutrients.

Monitor N Use In-Season

Use in-season testing tools and weather to fine-tune N applications so corn “never has a bad day.” Bauer recommends growers walk through these questions as the season advances:

What has the weather done?
Years with a “mean June” — frequent, heavy rains that trigger leaching and denitrification — may demand extra N, especially on lighter soils or sand ridges.
What do nitrate soil tests say?
Some of Bauer’s clients pull in-season nitrate tests, particularly on irrigated fields or suspect zones. The numbers can confirm whether planned N use is holding up well or a sidedress application is in order.
What are tissue tests showing?
On pivot-irrigated acres, Bauer often samples the ear leaf at silking. If tissue N is short, she may recommend adding a few more gallons of UAN — sometimes with ATS — through the pivot or a late-season application.

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.

Trump Considers Suspending Moroccan Phosphate Duties Amid Corn Grower Pressure

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:53:44 GMT

For corn farmers like Dee Vaughan, the economics of fertilizer aren’t just a simple line item on the balance sheet; they are immediate, seasonal and deeply tied to whether a crop pencils out.

As a corn grower in the Texas Panhandle, Vaughan says rising input costs have forced tough decisions in recent years, particularly when it comes to phosphate, a cornerstone nutrient for crop production. And he says a key factor behind those higher costs is a federal trade policy now under review. At the heart of the issue, Vaughan says, is access, or lack of it.

That’s why just this week more than 50 state grower groups including the Texas Corn Producers Association, are urging the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission (ITC) to revoke countervailing duties (CVDs) on imported phosphate fertilizers from Morocco and Russia. The groups filed a letter with the Department of Commerce, urging the agency to revoke countervailing duties on imports of phosphate fertilizer as the sunset review begins.

In addition to the letter, corn groups are on Capitol Hill this week, and that push may be gaining traction. On Tuesday, Agri-Pulse reported The Trump administration is weighing temporarily suspending countervailing applied to Moroccan and Russian phosphate.

How the Duties Took Hold

Vaughan says any action to remove those duties wouldn’t just be welcome, it would be a long time coming. He says the current dispute dates back to 2020, when fertilizer manufacturer Mosaic filed a petition alleging Moroccan phosphate imports were being subsidized unfairly. After reviewing the case, the ITC and Department of Commerce imposed countervailing duties on those imports.

“And basically what we have is a situation where The Mosaic Company came to the International Trade Commission and the Department of Commerce back in 2020 and asked for a countervailing duty, a CVD, to be placed on Moroccan fertilizer,” Vaughan says. “They were claiming that Moroccan fertilizer was coming into the United States in an unfair manner.”

He says the ruling reshaped the global fertilizer flow into the U.S. market.

“The ITC and the Department of Commerce reviewed that request and they applied a countervailing duty on Moroccan fertilizer, which effectively locked Moroccan fertilizer out of the U.S. market,” Vaughan says.

That outcome, he says, has had lasting consequences, particularly because Morocco represents one of the world’s most significant sources of phosphate.

“Morocco has the largest phosphate deposits in the world,” Vaughan says. “They have the ability to provide a lot of supply to us while our phosphate rock resources are declining here. They’re not capable of meeting the demand for the U.S. market.”

Supply Constraints Meet Rising Demand

For corn growers, phosphate isn’t optional. It’s essential for root development, plant vigor and yield potential. When supply tightens, growers feel it quickly and often adjust in ways that ripple across the entire agricultural economy.

“We need that access to the Moroccan fertilizer, but we’re blocked off from it by these countervailing duties,” Vaughan says.

Now, five years after those duties were imposed, the policy is entering its required “sunset review,” a process that allows regulators to evaluate whether the measures should remain in place.

That review begins in April, and Vaughan says corn growers see it as a critical opportunity to get the duties removed.

“Five years have gone by since those CVDs were applied, and now they are coming up for mandatory review,” he says. “There will be an opportunity to remove those CVDs.”

Measuring the Economic Impact

The push to remove the duties is backed by economic analysis.

Vaughan says conversations with lawmakers last year helped spur a deeper look at the issue. During meetings in Washington, D.C., Texas Corn raised concerns with members of Congress, including Rep. Pat Fallon, who then commissioned a study by the Texas A&M Ag and Food Policy Center. The results, Vaughan says, were significant.

“What they determined is for the program crops — corn, wheat, grains, oilseeds, rice — it had cost about $6.9 billion over the five years that the CVD has been in place,” Vaughan says.

The analysis released in January of this year added to the growing body of evidence that countervailing duties on phosphate imports have significantly impacted U.S. farmers.

The Texas A&M Food and Agricultural Policy Center report specifically found the CVD increased the price of diammonium phosphate (DAP), a commonly used phosphorus fertilizer, by 28.6% during the period when the duty was set at its full initial rate of 19.97%. That price impact, the study notes, aligns with concerns raised by farm groups and lawmakers, as well as previous academic research.

The study also estimates the higher costs have added roughly $6.9 billion to phosphorus fertilizer expenses for U.S. producers of major crops during the 2021 through 2025 growing seasons, further underscoring the financial burden on agriculture tied to the policy.

“It’s not a silver bullet in itself that if it’s removed it’s going to make phosphate fertilizer much more affordable,” he says. “But at the same time, if we can keep a billion dollars in the farmers’ pockets, that’s a small win that we want to take advantage of.”

Fertilizer Companies Respond

Farm Journal reached out to fertilizer companies for perspective on potential action to remove the countervailing duties on phosphate imports.

In a statement, Mosiac said, “American farmers depend on a strong domestic fertilizer industry, which in turn depends on strong enforcement of US 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.”

Earlier this month, Nutrien told Farm Journal the evolving global supply and demand landscape for phosphate supports reconsideration of the current policy.

“Based on evolving global phosphate supply and demand dynamics since 2021, we believe removing countervailing duties on phosphate imports would be a constructive step that supports U.S. farmer economics, balanced fertilizer application and agricultural productivity,” Nutrien said to Farm Journal. “Farmers and food security are at the center of everything we do, and we continuously engage with our customers and associations on issues that are important to U.S. agriculture.”

A Broader Policy Question

While Vaughan is advocating for the removal of these specific duties, he says he recognizes the importance of trade enforcement tools more broadly.

“You know, we do have situations around the world where governments subsidize their industries, or they do things that are unfair trade practices,” he says. “And we need to protect U.S. industry in those situations.”

However, he argues this case highlights the risk of unintended consequences.

“We don’t want that CVD process abused when it’s not necessary,” Vaughan says. “And that’s the situation we feel like we’re in now.”

In his view, the duties have outlived whatever purpose they may have served — and are now doing more harm than good.

“We felt like they never should have been applied,” he says. “If you read the case, it’s very complicated, but it also makes you scratch your head and wonder why they even granted these CVDs to start with.”

Taking the Case to Washington

With the sunset review approaching, grower groups are mobilizing to make their case. Texas Corn is in Washington this week, meeting with lawmakers and encouraging them to weigh in with regulators.

“During this review period, there’s an opportunity for ag organizations to make comments and to testify at hearings,” Vaughan says. “There’s an opportunity for Congress to weigh in with the Department of Commerce.”

While the ITC operates independently, it does consider input from affected industries and elected officials.

“They’re charged with listening to the affected industries, which would be agricultural producers,” Vaughan says. “And of course members of Congress have an opportunity to weigh in with how it’s affecting their constituents at home.”

The goal, he says, is to ensure decision-makers understand the real-world impact.

Looking Ahead

For Vaughan and other corn growers, the outcome of the review could shape fertilizer markets — and farm economics — for years to come.

Restoring access to Moroccan phosphate, he says, would reintroduce competition, improve supply and help ease cost pressures across agriculture.

“It’s basically just hurting U.S. industry now,” Vaughan says. “It’s not helping.”

And while Morocco has other markets for its fertilizer, U.S. farmers have fewer alternatives when domestic supply falls short.

“It’s not really hurting the Moroccans per se,” he says. “They’re having to send fertilizer to other places in the world. But it’s hurting U.S. farmers.”

As planting season ramps up, Vaughan says the stakes are clear, not just for growers, but for the entire food system.

“We’re very hopeful that ag organizations and members of Congress take advantage of this situation and weigh in,” he says. “This is an opportunity to fix something that’s been costing agriculture for five years.”

Why The ITC Review May Not Be a Silver Bullet to High Fertilizer Prices

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 21:04:32 GMT

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has l aunched its scheduled five-year “sunset review” of countervailing duties (CVD) on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco and Russia. While these duties were intended to protect domestic industry, the landscape has shifted: one of the nation’s two major phosphate producers is now calling for their removal.

The Cost of Protection

In place since April 2021, the CVDs have been a flashpoint for farmers and trade groups who argue the duties have artificially inflated input costs. Recent research backs those concerns:

Texas A&M (AFPC) : Found the CVD increased diammonium phosphate (DAP) prices by 28.6%, costing U.S. farmers an additional $6.9 billion between 2021 and 2025.
Oklahoma State University : Estimated a 34% price hike on DAP specifically linked to Moroccan duties.

During an October congressional hearing, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) urged the administration to act, saying, “There is something that the Trump administration can do right now to help ease the burden for farmers: lowering the countervailing duties on phosphate from Morocco.”

(Data Source: USDA)

Declining U.S. Production

The U.S. phosphate market is highly concentrated. Two producers—Mosaic and Nutrien—account for 90% of domestic volume (Mosaic’s share is roughly 75%).

In a statement, Nutrien said: “Based on evolving global phosphate supply and demand dynamics since 2021, we believe removing countervailing duties on phosphate imports would be a constructive step that supports U.S. farmer economics, balanced fertilizer application and agricultural productivity. Farmers and food security are at the center of everything we do, and we continuously engage with our customers and associations on issues that are important to U.S. agriculture.”

Mosaic has been contacted for a statement.

The Resource Reality

Opponents of the duties point to a stark reality: U.S. phosphorus rock extraction has plummeted by more than half since 1995, dropping from 45 million metric tons to just 20 million in 2023.

Globally, there are five key phosphate suppliers, in order of largest volumes of production: China, Saudia Arabia, Russia, Morrocco and the U.S.

The “Coin Flip” Outcome

Despite the pressure to remove duties, experts warn it may not be a silver bullet for high prices. Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer at StoneX, describes the ITC’s upcoming decision as a “coin flip.”

Even if the duties vanish, Linville notes that global headwinds remain.

“Whether the CVD rate is in place or not, it doesn’t fix the fact that China is not participating [in exports],” Linville said on the Top Producer podcast.

He notes that high anhydrous and sulfur prices—the two biggest variable costs in phosphate production—will keep a floor under prices.

He continues: “If we drop NOLA DAP prices by $100 per ton or $150, it would be phenomenal, but if it’s only $100 to $150 per ton, you’d see U.S. phosphate production be curtailed. We’ve got a finite amount of phosphate rock in this country. They are not going to be produce the tons of an upgraded product and sell them at a loss when they know it’s a finite supply. And once the market gets back to where we can make money, they’ll supply it again.”

Rethinking Nitrogen for Short-Stature Corn

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 21:43:32 GMT

Since its debut, the buzz around short-stature corn has often focused on standability—the promise of a crop that won’t fold like a lawn chair when a July windstorm sweeps across the field. But as these hybrids increasingly move from company test plots into real-world acres, farmers are discovering that standability is only one piece of the story.

In a recent deep dive into the technology, University of Minnesota Extension agronomist Jeff Coulter urged growers to look past the “miniature” aesthetic of short-stature hybrids, which are usually 7-feet tall or less (traditional hybrids are typically 9 to 12 feet).

Instead, he believes the way these new hybrids access and use nitrogen (N), other nutrients and moisture could be the key to their long-term fit on your farm.

A Different Architecture Below Ground

The most significant changes in short-stature hybrids happen where you can’t see them. Coulter says research from Purdue University found that these hybrids often feature dramatically larger and deeper root systems than traditional corn.

“[One] study found that the short-stature hybrids had 35% to 42% greater total root biomass and a deeper root system than the standard stature hybrids,” Coulter reports.

This expanded root zone acts like a web, allowing short-stature hybrids to capture more nutrients and water throughout the growing season.

Tactical Nitrogen Use

Farmers often ask Coulter if the smaller plants have lower nutrient requirements. He says the data suggests otherwise. While yields remain competitive with traditional hybrids, short-stature plants are more “tactical” with their nitrogen use.

Key research findings include:

Higher Nitrogen Harvest Index: Short-stature corn shows a 3.5% greater N harvest index, meaning more nitrogen ends up in the grain rather than in the stalks and leaves.
Late-Season Uptake: These hybrids show a 20% greater total above-ground N uptake from silking to maturity, as compared to most traditional hybrids.
Better Efficiency: Research indicates an 18.5% greater recovery efficiency of applied N fertilizer.

“If you have greater N uptake, that means potentially less residual nitrogen in the soil will be lost,” Coulter notes. This efficiency helps protect the environment by reducing nitrate leaching post-harvest.

Application Timing Is Important

Research across Illinois and Indiana suggests that short-stature hybrids respond exceptionally well to split nutrient applications.

“Compared to applying all of the N near planting, researchers found that splitting the application with half of the N at the V6 stage increased yield in 60% of the trials for the short-stature corn,” says Coulter.

Delaying that second application to V12 was less consistent, showing yield benefits in only about a quarter of the trials.

For upper Midwest corn growers, a base nutrient rate at planting followed by a substantial in-season application around V6 appears to be the strongest strategy.

Despite the smaller stature of these new hybrids, Coulter warns against cutting nutrient rates, especially N. Total nutrient demand is driven by plant population and yield, not just height. Because short-stature corn is usually planted at higher populations (40,000 to 50,000-plus plants per acre), the total N, phosphorus, and potassium needs may actually be slightly higher than in traditional systems.

Three Tips for Managing Short-Stature Corn

Maintain Your Rates: Do not reduce N applications based on plant size; short-stature hybrids’ larger root systems and higher populations require full fertility.
Prioritize V6: Use some base level of nutrients at or around planting. Aim for an in-season application around the V6 growth stage to maximize yield response.
Run Strip Trials: Use the crop’s shorter height to your advantage by running ground-based trials to compare different rates and timings on your own fields.

Coulter stresses that short-stature corn is still in the early stages of use and needs more research. That future work includes refining economic optimum nitrogen rates for short-stature hybrids at different populations and row spacings, understanding their response to starter fertilizers, and quantifying phosphorus and potassium use in the new architecture.

In the meantime, short-stature corn offers farmers a compelling combination: strong yield potential, improved standability, a more efficient root system, and the management flexibility to deliver nitrogen later and in ways that can benefit both profitability and environmental stewardship.

Coulter addressed the nutrient needs of short-stature corn, along with other agronomic insights, during the 18th Annual Nutrient Management Conference in Mankato, Minn. You can watch his presentation via YouTube here .

Umbrella vs. Deep Diver: Which Corn Root Personality Fits Your Farm?

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:48:58 GMT

As corn yields climb across the U.S., farmers face a growing challenge: managing the massive amount of crop residue left behind. But within that challenge is an opportunity, according to University of Illinois researchers. Their work indicates that farmers who pair their tillage practices and residue management strategy with the root architecture of their specific corn hybrids can boost yield even more.

Connor Sible, research assistant professor at the university, says a good starting point in the process is recognizing what higher yields mean for residue levels in the field. Assuming an average harvest index of about 52% give or take, he notes that every bushel of corn you produce sends 44 pounds of dry matter out the back end of your combine.

You might say “no big deal” but that’s not the case. As Sible tells corn growers who question whether that’s significant: “Have your yields gone up 10 bushels? If so, now that’s 440 pounds per acre. If your yield’s 20 bushels higher, that’s almost 1,000 pounds per acre more residue on your field that you may be tilling or managing the same way you have for the last 20 years.”

Sible’s point is if your yield trend over the last decade or so has moved upward, you can assume your residue load has increased as well – and it’s probably time to rethink how you manage it.

Defining Root Architecture

The other side of the conversation about residue management is root architecture. Sible describes corn root systems as having three characteristics to consider: surface area, root angle and root mass.

“The surface area is how fibrous those roots are,” he says. “With root angle, consider are they wide angle, sometimes described as umbrella roots? Or, are they narrow-angle roots that grow deep? And then we look at the pure mass, how dense the roots are.”

What Sible and his team have determined is that wide, shallow root systems are usually most responsive to nutrients placed near the soil surface. The reason: these roots occupy the same zone where surface-applied or banded nutrients tend to accumulate in no-till or high-residue systems.

“The wider-angled roots are more responsive to split-applied nitrogen,” Sible says, as a for instance. “Those ‘umbrella roots’ are wide. They’re in the surface profile, so sidedress N goes right to where the roots are.”

In contrast, narrow, deeper root systems often perform better when nitrogen is placed deeper. In drought-prone environments or where nitrogen is placed deeper, these hybrids are genetically built to chase water and mobile nutrients moving downward, offering an advantage over the wide-angle root system.

Genetic Consistency Across Environments

One of the most striking findings from Sible’s research is how stable the root “personalities” are in the field. A PhD-level student Sible works with at the university, Sam Leskanich, determined this personality stability through field research.

Sible says Leskanich planted the same hybrids across different sites and years and then ranked the hybrids relative to each other. Whether at a southern Illinois test site with 1.8% to 2.0% organic matter and then at a northern Illinois site with organic matter above 3.5%, across dry and wet years, corn hybrids characterized as having narrow root systems stayed narrow, and wide-rooted hybrids remained wide.

The environment changes the overall size and development of the root system, but “it doesn’t change a specific hybrid’s natural rooting approach,” Sible says. That suggests root architecture is controlled by genetics.

A Call for More Data

For farmers, the practical implication is that hybrid root architecture should be matched to their production system by field. For instance, Sible and team contend that farmers might benefit from considering where water and nutrients tend to be available in their particular system, then select hybrids whose rooting patterns are well-suited to that system.

Sible adds that he believes a long-term opportunity lies in encouraging seed companies to share more information about their hybrids’ root architecture. Sible believes that adding root information to hybrid descriptions—such as surface area, angle and mass—would help farmers match hybrids not only to geography and maturity zones but also to tillage, residue level and fertility placement strategies. (Learn what Beck’s Hybrids is doing in this area here .)

Until this type of information is readily available from companies, carefully designed on-farm test comparisons across residue levels, tillage systems and fertilizer placements remain the best way for individual farmers to learn where each hybrid performs best.

As Sible puts it, “If you pick the right hybrid for your system, that can make you get a few more bushels out of what you’re already doing.”

To hear more about the University of Illinois research on corn roots, residue and nutrient management, check out Sible’s recent discussion with Mark Licht, Iowa State University Extension, here .

Maximize Yields and Savings with Proven Nutrient Strategies

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:08:37 GMT

The outlook for fertilizer costs versus commodity prices for next season is a tough one for corn and soybean growers across the country.
With that fact in mind, we have compiled a number of our “best of” nutrient stories from 2025 for your consideration.

Our hope is one or more of the following five articles will help you reduce expenses, reallocate resources and build a solid fertility program for the 2026 that works well for your crops and gives you some peace of mind in the process.

26 Ways To Cut Costs Without Sacrificing Yields
If you made deep cuts to your fertility program this season, are you considering whether you can cut even deeper next year?

If so, be sure to check out this article: 26 Ideas To Cut Fertilizer Costs In 2026 . It offers a variety of suggestions from agronomists and other farmers on where you might be able to reduce product use and reallocate resources.

While there are no easy answers to address the cost of fertilizer and other inputs, having conversations with your suppliers and financial providers now can help you leverage your buying power and minimize potential impacts from marketplace uncertainties. For more insights, check out this article: Navigate 2026 Input Costs with A Proactive Strategy .

Reallocate Nutrients And Still Support Yields
Farmers know that nitrogen is the main gas that fuels corn yields. Other macronutrients and micronutrients such as zinc, iron, and manganese also contribute to yield performance. Be sure to check out our article 300-Bu. Corn Has a Big Appetite for N, P and K to learn more.

If you’re looking specifically at how to make phosphorus more efficient, be sure to check out our Farm Journal Test Plot article on the topic: 7 Tips To Make Your Phosphorus Work For You

Every agronomist says to soil test your fields to make sure they are up to the challenge of delivering profitable yields in the most cost-effective way possible. While you’ve probably heard that advice a thousand times, it’s still valuable.That’s where this article comes into play, which features national corn yield champions’ perspective: In This High-Stakes Farming Economy, Some Practices Still Deliver ROI

For even more ideas on how to create a fertility plan best-suited to your needs, check out:

The 4Rs of Fertility
Focus on fertility to prevent pollution and boost profits.

The Challenge of Nitrogen
In your quest for high yields, nothing is more crucial, or more difficult, than managing corn’s most important nutrient.

A Moving Target
Preventing corn from going hungry requires balancing nitrogen and other factors, from year to year and field to field.

The Great Escape
Stabilizers and controlled-release products help keep the Houdini of nutrients where your crop needs it.

In the “Lime” Light
Correct acidity to create diverse microbial populations, which decompose residue and release soil nutrients.

Potassium Insight
Drought emphasizes the value of this vital nutrient.

Avoid The Pitfall of Leasing Farmland With Low Fertility

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 22:46:05 GMT

Farmland often changes hands in the fall, and such exchanges are currently underway across the country as farmers and landlords look to finalize deals for the 2026 season. But some of the ground changing hands is in poor condition with regard to fertility, according to Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

“I’m really shocked at how poor the stewardship is on some of these farms,” says Ferrie, who is seeing the issue in central Illinois, where he’s based. “We have seen multiple pieces of ground this fall that have been literally sucked dry of fertility and are sitting in bad shape on pH.”

While Ferrie isn’t sure how widespread the issue is, he says more farmers have reached out to him about the problem than in previous years. He attributes much of the issue to non-operating, absentee landowners who might not understand the need for good stewardship practices to keep ground productive. In other cases, he is concerned some landowners are simply interested in financial gain.

“It’s often land they inherited, [and they’re] two or three generations away from farming,” Ferrie says. “They look at it like an investment in the stock market.... In many cases, their relatives, the original landowner, would be turning over in their graves if they could see what’s happening to some of this ground.”

Conservation Practices On Rented Ground
Around 40% of all farmland in the U.S. is rented — in some U.S. counties that number is nearing 80%. According to USDA data, 283 million acres (30% of all farmland) are owned by non-operator landlords — those who own land used in agricultural production but are not actively involved in farming it.

The American Farmland Trust (AFT) reports that many non-operating landowners are unfamiliar with conservation practices or have difficulty discussing long-term goals with their renters. One survey found that 65% of non-operating landowners rely on their farm operator or someone else to make decisions on conservation practices.

“This dynamic can lead to a lack of investment in practices that improve productivity and resiliency of the land,” AFT reports. “Some of the areas with the highest rates of rental agricultural land are also those experiencing high rates of soil erosion and nutrient losses.”

Due Diligence Can Prevent A Costly Investment
Leasing land with low fertility levels can create financial hardship for unsuspecting growers. Such “hidden” costs frequently impact younger farmers who have limited resources and opportunities to rent ground.

“Many times, it’s our younger growers looking for land to expand their operation that seem to get caught up in these sucked-dry, short-term cash rent scenarios,” Ferrie says. “For short-term leases, that could be an anvil around your neck. There may not be a way to gain profitability short-term on some of these farms.”

While cash rents are softening slightly in some states for 2026, they still represent a huge investment for growers who are unlikely to see improved commodity prices to counter their investment in land and other inputs.

Table 1 provides average USDA cash rents across 4 land classes defined by soil productivity index (SPI). Average cash rents declined for the excellent, good, and average land classes while average rents slightly increased for areas classified as fair. Table 1 also provides average cash rents by land class as reported by the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ISPFMRA). Average rents on professionally managed farmland tend to be higher than the averages reported by USDA.

(USDA and others as noted)

Ferrie’s advice for farmers looking to pick up more ground: do your homework thoroughly before signing on any dotted line. Here are three steps he recommends farmers take as they consider renting new ground for the year ahead:

1. Avoid making assumptions. “Don’t assume just because a piece of land is being managed, that stewardship is being followed,” Ferrie cautions. “Farm managers work for landlords/owners. If they want the farm taken care of so it can be passed down to future generations, they’ll make it happen. If the landlord wants the highest return without any regard to stewardship that, too, is the farm manager’s job,” he explains.

2. Ask for current soil tests and yield maps. That will provide some insights on how the ground has been treated and its general productivity.
“If the leaser is not supplying any information, talk to the neighbors, if possible. Ask whether they ever see a lime truck on the farm,” he says.

Another option is to ask the leaser if you can pull some spot soil samples to get a feel for fertility in the field.

“If the answer or situation is no, ask about a conditional lease based on soil fertility levels once you do get the field tested,” Ferrie advises.

3. Gather information about past practices on the ground. For example, Ferrie says if you no-till, you’ll want to evaluate whether there are horizontal layers present in the field.

“I’ve seen in many situations where the No. 1 hurdle is removing compaction layers left by the previous tenant,” Ferrie says. “If you rent the ground, you’ll need a plan with your agronomist on how to address that.”

Different Factors Influence Farmers Who Are Buying Land
Ferrie points out that poor soil fertility across a parcel of ground might not be as concerning for farmers who are purchasing the property.

“I’ve been told by more than one realtor and farm manager that soil fertility doesn’t matter when selling a piece of ground, and that low-fertility fields will bring the same as farms that have received good stewardship. And this is apparently true based on what I’m seeing on farms that we are testing,” he reports.

He believes the reason is those farmers often have confidence that they can bring their new ground up to speed production-wise over time. And time is on their side as most buyers make the investment planning to hold onto the ground for the long haul.

Your next read: Ag Lenders Anticipate Only Half of U.S. Farm Borrowers to Turn a Profit in 2025

New House Bill Pushes For Fertilizer Price Transparency

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:40:04 GMT

A companion bill to the Fertilizer Research Act has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The House version, sponsored by U.S. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (R-IA), echoes the same goal as the Senate’s Fertilizer Research Act of 2025 (S.2808) – to provide U.S. farmers with more clarity and certainty regarding fertilizer costs and supply.

“America’s farmers are being squeezed by high fertilizer costs and low commodity prices, making it incredibly difficult to afford the inputs needed to maintain strong yields,” Hinson said in a statement on Thursday, noting that farmers tell her they need greater fertilizer price transparency and stability.

The legislation, if passed, would require the USDA to conduct a study on the competition and trends in the fertilizer market and their subsequent impact on fertilizer prices and then provide a comprehensive report of the agency’s findings.

The study would examine market competition and trends, the impact of these trends on fertilizer prices, the size and value of the U.S. market over the past 25 years, and the impact of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on retail fertilizer prices. It would also assess market concentration and the regulatory environment.

Within one year of the bill’s passage, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Economic Research Service, would be required to issue a report on USDA’s website regarding the U.S. fertilizer industry.

Mark Mueller , an Iowa farmer and president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, had said during a Senate hearing last month that increases in fertilizer costs are “crushing corn growers” in Iowa and other states.

“We need to assess the fertilizer industry to better understand pricing practices, tariffs and the exertion of market power by companies within the industry,” Mueller added. “The continued commitment to highlighting the impact of fertilizer prices on corn farmers does not go unnoticed by Iowa’s corn growers.”

Co-sponsors of the bipartisan House bill included Republican Randy Feenstra of Iowa, and Democrats Nikki Budzinski of Illinois and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.

Budzinski noted, “Fertilizer is an essential tool for farmers to maximize their crop yields, but they often lack insight into how fertilizer prices are determined – making it harder to balance their books. I’m proud to introduce this common-sense, bipartisan legislation to give our farmers more transparency and ensure that farm inputs are priced fairly.”

Hinson said that the House bill is supported by the American Soybean Association, the National Farmers Union, the Iowa Farmers Union, the Iowa Farm Bureau, the Iowa Corn Growers Association, and the Iowa Soybean Association.

Your next read: Fertilizer Prices Under Fire: Monopoly or Markets to Blame?

Nutrien Says Quality and Resilience Are Its Fertilizer Focus, Will Review Options for Its Phosphate Business

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 15:41:20 GMT

Next year, Nutrien’s phosphate business may have a different path forward than its current business division within the world’s largest potash producer.

“We have initiated a review of strategic alternatives for our phosphate business. This process will include evaluating alternatives ranging from reconfiguring operations, strategic partnerships, or a potential sale,” said Nutrien CEO Ken Seitz. “We intend to solidify the optimal path forward for our phosphate business in 2026.”

The company currently mines and processes phosphates in Aurora, NC and White Springs, Florida.

“We continue to assess assets on the merits of strategic fit, return, and free cash flow contribution. As a result, we have initiated a review of strategic alternatives for our phosphate business. This process will include evaluating alternatives ranging from reconfiguring operations, strategic partnerships, or a potential sale,” Seitz said.

The announcement was made last Wednesday during the company’s third quarter investor call. They emphasized a strategy to streamline their business-- simplify the portfolio and review non-core assets.

“It’s [phosphate] only contributing about 6% of our EBITDA,” Seitz said, “As we looked at it, it compels us to do a strategic review. Of course, this is on the heels of some of the portfolio work that we’ve been doing, disposing of our Sinofert shares, the process that we’re in to close Profertil by the end of the year, and other non-core assets. That’s all adding up to about $900 million to date.”

For the third quarter, Nutrien generated adjusted EBITDA of $122 million from phosphates, and the company had an 88% operating rate giving credit to reliability and turnaround activities completed in the first half of the year.

This announcement is also in conjunction with the company’s effort on cost discipline.

“As previously communicated, we are on track to achieve our $200 million cost reduction target one year ahead of schedule,” said Seitz.

During the call, company leaders boasted achievements including being the lowest cost potash supplier and increasing reliability initiatives across its nitrogen business.

Also announced in the call the ag retail division will have a transition at the beginning of the year as Jeff Tarsi will be retiring, and Chris Reynolds, who has been with the company for more than 20 years, will take over leading the ag retail business.

Can Good Fertility Levels Reduce The Need For Fungicides?

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 16:56:17 GMT

A farmer recently asked Ken Ferrie this two-part question: Can a soil test help determine the need for a fungicide application, and does healthy soil correlate with less need for fungicide?

“The answer to these questions is yes, maybe and sort of,” says Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

The final determination is based on the disease triangle – you must have the disease, a host and the right conditions to trigger a disease outbreak. Soil health falls under the area of conditions, and soil tests can help identify conditions.

What a soil test doesn’t do is detect the presence of disease in a field – an insight that is valuable to know if you experienced heavy disease pressure in corn this season.

“Healthy soils do not prevent disease from moving into a field, but we do know healthy plants handle stress better than unhealthy plants,” Ferrie explains.

That fact was evident in Farm Journal corn fertility test plots in 2021 and again this season in Midwest farmers’ fields as Ferrie and his agronomic team helped corn growers deal with a toxic mixture of multiple diseases ranging from southern rust to northern corn leaf blight and tar spot.

“In some of our nitrogen (N) plots, an additional 30 pounds of N looked like a fungicide application when it came to keeping corn greener longer, packing more starch in before disease shut down the plants,” he recalls.

What Farmers Need To Consider For 2026
Soil tests done this fall can give farmers some indication of which fields could be at risk to any disease pressure that shows up next season. Ferrie offers several scenarios as examples:

“Low potash testing fields will have more trouble than fields where the potash is adequate. Fields that are acid and need limestone will be more susceptible to disease pressure,” he says.

“Fields that run out of nitrogen during grain fill are more susceptible to disease pressure. In our test plots where we pulled N rates back and disease was an issue (in 2021), some hybrids died a month early, knocking 30 to 50 bushels per acre out of the yield,” he adds.

Fungicides and good fertility levels will lessen the impact of a disease outbreak, but they will not eliminate it. “Therefore, we want to be careful pulling back too far on our fertility, especially in those fields that aren’t at the optimum levels to begin with,” Ferrie says.

Along with that recommendation, Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer encourages growers to keep some level of nutrients in the field.

“So even if you put reduced rates of fertilizer on, keep soluble nutrients in front of your crop,” she advises.

Crop-Tech Consulting Field Agronomist Isaac Ferrie says to manage pH levels based on what soil tests show. Even small changes can have a significant impact on plants, nutrient availability and soil microbial activity.

“Keeping your pH in check will help keep other nutrients more available, so make sure your pH levels are in good shape and lime where needed,” he advises.

Your next read: 26 Ideas To Cut Fertilizer Costs In 2026

In This High-Stakes Farming Economy, Some Practices Still Deliver ROI

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:47:14 GMT

Some agronomic decisions do provide an annual return-on-investment (ROI) you can count on, according to corn yield champions David Hula and Randy Dowdy. One of those, they say, is soil testing fields in 1-acre grids and then using the resulting information to guide fertility decisions.

“If people are used to going across the field and watching a yield monitor vary significantly, say from 300 bushels down to 200 bushels in a pass, there’s a reason why that is and a lot of it has to do with soil fertility,” says Dowdy, who farms near Valdosta, Ga. “Pulling samples in a 1-acre grid can help you identify where variability is in the field better than a 2.5-acre grid or a zone sample can.”

Hula agrees and uses a medical analogy to explain the value of 1-acre grids. “It’s like the more detailed information you can get from an MRI versus an X-ray,” says Hula, who farms near Charles City, Va.

Dowdy and Hula encourage farmers to prioritize soil tests this fall, starting with any ground they own. “Every acre I own would definitely get tested, starting with the tiled ground because it’s going to give you the biggest ROI versus the not tiled ground,” Hula says.

Making Assumptions Can Be Costly
Growers who are reluctant to soil test this year because of costs might want to reconsider, as one of Hula’s recent experiences demonstrates.

Hula says he had not limed his farm ground for several years, due to a lack of product availability. “First, the lime quarries broke down, and then they ran out of lime, so we just couldn’t get it done,” he recalls.

As a result, Hula anticipated spreading 6,000 tons of lime across his corn ground this year. But instead of simply making that assumption, he pulled soil samples in 1-acre grids across 4,000 acres.

To Hula’s surprise, soil sample results showed his fields needed a lot less lime than anticipated.

“We only needed 2,600 tons of lime spread,” Hula reports. “Yes, there were costs associated with the testing, but the savings we got was more than enough to cover that.”

Dowdy and Hula, who work as partners in Total Acre , offered more money-making and saving ideas during their latest Breaking Barriers With R&D podcast, available on YouTube.

Consider Lime Type And Source
The goal, Dowdy says, is to have a soil pH in the neutral to 6.8 range across all acres. “An old timer told me a long time ago, ‘the cheapest fertilizer you’ll ever buy is lime,’ because it’s going to help you get the maximum efficacy from all your nutrients,” he explains.

If tests indicate soils need a pH adjustment, give careful consideration to the type of lime that will provide the biggest ROI in 2026.

“Understand the source of lime, whether you need magnesium or not and also understand whether it is a coarse or a fine-textured lime,” Hula advises.

The finer textured lime is what’s needed for a spring application. A coarse lime can take a couple of years to break down and become available for soil uptake.

Farmers who applied a coarse lime last fall need to be aware of that, so they don’t over-correct on lime applications this next spring. “You don’t want a situation where it all kicks in on the same year,” Hula cautions.

“Likewise, don’t use that as an excuse to not lime, if what you applied two years ago still hasn’t shown up. Understand what kind of lime or other fertility need your soils have now going into the season,” Dowdy advises.

Dowdy and Hula addressed the value of soil testing in more detail during their recent conversation with Chip Flory on this episode of AgriTalk. Listen to it here:

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Some Farmers Are Increasing Cover Crop Acres to Cut Fertilizer Costs and Boost Soil Health

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:27:38 GMT

How can you trim fertilizer costs and still provide adequate nutrients for corn and soybeans next season? One solution is to consider planting some cover crops this fall, recommends David Hula, reigning world corn yield record holder.

“Nitrogen, potash, boron, sulfur… those are mobile nutrients, so if you plant a cover crop it’s going to pick up those nutrients, and then when you kill that cover crop, you can recycle that residue that was left over, or the residual nutrients that were left over,” explains Hula, who farms near Charles City, Va.

Cover crops can scavenge for nutrients from previous crops, store them and then release them for use the following season – a process that can help reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers.

Hula adds that corn and soybean growers don’t need to be using no-till on the farm to benefit.

“You can strip-till into those cover crops, or early in the spring you can work the cover crops in to get the benefits,” he says.

Randy Dowdy says one of the benefits he’s seen is that microbial activity likes to colonize around a living root mass.

“You know, it always helps our early season tissue sample values go up where we’ve got a cover crop,” says Dowdy, Hula’s partner in Total Acre . “So if guys can, at least on bean ground where they’ve harvested, get some cover crop established and get it up, from a biological play and nutrient availability play for next season, it’s a no brainer.”

Experience Has Increased Farmer Confidence
The survey data show that cover crop plantings are on the rise among farmers who already have experience using them, according to results of the September Purdue/CME Ag Economy Barometer. And, those growers will plant cover crops on a higher percentage of their total acreage this fall, reports Jim Mintert, emeritus professor of economics at Purdue University.

He says the survey trends point to broader adoption across acreage: This year, 57% of cover crop users planted them on 26% to 50% of their acres, compared to only 25% in 2021 who reported planting cover crops on more than one-fourth of their acreage.

“What the survey says is, if you use cover crops, you’re using them more intensively now than you did in the past,” Mintert adds.

He believes the increased use of cover crops by those farmers indicates they have figured out how to capitalize on the benefits.

“It’s like this learning curve, where maybe the folks that have learned how to use them are adopting them on a wider portion of their farm acreage. I think that is what we’re picking up,” Mintert says.

Where And Why Cover Crops Are Being Used
Cover crop use by farmers across the U.S. increased 17% between 2017 and 2022 – from 15,390,674 acres to 17,985,831acres – data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture show. In total, cover crops were planted on 4.7% of all cropland in 2022.

Regional differences in the use of cover crops are related to factors such as climate, soils, cropping systems, and state incentive programs, according to USDA-Economic Research Service.

(USDA-ERS)

For example, Maryland, which has the highest rate of cover crop use, has programs that encourage farmers to grow cover crops to help improve water quality in the Chesapeake Bay.

“Water quality is a big deal for those of us on the East Coast, and there are some programs available through NRCS and others that could be a little bit of a revenue stream for a grower and you can reduce some expenses,” says Hula.

Warm Conditions Could Help Stand Establishment
With the current fall conditions across the Midwest, Hula would encourage growers new to using cover crops there to experiment with them on some acres.

“A lot of times, Midwest growers are worried they’re going to run out of time to get a cover crop planted, but with as warm as it is, you have a good chance to get some growth established this fall and a good root system going before conditions turn cold,” he says.

Moisture is needed to get cover crops established well, and that is a concern in some areas this fall, cautions the Midwest Cover Crops Council. It says good soil moisture at seeding and 0.5” to 1” of rainfall after seeding will improve germination and stand establishment.

The Council has recommendations for which cover crops are a good fit by state and especially well-suited to farmers who are new to growing them. Learn more here .

Hula and Dowdy address cover crops in more detail in their Breaking Barriers with R&D during their discussion on AgriTalk:

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Navigate 2026 Input Costs with A Proactive Strategy

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 19:05:30 GMT

While Brent Judisch is in the midst of combining his 2025 corn and soybeans, he’s also thinking about how to plan for next year’s crops and inputs specifically.

“Fertilizer prices will kind of mirror your corn prices usually, but right now they’re going opposite directions. That’s not something we can handle going forward on the farm, with the costs going up and income going down,” says Judisch, who farms in Black Hawk County, Iowa.

Price Trends For N, P And K This Year

Mark Tully, senior manager, global market research for Nutrien, tells Farm Journal wholesale nitrogen (N) fertilizer prices are up between 25% and 45%, depending on the product.

The increases are due to unexpected global supply constraints in 2025. “This trend is being driven by conflict in Europe, Middle East, and trade restrictions from China, which have all impacted production and export availability,” Tully says.

Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) have also trended up this year. Tully reports wholesale phosphate fertilizer prices are up between 20% and 40% depending on the product, while wholesale potash prices are up about 15% from 2024 levels.

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) projections indicate fertilizer expenditures alone could account for 36% of a corn grower’s operating costs in 2025, with little to no relief expected for 2026.

“Looking ahead to next year, [input costs] look to be going a little higher,” predicts Krista Swanson, chief economist for the NCGA. She says inputs for corn have totaled about $900 an acre annually for the past four years.

Trusted Advisers Can Help With Input Decisions

As farmers grapple with input decisions, Ken Ferrie encourages farmers to lean on their agronomists and other trusted advisers to help think through the process of where to allocate resources while still maintaining targeted yield outcomes.

For example, at current input prices, Ferrie says a corn grower might save $85 an acre by managing nitrogen more efficiently ($35), varying population according to soil type ($20) and switching to a non-GMO hybrid ($30).

“But you have to do your homework before you make these kinds of decisions or yields could potentially fall off a cliff, leaving your balance sheet in worse shape than if you’d made no change,” he cautions.

Judisch is looking to address higher input costs next year by trimming rates where soil fertility levels will allow him to pull back.

“I think we’ll probably trim back our phosphate usage [for corn] a little bit, but we’ll still go forward with potash, and you’ve got to have nitrogen. You really can’t cut there,” Judisch says.

Evaluate Purchasing Options Early For The Best Terms

Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer for StoneX has been encouraging farmers planning to make fall anhydrous ammonia (NH3) applications to contact their suppliers now to lock in product.

While there is a good supply of NH3 in the pipeline currently, Linville is concerned the expected high demand could deplete its ready availability and lead to increased costs.

“I do think the prices will hold to push higher,” he says.

The best time for growers to contact suppliers to discuss 2026 availability and pricing of fertilizer, seed and other inputs is now, according to Jordan Howe, area manager for Nutrien Financial.

“Have an open conversation with your input providers, and explore options of early buying habits that could put you in a better position or help you capture a discount that maybe you haven’t in the past,” he says.

Howe encourages farmers to not shy away from asking questions of loan officers or financing institutions and read the fine print on any written agreement. Two key questions he recommends asking:

1. What is the price of the input if I want to pay for it in cash versus financing it?

2. If I opt to finance, what type of interest rate am I being offered – is it a fixed rate or a floating rate?

“I am seeing a lot ofunique financing opportunities out there where it might be a low, good rate early, but then it matures and turns into a much higher rate. You’ll want to consider whether you would be able to pay that off before it goes to the higher rate,” Howe says

He adds that being able to pay cash for some portion of your input needs can help you leverage your buying power to get the most competitive financing offers for the balance.

Don’t Forget To Consider Your Tax Implications

In the process of purchasing inputs for next season, keep in mind the potential taxes on products, recommends Jonathan LaPorte, Michigan State University farm business management educator.

“As you plan purchases, remember to maintain flexibility to maximize tax savings this year and next. Don’t overspend this year to save on inputs only to pay more income taxes next year,” he advises.

LaPorte offers an online Input Purchasing Plan Template in Word and Microsoft Excel to help farmers run different scenarios on input purchases based on their cropping plan for the year ahead. The template is available here .

Your next read: 26 Ideas To Cut Fertilizer Costs In 2026

Why Anhydrous Ammonia Demand Will Soar This Fall

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 20:36:10 GMT

If fall applications of anhydrous ammonia (NH3) are a go-to for your fertility program – or you expect them to be this year – consider calling your supplier asap to lock in product.

While application season is still some weeks away, waiting to buy NH3 could result in derailing your post-harvest nutrient game plan, according to Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer for StoneX.

Logistically, in order for you to have product ready to go, he says, application season is already here.

“We are kind of at zero hour. We’ve got to start making decisions on what we are and are not going to do,” Linville told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory earlier this week.

While NH3 is not cheap – and no fertilizer is – it is well-priced relative to other nitrogen options including urea and UAN. Anhydrous ammonia is also readily available in the current pipeline.

For those reasons, Linville anticipates farmers who have the application equipment will put more anhydrous on their fields this fall. He says the potential downside to expected high demand could be a run on product, depleting availability in the marketplace and increasing costs.

“I do think the prices will hold to push higher,” he adds.

I’m sure I’ll stir trouble but so be it.
A bailout or whatever you call it is NOT what is needed!
Yes most of us will also have to take it to stay viable, which they know!
That’s the problem. Anhydrous was 750/ton a week ago and it’s 950 today! Corn took a $.30 drop in the… https://t.co/ShjR2qv3GH
— Cattleman🪓 (@cattleguy92) September 19, 2025

Tariffs Are Contributing To More Deals With Russia

For farmers who want to use UAN (Urea Ammonium Nitrate) for the 2026 crop, availability continues to be extremely tight.

Linville says the current situation is characterized by low starting inventories, potential import disruptions due to tariffs, and production challenges, all of which could make UAN availability continue to be a significant concern for farmers.

Veronica Nigh, senior economist for The Fertilizer Institute, says with the tariffs that have been imposed on various trade partners, the U.S. is purchasing more fertilizer – namely UAN and urea – from Russia.

“Because the U.S. does not have permanent, normal trade relations with Russia, at the moment, Russia is actually exempt from tariffs on fertilizer products coming into the U.S.,” Nigh explains in a recent podcast.

The amounts of UAN and urea coming in from Russia have increased significantly in the past year.

Nigh says the U.S. got 25% of its urea from Russia by the second quarter of 2024. By the same time in 2025, the Russian market share to the U.S. had grown to 51%.

Likewise, for UAN, Russia supplied 49% of the product to the U.S. by the second quarter of 2024. This year, the percentage coming into the U.S. from Russia reached 57% in the second quarter of 2025.

“Across all major macros, we’re seeing shifts also in exports as other countries are maybe changing who they want to do business with. Then, also, the shift in who is supplying the U.S. is becoming much more focused and concentrated on Russian supply away from those other supplying markets,” Nigh says.

Linville offers a blunter assessment, with regard to UAN supplies:

“I cannot say enough how tight UAN is this year, and it could be made worse if President Trump and our allies go forward with sanctions and duties and tariffs against Russia. That [would make] a very bad situation much, much worse,” he says.

Linville shares more details on his outlook for fertilizer availability and pricing on AgriTalk here:

Your next read: Shell-Shock Fertilizer Prices Leave Farmers, Politicians Asking What Can Be Done

Ferrie: Know the True Costs of Reducing Phosphorus Before You Cut It

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 11:20:16 GMT

In this week’s Boots In The Field podcast, Ken Ferrie addresses a concern he says has come to his attention several times during the past week. Specifically, a corn grower called his office at Crop-Tech Consulting and said he attended a farmer event where the speaker said because phosphorus prices are too high, he would not put any on fields for the next two years.

“He supposedly hasn’t applied any on his ground for the past two years and has seen no yield loss. Now, my first response is that this presenter is probably being taken out of context,” says Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

When something is taken out of context and run through the local coffee shop talk, information can get off base quickly.

“But we’ve had 10 or 15 people calling the office with the same story, wondering about not putting any phosphorus (P) on fields for two years, so I feel I need to address this,” Ferrie says. “While I still believe the presenter’s being taken out of context, for the purpose of this discussion, let’s say he’s not.”

How Well Does Your Pickup Run Without Gas?
The speaker telling corn growers to not put phosphorus on for two years because he didn’t and had no yield reduction is concerning, Ferrie says. He offers a lighthearted scenario to provide some perspective.

“Imagine you come to one of our winter seminars and I say, ‘Boys, gas prices are too high. I recommend when you go home that you don’t put any gas in your pickup truck. I’ve come to work for two days in a row without putting gas in my truck, and I’ve made it home fine.’ Now for the 90% of you that came to the meeting with a full tank, this advice would work for you. But for the 10% who came in here on a nearly empty tank with the idiot light telling you you’re about to run out of fuel, it might not work so well.

“When the tow truck driver comes to rescue you because you ran out of gas on the way home and he asks, ‘How did you run out of gas? Doesn’t your gas gauge work?’ And you say, ‘Yes, it does, but my agronomist said I shouldn’t fill up with gas that I’d be all right,’ the tow truck driver is going to be shaking his head and wondering about your intelligence level.”

The same is true for arbitrarily deciding to not use inputs like phosphorus for the next two years. Ferrie says growers need to reference their farming gas gauge – their soil test – to determine whether they have adequate fuel to grow the next crop and whether they can cut back on inputs like Phosphorus.

Potential ROI From P Use – The Heart Of The Matter
Here are three examples of available P levels in the field and potential returns-on-investment (ROI) from making an application, based on a Bray 1 soil test:

With a P level in the 20- to 25-parts per million range, you can expect about a 25% chance of a positive ROI to applying phosphorus.
When P values drop down to between 10- and 20-parts per million, you can expect a 55% to 60% chance of a positive ROI to applying phosphorus.
Below 10 parts per million, you have an 80% to 90% chance of a positive ROI to applying phosphorus.

“The top end of these ranges would be true when we have low phosphorus prices and high commodity prices, while the opposite end is true when we have low commodity prices and high phosphorus prices, as we do now,” Ferrie says.

He adds that if you’re growing corn or soybeans, you have to consider both the P removal rates as well as the crop uptake rates.

For a 250-bu. corn crop and a 75-bu. soybean crop, the removal rate is about 140 pounds of phosphorus or 300 pounds of DAP (diammonium phosphate).

“These are the amounts that we know left the field in truckloads of grain,” Ferrie says. “But we had to grow these plants to produce the grain, which are the uptake rates.”

The uptake for 250-bu. corn and 75-bu. soybean crops is about 430 pounds of DAP.

“If you only have enough fuel in the tank (phosphorus) to satisfy removal, yields are going to drop. If your gas gauge is on low end and the idiot light is on and you don’t apply P to these fields, yields will drop,” he says. “But if the whole field is not spread with phosphorus, you might not know the yields drop in areas of it, because P issues are not as visible as nitrogen and sulfur deficiencies.”

It takes about 18 pounds of P₂O₅ to move your “gas gauge” 1 part per million. Not applying for two years could drop your gas gauge by 7 to 8 parts per million.

Now, if you started the season with a soil test showing 30 parts per million, that’s most likely not going to result in a yield reduction. But if you start the growing season with a soil test showing 15 parts per million in the field, you’ve dug yourself into a hole.

Get Ferrie’s full explanation on how to evaluate P use in this week’s Boots In The Field podcast:

P Rates Required To Get Fields Back On Track

To get your “gas gauge” from 7 parts per million back up to 25 parts per million, you’ll need to apply removal rates plus the build rates over multiple years.

“That would take about 150 pounds of DAP per year for removal and another 120 pounds of DAP for build, so 270 pounds of DAP per year for the next six years,” Ferrie estimates.

Many growers do have enough “gas in the tank” that they can pull back on some of their phosphorus. In some cases, complete fields can be pulled back. In other cases, certain zones can be pulled back, but be sure to know what is in your tank in each field.

“Taking a hit in yield because we didn’t look at a working gas gauge is not something you want to be guilty of,” he says. “And guys, we’ll navigate through these tough times. Don’t let emotions, coffee shop talk or some speaker taken out of context, derail your program. Use your tools. Stay the course. Make your plan, follow the plan, and remember your agronomist is just a phone call away.”

Your next read: 7 Tips To Make Your Phosphorus Work For You

Phosphate Fertilizer Prices Soar Near Historic Highs

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 19:00:59 GMT

Earlier this week, spot prices for DAP fertilizer at New Orleans hit a record ratio compared with corn prices. Tracked by Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer at Stone X, he reported how a $820 barge of DAP compared to December new crop corn at $4.4575 per bushel, and how that DAP:corn ratio was 184 an all-time high based on his data.
Since the week has progressed, the weekly average notched slightly lower so that moment in time fell from the historic high. However, Linville says prices are flirting at the elevated levels near the record.

“Today’s relationship is nearly level with the worst ratio set in 2008 for this time of year,” he says. “It’s less than 5 bu. from the worst.”

Overall, current fertilizer prices are accounting for 40% of farmers’ cost of production.
Phosphate price trends are leading the pack compared to nitrogen and potash. While nitrogen and potash application rates are higher, the critical role phosphate plays in crop production is putting its high price at the top of lists of concerns.

Adding to the phosphate worries, in addition to its upward pricing trends, sourcing the nutrient is a long-term process. Regarding increases in future production, Linville says, “Hope is on the horizon, but it’s years off, not months.”

So what two global market dynamics could make “horrible” prices less terrible?

1. China could re-enter the global market.

Since the end of the 2024, China has cut off its exports of phosphate. The country used to add up to 8 million tons to the global fertilizer market pre-COVID-19. And China was the second-largest global phosphate exporter as recently as 2023.

“We have heard China talk about a 4.5-million-ton export quota for the year,” Linville says.
He adds, “China’s approach has been one of being in it for themselves. And not participating in the global market hurts every farmer, including those in the U.S., who have to deal with the volatility that has occurred.”

2. Peace deal between Russia and Ukraine

“While not specific to phosphate, the war ending between Russia and Ukraine would be the first domino to fall for the nitrogen market to be more ‘normal,’” Linville says.
Russia is the top global exporter of urea and UAN.

“If we are able to see reliable trade flow after a peace deal is struck, the global market could possibly return to normal distribution and destinations for product, which could have an effect across all of fertilizer,” Linville says.

Could high prices be a catalyst for product change?

With high MAP and DAP prices, recently introduced product formulations are positioned for greater adoption due to their improved efficiencies.

Ron Restum, chief commercial officer at Ostara, says the current swell in phosphate prices presents the opportunity for farmers to think differently about the products they use.

“Farmers need to be focused on efficiency,” he says. “In this chaotic time, farmers could be inclined to skip or reduce rates for nutrient application. But instead of cutting back, farmers can take an opportunity to do it better, more efficiently.”

Restum is referring to Ostara’s product, Crystal Green. With a formulation of 7-33-0 with 9% Mg, Crystal Green is acid soluble, which leads to on-demand use of the crop nutrients.

“Traditional MAP or DAP are only 10% to 30% efficient,” he says. “Farmers can’t afford to be inefficient. We recommend a reduced application rate because we provide over 90% efficiency.”

MAP and DAP applications are water soluble, and when applied, it quickly changes from high to low solubility, which is why only 10% to 30% is available the first year.

Both Crystal Green and RhizoSorb from Phosphosultions were developed to be similar to traditional MAP and DAP with application and spreadability. RhizoSorb 8-39-0 is a dry fertilizer product from Phospholutions, and it aims to increase plant phosphate uptake by 50%.

The company refers to it as MAP 2.0.

“This is the biggest thing since the 60s. There is no tech that has been able to help growers in this way,” says Craig Dick, vice president of sales and marketing at Phospholutions. “It arrives at the retail location ready to apply. It is the first technology to increase anionic exchange capacity, which leads to up to 33% less volume needed to be applied. And it’s based on plant-driven release, so up to 50% more phosphorus makes it into the plant.”

It’s been commercially distributed in the Corn Belt since 2024.

Farmer Uses Late-Season Fungicide, Nutrients To Beef Up Corn Test Weight

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 21:08:24 GMT

Corn growers sometimes walk away from their crop at this point in the growing season, thinking there’s little to nothing they can do now to influence final yield and harvest outcomes.

It’s a mentality David Hula says he understands, especially this year.

“We spent a lot of time getting the right hybrid in the right environment, controlling the weeds, controlling insects, and getting the fertility out, and in that last quarter some growers, you know, sometimes they lack experience or are just tired of spending money,” Hula tells business partner Randy Dowdy, in the latest edition of their Breaking Barriers With R&D podcast.

Yet the two champion corn growers say there is still time to influence harvest outcomes.

Late-Season Yield And Test-Weight Potential
Brian Herbek, who works with Hula and Dowdy via their Total Acre program, has leaned into their advice.

“I found out a couple of years ago, there’s a lot of hidden yield out there that a lot of us leave on the table,” Herbek reports.

What he learned from the two corn yield champions is corn has the genetic ability – some hybrids more so than others – to pack starch into its kernels late-season to create higher test weights.

As a result, the Deweese, Neb., corn grower says he started scouting fields late-season to determine which ones are candidates to receive what Hula and Dowdy call “the finishing pass,” an application of fungicide or nutrients or some combination of the two.

“It’s not for every field. I’ll tell everybody that right now, there are certain fields that don’t deserve that attention,” Herbek says. “But if you know what you’re looking for, and you have that potential, that application does makes sense, but you’ve really got to know what’s out in your field.”

When Nitrogen And Fungicide Use Makes Sense
Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie recommends checking fields to consider what an insufficient amount of Nitrogen (N) at this point in the season could mean to yield results.

“Plants running out of N at R4 run the risk of tip abortion,” he notes, as a for instance. “At R5, tip kernels are going to get light, and if it’s a D hybrid, it’s going to cost you in late fill.”

Ferrie describes D hybrids as those that need nitrogen during grain fill to max out yield.

”Depth of kernel comes at the end of grain fill — the last half of the 60 or so days after pollination through black layer,” Ferrie explains. “They need to stay green as long as possible and finish the season strong. Many new hybrids are D types.”

Hula says a fungicide application now can help make sure corn leaves and stalks stay greener longer, putting more energy into kernel development.

“If we can pick up a half a pound or a pound more test weight, that’s a bonus,” he says. “The other thing I want to say about green stalks, particularly for guys where residue management is a problem – the green stalks at harvest are going to deteriorate or decay much faster than those that are not green.”

Why Care About Test Weight?
Test weight is commonly used by buyers as a way to evaluate grain quality. A higher test weight indicates a greater proportion of the grain’s volume is filled with the nutrient-rich endosperm, meaning more available energy and nutrients, says Todd Whitney, Extension educator at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in an online article .

High test-weight corn is generally more valuable to buyers, though the extent of this value can vary. Some buyers prefer higher test-weight grain due to its higher starch content and better storage properties.

One thing to note here: While hybrid genetics play an important role in test weight determination, there is no correlation between test weight and yield potential of a hybrid. Corn grain in the U.S. is marketed specific to a 56-lb. bushel regardless of test weight.

“Corn farmers are often concerned with low test weight because that means local grain buyers may have to discount the market grain prices paid. In addition, if you were to deliver a semi-load of low test weight grain (e.g., 52 lbs/bu) then this specific load would contain less ‘56-lb bushels’ and you would be paid less for the load on a per volume basis,” explains Dan Quinn, Extension corn specialist at Purdue University, in an online article.

“Whereas, if you were to deliver a semi-load of high test-weight grain (e.g., 58 lbs./bu.) then that load would contain more ‘56-lb. bushels’ and you would be paid more for the load on a per volume basis,” Quinn writes.

What To Look For In The Field Now
Here are some of the factors Herbek takes into consideration as he evaluates which fields warrant another pass of fungicide, fertility or both:

Crop Quality: More yield potential or a heavier test weight has to be available for product applications to provide sufficient ROI. Plant tissue tests can help identify nutrient deficiencies and guide late-season applications.

Additional factors that affect crop quality that Herbek considers are pest and disease pressure, standability and stalk quality, and moisture availability.

Crop maturity. Hybrid maturity and planting date have been found to influence susceptibility to yield loss from foliar diseases, writes Mark Jeschke, agronomy manager for Pioneer, in this online article .

He says later planted fields and/or later maturing hybrids can be more vulnerable to yield loss because they are still filling grain while disease development is peaking in late summer. Therefore, these later fields are often more likely to benefit from a fungicide application.

Herbek says he also takes into consideration each hybrid’s growing degree days, and how long he has before his crop reaches the finish line.

“We’ve got, I’m guessing, probably 45 to 50 days yet to put something in that kernel and give us some extra test weight,” he says. “So we still have some time to influence it yet.”

Herbek also offers some thoughts on how farmers can improve next season’s corn crop by prioritizing their planter and planting practices. You can catch the details on Breaking Barriers With R&D at Farm Journal TV and YouTube .

Your next read: Breaking Barriers with R&D: Split the Planter, Split the Risk

Unlocking The Value of Applied Phosphorus: How Solubility Changed Everything For This Farmer

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 14:41:00 GMT

Chad Rubbelke regularly works to solve agronomic problems in interesting ways. As a director of an on-farm research business with a footprint in North Dakota and Iowa, and a 3,000-acre farmer himself, he approaches long-standing struggles with optimism that the next idea may just work.

And he’s found one for his geography when it comes to phosphorus.

In what he says is a “game-changer” for the past four years Rubbelke has been applying CG P2X (formerly Crystal Green) from Ostara.

“Boiled down: we have high pH soils, inclement weather issues, and we don’t have a good area for phosphorus utilization,” he says.

Previously, his farm, which focuses on canola, durum, hard wheat, soybeans, flax, peas, and sunflowers, applied 100 to 120 lb. dry granular MAP (11-52-0).

“With the 11-52-0, it’s water-soluble and very inefficient, so we never got to see good usability within the plant,” he says. “We pay a high cost for 11-52-0, but we are so inefficient on usability with only using 5% of the value we stick into it.”

CG P2X is formulated to be organic acid soluble—not dependent on the availability of water, and its plant uptake is triggered by naturally released plant exudates. Ostara says it’s made to be phosphorus on-demand and rates can be cut 25% or more because of the improved plant usability.

“The plant will take what it needs, and then actually what the plant does not need is still there for following crops, and it stays out there in the field,” reports Tom Snipes, CEO of Ostara. The St. Louis-based agtech firm specializes in nutrient recovery and fertilizer technology.

For growers, that means less nutrient loss, more season-long availability, and residual value that carries into future crops.

“With our product, you get like 98% efficiency,” Snipes said during a discussion with Farm Journal at the 2026 Commodity Classic.

That efficiency lets Ostara make this offer to farmers: keep the per-acre spend the same, but apply about 30% less product and still improve nutrient availability.

“They can spend the same amount per acre as they’re spending today, like if they’re on a MAP program, but because of the lack of efficiency in MAP, you can go out at a 30% decreased rate with our product, and you’re still going to get more available nutrient,” Snipes says.

“[The product] is more expensive per ton. But usability wise, you are getting 95% efficiency vs. 5% efficiency. So, it blows 11-52-0 out of the water when it comes to usability and what you are paying for to get,” he says.

He reduced his application rates to be 78 to 80 lb. per acre. Last year was the first year he applied CG P2X to his entire farm.

“We’ve seen real benefits when applied year in and year out. The more years we apply [CG P2X] the more we see yield increases. Whatever isn’t needed this year is still intact and available for the next season, so its value just builds. That’s the reason I went full-farm this year,” he says.

Rubbelke says with his clay-based, high pH soils, phosphate usability is low and varies greatly. When the soil pH is 7, phosphate usability is 30 ppm, and when the soil pH climbs up to 8.2, phosphate usability is 2.4 ppm.

“We’ve worked with a lot of alternatives to the previous dry fertilizer we relied on, but what surprised me the most about [CG P2X]
is the handling. It’s the consistency is the same as our previous product—there’s no over and above practice change,” he says.

Snipes notes the product doesn’t require a new system or process for farmer use. “We don’t ask for really any change of behavior, other than dropping your current phosphate source and using our phosphate source at a slightly reduced rate,” he says. “The farmer’s application methods, their timing, everything—it is the same.”

As for blending with other products, Rubbelke says his farm has mixed with micros and macros without issue.

“My goal is to help the farm be environmentally stable, safe, and sustainable while flourishing and outcompeting on the field with yield. [CG P2X] is light years ahead of other P sources. In our waterways, it checks a box as it’s environmentally superior so that when we use this product, it’s staying on the field,” he says.

7 Tips To Make Your Phosphorus Work For You

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 20:05:31 GMT

The best way to minimize fertilizer expenditure and maximize efficiency is one you’ve probably heard of before. The 4Rs — right product, right rate, right time and right placement — tell you exactly how to accomplish this.

Agronomically, following the 4R best practices keeps corn plants from ever experiencing a bad day — and that’s the key to maximizing your crop’s yield, explains Farm Journal field agronomist Ken Ferrie, who cites decades of Farm Journal Test Plot studies.

To help corn plants get off to a good start, they must have sufficient nutrients available to maximize early season growth. Even one stressful day could cause them to dial back their yield. Soybeans, in contrast, are able to overcome some degree of early stress, but it’s important for them to have adequate nutrients during pod-fill in August. This is an example of how timing (the fourth R) comes into play.

“Phosphorus is one of the most important early season nutrients,” Ferrie says, “It drives cell division and elongation.”

Here are seven tips to better manage your phosphorus (P), confirmed by years of the Farm Journal Test Plot program:

Feed Phosphorus Early. “Unlike soil phosphates that must be mineralized by soil microbes, planter-applied fertility is readily available and not sensitive to temperature,” Ferrie says. “The quicker plant roots meet up with starter fertilizer, the faster you’ll see a response: deeper green color and taller plants.”
Place Phosphorus Below the Surface. “Compared to nitrogen and sulfur, phosphate is slower to move through the soil,” Ferrie says. “It must be put where roots will grow into the band. On the surface, phosphate may not be picked up unless and until brace roots encounter it.”
Weigh In-Furrow Pros and Cons. “In-furrow applications trigger the quickest response,” Ferrie continues. “But because of the danger of salt injury, be careful with the rate and quality of product. Low in-furrow rates may not have enough push to get corn to knee-high when nutrients will be mineralized from the soil.”
Use Banding Methods. “Banding phosphate 2" below and 2" beside the furrow is safe, and rates can be high enough to push corn to waist-high,” Ferrie says. “But a 2x2 application is slower to kick in than an in-furrow application.”

There is a way to work around this, though.

“Attachments such as the Huckstep Fertilizer Shoe and the 360 Wave place fertilizer closer than 2x2 — more like ½" to ¾" beside and below the row,” Ferrie says. “This allows for a higher rate without concern about salt burn, and it’s close enough to the roots to eliminate the need for an in-furrow application.”
Double Up on Phosphorus Placement. “Many growers use a relay treatment,” Ferrie says. “They put a light rate of phosphate in the furrow as a pop-up and band a higher rate 2x2. That provides enough phosphorus to carry the plants to waist-high, when soil mineralization has kicked in.”
Explore Equipment Options. Among many equipment options for effective P placement, besides the Huckstep and the Wave, are the Furrow Jet and the Yetter 2968 Fertilizer Opener.

“Picking the right attachment for your planter and soil type is the key,” Ferrie says.
Add Zinc for Better Uptake. “Zinc is a co-enzyme that helps lift phosphate into the plant cells,” Ferrie says. “Whenever we use it in our test plots, we get a more consistent response to the phosphate. If you feel zinc is too expensive, pull back your starter rate until the zinc application fits your budget.”

This Farm Journal study examined the 360 Wave fertilizer attachment in two soil types. The Wave performs two functions: improving seed trench closure and injecting starter fertilizer beside and below the seed. In each soil, improving seed trench closure improved yield, compared to the planter’s standard closing system, and injecting starter fertilizer increased it further.

“There are many equipment options for improving starter fertilizer placement,” Ferrie says. “The key is to find the right one for your planter and soil type.”

This 2024 Farm Journal study in central Illinois demonstrated the value of adding zinc to your starter fertilizer.

“Zinc helps lift phosphate into plant cells,” Ferrie says.

In this instance, adding zinc increased the yield by 4.5 bu. per acre. Tissue testing revealed that adding zinc to the starter also increased the nitrogen and zinc content of the plants.

Your Next Read — Ferrie: Unravel The Mystery Of Ugly Corn Syndrome To Reduce Yield Losses

The Hidden Factors Driving Fertilizer Prices: Beyond the Blame on Tariffs

Fri, 02 May 2025 19:45:20 GMT

Looking at the current super cycle in fertilizer price climbs, Josh Linville vice presidnet of fertilizer at StoneX says you have to go beyond just the Trump administration’s tariff talk to find the root cause.

“It has created a tremendous amount of commotion without a lot of impact,” he says.

As he explains, the global nature of the fertilizer industry is prime to be disrupted by major shifts in trade. And the tariff developments have dogpiled on other factors. There are two examples he’ll point to:

1. Potash

The U.S. sources 85 to 90% of its potash from Canada. And with the carve out for potash in the current Trump administration’s tariff plan, there’s been no financial impact to the market. But the trade dynamics have had an effect.

“we’ve spent a tremendous amount of time thinking about it, talking about it, worrying about it,” he says. “But it’s never actually done anything to the marketplace. But the one thing it has done has been more the emotional side of it. It’s allowed those fundamental factors that were kind of lying in wait, not able to kind of get their own traction, so when we start started to pour on the worry of the tariff situation, that’s what finally drove these prices up.”

And he references how from the beginning of the year, potash prices are up 25%.

2. UAN and Urea

“UAN is easily the most important topic right now,” he says. “That is because it is no longer a price story—it’s a ‘can you even find it supply story.’”

Linville says it’s an issue that has been developing for weeks through most of April and into May. And now, most distributors and retailers can’t find UAN that will ship before June.

“It’s gotten to the point today where the supply side of the market is basically saying, ‘Hey, we’ve got some tons for June shipment earmarked for you, just based on what you normally do. You need to price these? Because if you don’t, they’re gonna disappear.’”
For example, if a UAN vessel from the Middle East was booked right now, it wouldn’t arrive to the U.S. until June, and then wouldn’t arrive to most warehouses until late June or early July—too late for the 2025 application seasons.

“So we’re on an island,” he says.

The easiest switch from UAN is to urea for sidedress, but with increased demand, urea prices have climbed. Therefore, Linville says it’s possible more applicators and farmers will consider anhydrous ammonia in larger volumes for this season’s application.

“Urea prices aree up over a hundred dollars a ton over the last couple of weeks. So the nitrogen sector in general has been incredibly bullish with all of this demand and lack of supply,” he says.

What can past super cycles teach us?

Linville looks to 2008—the first year we saw such a super cycle in the fertilizer market where prices spiked higher for across products. Then in 2012, a similar spike occurred followed by 2021 into 2022 with another big spike.

“There’s always price volatility,” he says. “But we’ve had three previous cycles really stand out that tower over the rest of the years.”

Compared to his perspective this past winter, he says he’s surprised by how tight UAN supplies become.

“At Top Producer Summit, I talked about UAN, and how we had lower starting inventories along with fall production issues. But what we didn’t factor in at that time was we had some very, very cold temperatures that impacted production,” he says. “We expected some tightness, but not like this.”

Today, he says there’s no silver bullet for the current UAN supply. Some shifting to urea will help. Some shifting to anhydrous will help.
“But as I see it today, I don’t see what is going to save us in the next 15 to 30 day period,” he says.

Beyond this spring application season, Linville says the groundwork for how the fall season and next year’s spring season is being set now.
“We’ve got half a year before we get to the fall application period for phosphate, potash and anhydrous. We’ve got nearly a year until next spring for urea again. So a lot of these things that we’re talking about we have to keep in mind. We’ve got a lot of time for these markets shift, and they change every single day,” he says.

Farmer Finds A Silver Bullet For High Corn Yields

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 23:54:35 GMT

A lot of corn growers look for a silver bullet, some type of product or practice that can help them grow higher yields. Randy Hughes is confident he has a solution that will always deliver a payoff – an answer simple to articulate but sometimes difficult to implement: Education.

“I’ve always wanted to educate myself to do better,” says Hughes, a fourth-generation corn and soybean grower based in northeast Nebraska, near Royal.

Hughes started farming with his dad in 1977 and now works alongside his son. Together, they have steadily increased yields, partnering with independent agronomic advisers over the years to add more bushels.

“They’re focused on your farm’s success, not on a particular product or service, which gives them a lot of credibility,” he says.

Today, Hughes is working with national corn yield champions David Hula and Randy Dowdy at Total Acre . Under their tutelage, Hughes says corn yields across the family’s farm have increased 40 bu. to 50 bu. per acre. His highest yield has been just under 300 bushels per acre.

“Genetics have certainly helped, but a lot of it’s just been our increasing knowledge of timing and how to manage fertility better. Those have been huge,” he says.

Hughes recently joined Hula and Dowdy for their inaugural podcast, Breaking Barriers With R&D, for a lively discussion on growing high-yielding, profitable corn crops.

Click here to listen and watch Breaking Barriers , or sign up for a free trial to Farm Journal TV to access the podcast.

A Lifelong Student Of The Crop

Hughes says the first big step he made, based on Hula and Dowdy’s recommendations, was adding micronutrients to his corn fertility program about six years ago.

At the time, his highest corn yield topped 263 bu. per acre, largely a result of fine-tuning nitrogen, phosphorus and potash .

“We went on a five-year tear to figure out micronutrients,” Hughes recalls, initially applying dry iron (Fe), with soil test results and weekly tissue tests guiding the process.

University of Nebraska (UNL) Extension reports that iron deficiencies in Nebraska corn crops are most likely to occur on highly calcareous soils (pH higher than 7.8) or on soils leveled for irrigation where the subsoil has been exposed. Hughes grows both dryland corn and corn under center pivot irrigation.

UNL Extension adds that profit potential is especially good from a foliar application of iron when corn is expressing symptoms of iron chlorosis.

Soil pH Levels Are Vital To High Yields

Hula and Dowdy encourage farmers to keep soil pH in the neutral to 6.8 range across corn acres, and they recommend pulling soil tests in 1-acre grids to guide fertility decisions.

“If people are used to going across the field and watching a yield monitor vary significantly, say from 300 bu. down to 200 bu. in a pass, there’s a reason why that is and a lot of it has to do with soil fertility,” says Dowdy, who farms near Valdosta, Ga.

“Pulling samples in a 1-acre grid can help you identify where that variability is in the field better than a 2.5-acre grid or a zone sample can. It’s like the more detailed information you can get from an MRI versus an X-ray,” says Hula, who farms near Charles City, Va.

Another new practice Hughes recently implemented was adding humic acids in-furrow and again when sidedressing. That combination, he says, has made an 8-bu. to 10-bu. improvement to overall corn yields.

Dowdy says he’s confident, based on his own on-farm trials, that such products can support soil biology.

“I’m big into feeding the biology and having a carbon source out there, so I [always include] humic and fulvic acids,” he says.

Hughes says he’s still a couple of weeks away from planting corn, and he plans to continue refining and improving his fertility program this season.

“Everybody has some restraints, financially or maybe with the people you’re working with who do or don’t want to make changes. Those things are always factors, but these additions in our program have done us a lot of good,” he says.

Your next read: 300-Bu. Corn Has a Big Appetite for N, P and K

C-Suite: Phosphorus Is The Next Nitrogen

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 17:17:47 GMT

When you took this new leadership role, what was the most compelling appeal of Ostara as a company?
As a bit of background, I was the first employee of Koch Agronomic Services and was there for the Agrotain acquisition. I will tell you, phosphorus is the next nitrogen. People are becoming much more conscious about it being a finite resource. Since it’s a heavily applied fall nutrient, phosphorus efficiency is becoming a big focus. And we have a real game-changer product.

Let’s talk about Crystal Green and what its agronomic performance has been like.
It’s the most efficient, sustainable and economic form of phosphate out there. We’re at an inflection point in the business. Our technology in Crystal Green is a soil health play. It has a lower salt index, and with a focus on microbials, there’s a need to create an environment where they can be more robust. Also, producers want to avoid any leaching of traditional MAP. When Crystal Green is applied, it stays available until the crop pulls nutrients on demand. MAP is 10% to 30% efficient; whereas we have data and trials showing 95% efficiency from Crystal Green. From an agronomic perspective, when you are getting 95% effectiveness, instead of 10% or 30%, you’re managing that acre and you’re getting the most out of that input.

The company’s first full production plant in St. Louis is online. Where is the product going now?
We are in an exciting phase of commercialization. Our agronomic message is resonating with people, and we’re continuing to get a positive reception. There are a lot of complexities in the fertilizer business, but retailers are finding we are a reliable supplier with our increased capacities, our product stores incredibly well in the bin, and if they want to blend our product, it’s great for that, too.

Where do you want the company to be one year from now?
We are trying to focus more on the economic return of the product. We aren’t asking the grower to spend more on phosphate but instead get more available units of phosphorus on their crop. We have the data to back up why this product is a smart choice and can absolutely be a primary source of phosphate. This isn’t a specialty or niche product.

What do you want ag retailers to understand about the product?
It’s a perfect fit to replace your existing phosphate fertilizer. We’ve got the data and science to show it’ll be there when you need it. Many of our retailers have found they can cover more acres in the fall because of the increased efficiencies and less overall tons. And we need to deepen the supply of the phosphate pool out there with more alternatives and tools in the toolbox.

New Product of the Year Runner Up: RhizoSorb from Phospholutions

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 20:07:05 GMT

Launched in 2024, RhizoSorb from Phospholutions puts an emphasis on phosphorus sustainability from start to finish. It’s stood out in its first year on the market, and readers of The Scoop have voted it as the New Product of the Year runner-up for 2024.

“RhizoSorb is the first major step in 60 years to make phosphate more efficient from a mine to end use perspective,” says Craig Dick, Phospholutions’ vice president of sales and marketing. “Phosphate rock is finite, and the ability to stretch a unit of phosphorus further in the soil has a significant impact to both manufacturers and farmers.”

RhizoSorb 8-39-0 is a dry fertilizer that serves as a replacement for conventional phosphates and increases the availability and efficiency of on-farm use.

“It has the same handling characteristics as MAP or DAP but is twice as efficient and therefore costs less per acre for the grower,” Dick says. “We’re applying slightly less per acre but seeing the same amount of phosphorus be taken up by the plant. That’s while reducing the grower’s cost per acre for phosphorus by 15% on average.”

Because it can be used in the same way as MAP or DAP, RhizoSorb doesn’t require a change in application for users.

“If the grower broadcasts his phosphorus fertilizer, he can still broadcast RhizoSorb. If he’s a strip tiller, he can just replace his MAP with our product,” Dick says. “It’s a very easy swap for not only the grower, but for the retailers and how they’re used to handling products. They don’t need additional equipment to coat a product. It’s seamless.”

A Long Time Coming
While the product’s launch came just as farmers were looking to cut back expenses, the research behind the technology has been in the works for some time — originally developed 30 years ago by a Penn State professor.

“Our CEO, Hunter Swisher, was an undergraduate in that professor’s class, and he licensed the patent for the technology,” Dick says. “Over the last nine years, we’ve raised over $38 million and done nearly 600 trials.”

Spending less per acre while increasing the absorption of phosphorus has translated into strong commercial success for RhizoSorb and also provides unique efficiencies for retailers.

“As we’ve thought about the grower and manufacturer, we thought just as much about the retailer. They’re the linchpin to making this all work,” Dick says. “When they compare RhizoSorb to MAP, they can achieve a 20% higher margin than with the higher volume of MAP, and they’re still able to pass on a 10% savings to the grower. Then, they’re handling 33% less product in their warehouse.”

He adds that as phosphorus continues to be the least efficient of the three macro nutrients used to grow our food, there’s more work to be done to bring RhizoSorb to farmers.

“Our goal is to make phosphate more efficient, and that comes with making it more cost effective,” Dick says. “We want to further expand our market reach and continue to work on finding the right retailers and distributors to partner with and bring this to market in a very thoughtful way.”

Your Next Read: New Product of The Year 2024: Loveland’s Awaken FlowBoost

Crop Consultants Offer Their Top Tips To Reduce Input Costs

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 19:46:46 GMT

Farmers continue to weigh input costs against income potential for this season – looking to achieve more of the latter by reducing their use of the former.

It is a tough balance to strike this year, said a panel of independent crop consultants who spoke during the recent Field Advisor Forum in Champaign, Ill. The event was funded by the Illinois Soybean Checkoff Program.

Kyle Stull, owner of Stull Agronomy, says his farmer customers in Wisconsin have established baselines for their input purchases and, at this stage, are finetuning budget decisions.

Based on his calculations, Stull anticipates corn-soybean growers there who are able to turn a profit will see it pencil out to around $100 an acre, on average.

With profitability in mind, Stull offers this recommendation. “The biggest place to cut is on any extra products – the add-on stuff, where you can easily spend a lot of money,” says Stull, a certified crop advisor (CCA). “You don’t want to go out and gamble 30% of your family’s net income by buying a $30-an-acre product you might not need.”

Karen Corrigan, a CCA and partner in McGillicuddy Corrigan Agronomics, also weighed in on product purchases but offered a different perspective. She advises farmers to address their No. 1 yield-limiting factor before investing in products that may or may not help.

“People might want to sell you micronutrients, for instance, but if your problem is potassium, micronutrients aren’t going to help much,” says Corrigan, an independent field agronomist based in Illinois. “So, you really have to know for your own operation what you need to address.”

Don’t Make Blanket Cuts To Fertilizer
Corrigan says farmers always look to reduce fertilizer use in lean times but that decision can be short-sighted.

“You can’t know what to cut unless you know where you are. So, one of the best things you can look at is the soil test,” she says. “Maybe you need to spend more on one farm for fertility and less on another based on what those levels show.”

Keep in mind that having the right soil pH can improve the availability of essential nutrients to your crops, adds Kelly Robertson, CCA, Precision Crop Services, based in southern Illinois near Benton.

With a good soil pH, farmers can improve crop yields, nutrient uptake, weed control and herbicide persistence, he notes.

“Compared to all the other inputs, limestone is very cheap. I can often get the biggest ROI from adjusting soil pH,” says Robertson, who participates in the Soy Envoy program, an initiative by Field Advisor and the Illinois Soybean Association.

Employ the 5% Rule. The concept was developed by Danny Klinefelter, who was a professor and economist with Texas AgriLife Extension at Texas A&M University and the long-time director of The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers.

Klinefelter stated the rule this way: “A 5% increase in price received, a 5% decrease in costs, and a 5% increase in yield will often produce more than a 100% increase in net returns. The effect is cumulative, multiplicative and compounding.”

Robertson says he works with farmers to identify areas where they can make small improvements, and a 5% adjustment isn’t usually overwhelming. “If we can make small improvements in price, production and expenses, we can go from a negative return per acre to a very positive return very quickly,” he says.

As Klinefelter pointed out a decade ago, “We’re in a commodity business with tight margins, so every time you make a positive change to your revenue or expenses, even small ones, it can have huge positive effects on your bottom line.”

A panel of independent crop consultants weighed in on a variety of agronomic decisions during their discussion at the 2025 Field Advisor Forum.

(Rhonda Brooks)

Get Tough On Weeds. Corrigan says she is always worried about weeds and their impact on yield potential.

“If we can get in fields in a timely manner and get our residual herbicides down, we’ll be OK. But last spring, we were super wet here, and that pushed everything back,” she recalls.

In that scenario, farmers couldn’t necessarily rely on their plan A for weed control. It’s why Corrigan advises farmers to have plan B and even a plan C ready to implement, if needed.

“Don’t be afraid to switch things up, because it might be necessary in order for you to stay profitable,” she says.

Corrigan encourages farmers to use full rates of herbicides and products that address the specific weed spectrum they have, which can differ from field to field.

“We have done fertilizer prescriptions and seed population prescriptions, but we still try to spray every field the same. I think we need to treat fields individually, like we do for other aspects of crop production,” she says. “If you have specific weed problems in specific fields, make sure you use the products needed, but don’t put them across those acres that don’t have those problems.”

Also, consider what chemistries you’re putting in the tank and whether those products are compatible. Some products won’t cooperate in a tankmix.

In still other scenarios, a surfactant can make all the difference in whether two products will work together.

“There’s nothing magical about surfactants. They are simple and relatively inexpensive to use as long as they don’t have a fancy name and the word proprietary next to them,” Corrigan says.

Your next read: Ferrie: Farmers Are Asking How To Fix Poor Corn Stands