Micronutrients

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

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 22:26:14 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:

Are You Planting Second-Year Soybeans And Skipping Corn?

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 20:26:56 GMT

As input prices and markets fluctuate, many U.S. farmers are considering a shift from corn to soybeans this season. For some, like northwest Missouri farmer Todd Gibson, continuous soybeans aren’t just a one-year pivot—they are a long-term strategy to capture ROI on challenging soils.

Gibson, based near Norborne — a farming community that proudly bills itself as the “Soybean Capital of the World” — keeps a traditional corn-soybean rotation on his Missouri River bottom ground. But most of his fields with tougher, gumbo-type soils haven’t seen a corn planter in two decades.

“Growing corn on some of this heavy ground just doesn’t pay,” Gibson explains. “I’ve got some fields that have been in continuous soybeans for 20-plus years now.”

More Second-Year Soybeans In U.S. Farmers’ Plans

Gibson says he will grow more soybeans this season and on his better ground. “I’m going to cut my corn acres maybe in half. I’ll have more beans on the better dirt this year, mainly because of input prices,” he says.

Other U.S. farmers – many without Gibson’s experience – are looking to grow second-year soybeans. The Allendale Report released March 18 says private acreage estimates point to a shift toward more soybeans this season, notes Rich Nelson, chief analyst. He estimates U.S. corn planted area at 93.678 million acres, down about 5.1 million acres from 2025, while soybean acres are pegged at 85.659 million acres, up roughly 4.4 million acres over last year.

In southern Illinois, farmer and broker Sherman Newlin says the conversations he has with farmers these days are dominated by input costs and fertilizer availability concerns. While some tell him they’re sticking to their corn-bean rotations, others are considering a 100% shift to soybeans. Newlin is keeping his options open.

“I’m not planning on switching, but we’ll see,” he says. “We’ve still got a few weeks to go where we can swap out seed if we need to.”

Iowa Soybean Association Agronomist Lucas DeBruin says the farmers he works with in the state are sticking with their regular rotation and planting corn if that’s what the original plan was for this season.

“We use a lot of fall anhydrous here, so most guys are pretty locked into growing corn,” DeBruin says. “A lot of them also need the corn for livestock feed. Sometimes you can still squeeze a little bit more margin out of corn than the soybeans,” he adds, “and guys like growing corn more than soybeans. It’s more fun to pick corn.”

Look Before You Leap: The Ferrie Checklist

For farmers looking to change their seed order, Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie suggests taking a hard look at your balance sheet and your fields first. Here are some of his key recommendations:

Consider What You’ve Invested To Date: If you’ve already applied fall anhydrous or dry fertilizer for a corn crop, the “switch to beans” math doesn’t work. “You can’t afford to go to beans, because you’ve already spent the money,” Ferrie contends.

Account for the Yield Penalty: In a beans-after-beans scenario, Ferrie tells growers to expect a 5-to-7-bushel yield drag due to more stress from potential disease, insect and weed pressure. His question: “If you take 7 bushels off your bean yield, does it still cash flow against your corn APH?”

The Management “Claw Back": You can potentially mitigate some of the yield penalty in second-year soybeans by moving your planting date up from May to April, Ferrie says. Early planting helps the crop get an earlier and longer flowering period which can help recover some of the lost potential.

One morning this past week, Ferrie noted that the market was leaning back toward corn and that the see-saw between crops could continue this spring — another factor to keep in mind.

“Looking at the markets this morning, I think a lot of guys would prefer growing corn at $4.90 than beans at $11.10,” he contends.

The Continuous Soybean Playbook

For Gibson, success with continuous soybeans works based on a disciplined management system he relies on every year:

Fertility is Foundational. Even if you shift from corn to soybeans, Gibson says be aware that the beans could require more nutrients. He monitors his soil fertility closely, noting that continuous beans often require extra sulfur, phosphorus and potassium. He also keeps a close eye on micronutrients to ensure the crop won’t hit a hidden yield ceiling.

Non-Negotiable Seed Treatments: In continuous soybeans, the soil is more likely to become a reservoir for pathogens. Gibson hasn’t put a bare seed in the ground in 20 years. “Seed treatment guarantees me 100% replant,” he says. “It lets you sleep better at night knowing that if you get a heavy rain, you have that insurance to fall back on.”

Row Spacing and Canopy: Gibson plants in 15-inch rows at a rate of roughly 130,000 seeds per acre. The goals are quick emergence and a quick canopy. He believes a fast-closing row is your best defense against weeds and helps preserve soil moisture in the heavy gumbo. Seed treatment use and regular scouting help him feel confident in using narrow rows.

Keep Your Boots In The Field: In a corn-bean rotation, the “break” in the cycle helps farmers manage various diseases, insects and weeds. In continuous soybeans, you lose that advantage.

Gibson compensates by routine scouting and being prepared to address problems. “If you hear your neighbors have bug pressure, assume you will, too,” he says. “Don’t have the attitude that you can ‘get by,’ because you probably won’t.”

He has similar thoughts regarding weed pressure – “be proactive.” His program typically starts with a pre-emergence/burndown or early post application, with residual herbicides used to hold back weeds. If weeds break through, he is prepared to return with a post pass.

“We kind of wish sometimes we didn’t have to worry about weeds so much,” he says. “But if you don’t, then next thing you know, you think, ‘Oh, I wish we would have sprayed.’”

The Genetic Advantage: The final piece of the puzzle for Gibson is the advancement in soybean technology. He recalls the days when he says Williams 82 was his only real option for continuous soybeans. Today, advanced traits have made managing weeds and disease in continuous systems much more manageable, he notes.

On his continuous soybean acres, Gibson consistently sees yields average in the 50-to-60-bushel range. When he factors in the lower input costs compared to growing corn on heavy gumbo ground, he believes the decision to go with continuous soybeans is a good one. For Gibson, it’s not about following a trend— it’s about knowing what his land does best and having the management practices in place to succeed.

Smart Strategies for Topdressing Dry Fertilizer

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:12:17 GMT

If you’re topdressing corn acres this spring with dry fertilizer, keep in mind how that product is managed in a high-residue system will determine whether the fertilizer feeds your crop or disappears into thin air.

Ken Ferrie notes that farmers in his area, central Illinois, commonly use ammonium sulfate, urea and potash for topdressing. He says every hour untreated urea sits on the field surface is a chance for the nitrogen (N) in the fertilizer to gas off and disappear.

“The ammonium sulfate is stable, but the urea has potential to get away when it breaks down,” explains Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

That “getting away” is nitrogen loss caused through volatilization—when N escapes as ammonia gas instead of being captured in the soil as ammonium. In a corn-on-corn rotation, with a lot of stalks and leaves on the field surface for instance, the risk for volatilization is even higher.

Residue Can Supercharge Urease

The problem starts with a naturally occurring soil enzyme called urease. It’s what kicks off the breakdown of urea into ammonia and then ammonium. In a corn-on-corn field with lots of residue, the urease is supercharged.

“The thing about urease enzyme here in the surface with all this residue, it is 10 times higher than it would be in the soil,” he says.
The enzyme goes to work quickly, converting urea to ammonia at the soil–air interface, and that ammonia can simply drift off into the atmosphere. The more time it spends on the surface, the higher the odds of loss.

That’s why timing and management of dry fertilizer applications are critical.

“We sometimes say you need to keep the pin in the grenade – keep the urease enzyme at bay until we can get it worked in or rained in,” Ferrie says.

Evaluate Your Risk Potential

If tillage is in the plan, your solution to prevent volatilization is simple. Apply the fertilizer, then work it into the soil as soon as field conditions allow. When urea is incorporated, even lightly, any ammonia that forms is far more likely to be captured in the soil and converted to ammonium, where the crop can use it.

“There’s probably not a lot of worry in that scenario,” he says. “You’re going to incorporate this urea, and when it gasses, it’ll be in the soil, it’ll be captured.”

But not every system or scenario involves immediate tillage. In many no-till or strip-till fields, or when soil conditions are too wet for equipment, growers end up spreading fertilizer and then waiting on the weather to do the incorporation work. In those situations,
Ferrie warns, the risk of volatilization can increase quickly.

“If it’s going to lay out here and depend on rain [for incorporation], depending on how long that’s going to be, we’re going to need a urease inhibitor to give us time to get it rained in,” he says.

Urease inhibitors can temporarily slow or stop enzyme activity, giving farmers a bigger window before significant nitrogen loss occurs. For fields with a lot of residue, that extra time can make a big difference—especially when the forecast is uncertain.

Alongside conventional urea plus a urease inhibitor, Ferrie points to another option – using ESN, a polymer-coated, encapsulated urea.

“The ESN basically keeps the urea protected,” he says. “In that situation, if we lay it on the surface, you’re going to have about 60 days of protection. If you incorporate it, in our studies, [it] would show about 30 days of protection.”

ESN uses a physical coating to regulate how quickly water gets in and dissolves the urea. For growers who want extended protection or are looking to match nitrogen release more closely with crop uptake, that can be a useful tool. Still, Ferrie’s quick to point out that this isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

“It’s quite a bit more expensive,” he notes, underscoring the need to weigh costs against potential risks. For some high-yield, intensively managed corn-on-corn systems, the extra investment might pencil out. For others, a urease inhibitor on regular urea, combined with smart timing and placement, might be the more economical choice.

In addition, farmers need to think through when and how the urea in a fertilizer blend will get treated, Ferrie says If a urease inhibitor is added after everything is mixed together, you end up paying to “treat” nutrients that don’t actually need it.

“Treat the urea before you add the ammonium sulfate and the potash, or you’re going to end up treating all of the product, otherwise,” he cautions.

Control the Controllables To Capture More Bushels

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:37:13 GMT

A solid game plan addressing key fundamentals could be the most powerful risk-management tool farmers have going into the 2026 season, according to Randy Dowdy and David Hula. Here are four they encourage farmers to review and work on this winter:

Fuel The Crop Adequately

Hula stresses that even in low-margin years, you can’t cut corners on fundamental crop needs. He emphasizes using soil tests to manage N, P and K, looking at soil pH and applying lime where needed.

“When you think about where you’re spending dollars, you can’t waiver from that,” he says. “We have to cover the basics… there’s nothing that’s sexy about farming right now, [everyone’s] just trying to survive.”

Why Your Planter Is the Lowest Hanging Fruit for Yield

Randy Dowdy says the planter represents the “lowest hanging fruit” for yield improvement on 90% of U.S. farms.

“The planter is just not performing at the levels to reach the maximum potential that most farmers need to support and service debt,” Dowdy says.

He encourages growers to spend time in the shop, ensuring that every row unit is capable of delivering “picket fence” seed placement and performance. For Dowdy, this means every seed is placed at a consistent depth and spacing, emerging within a tight window of 10 to 12 Growing Degree Units (GDUs) of one another

“Does every seed have the same standard deviation between them, the placement from one seed to the next? Are they all singulated, and are they all coming up at the same time? If that’s not happening, that’s a big deal,” Dowdy says.

Consider Seed Size Along With Good Genetics

While every farmer is tuned into genetics, Dowdy and Hula say they can benefit from taking seed size into consideration, too.

One of the questions Hula says he often gets is, “What’s the best seed size to plant?”

After years of analyzing small rounds versus large flats, his philosophy has evolved into a practical rule of thumb.

“My answer now is simple: whatever your planter plants the best, that’s the seed you want to plant,” he says.

But that only works if you’ve done your homework on the meters—cleaning them, replacing worn parts, and calibrating them with actual seed to determine the vacuum and speed settings. Taking these steps can eliminate guesswork that leads to skips and doubles.

Generally, Dowdy observes that “Deere likes rounds, Precision likes flats.”

Both Dowdy and Hula caution against the temptation of buying plateless (mixed-size) seed just because it carries a lower price tag. Their take: if you use it, run side‑by‑side strips with good, graded seed so you can see the real yield cost.

“I’d really challenge [anyone using plateless seed] to plant some graded seed next to it… just so you could know what it’s costing you. It’s costing you money,” says Hula.

Take Only Calculated Risks, ‘Miss Small’

Dowdy says this is the year to “control the controllables” and stick with practices you know consistently pay. He warns that farmers can’t afford big mistakes in this economy. While he’s not afraid of trying new practices, he is afraid of not being profitable and not being able to service debt, so due diligence and ROI have to come first.

“If we’re going to have a fail, we don’t need to fail in a big way. We need to miss small in an economy like this,” Dowdy says. “I’ll put my big toe in the water, but it won’t be my whole foot and a bunch of acres.”

A Checklist For Reference This Winter

Here are additional highlights of recommendations Dowdy and Hula listed during their most recent Breaking Barriers With R&D podcast. These are not all-inclusive, but rather a starting point for farmers preparing for spring:

1. Soil and Fertility Basics

Lime and pH: Check pH by zone or grid. Apply lime only where pH is low. Avoid wasting inputs on ground at 6.5 or higher.
Manganese Alert: Watch for potential deficiencies in high pH spots (above 6.8).
P and K Strategy: Use recent soil tests to determine if Phosphorus can be reduced. Keep Potash a priority where base saturation justifies the spend.

2. The Planter Bar and Row Units

Parallel Arms: Inspect for “oblong” wear or side play. Replace any arms that aren’t tight.
Double-Disc Openers: Use a jig to check run-out. Only use blades that meet tight tolerances for a clean V-trench.
Gauge Wheels: Lift by hand. If they feel loose or drop instantly, adjust or replace the bushings and arms.
Alignment: Use a tape measure to verify every row is exactly on target (e.g., 30 inches). Ensure the toolbar is perfectly level front-to-back at operating height.

3. Seed Trench and Closing System

Centering: Run the planter across concrete. Ensure closing wheel marks are perfectly centered over the seed path.
Row Cleaners: Adjust “trash whippers” to move residue without gouging a deep furrow that could lead to erosion or crusting.

4. Seed and Meter Calibration

Match Seed to Meter: Generally, John Deere/ExactEmerge systems prefer rounds, while Precision Planting systems prefer flats.
The Meter Test: Replace worn belts and brushes. Calibrate meters annually on a test stand using your actual seed to determine the exact vacuum and speed settings.
The “Plateless” Warning: Avoid the temptation of cheap, mixed-size seed. If you use it, run a side-by-side strip against graded seed to measure the true cost of lost bushels.

5. Management Mindset

Miss Small: This is the year for calculated risks. Put your “big toe” in the water with new tech, but don’t commit the whole farm until you see a proven ROI on your own soil.
Check Strips: Always leave a clean, untreated check strip when trying new products for evaluation.

Hear the latest Breaking Barriers With R&D to learn more about Hula and Dowdy’s recommendations at Farm Journal TV and the YouTube link below.

No-Cost And Low-Cost Ways To Grow More Profitable Soybeans

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:02:21 GMT

As soybean growers face razor-thin margins next year, the temptation to chase new products and practices is understandable. But decades of research show that the most reliable return on investment doesn’t come in a jug—it comes from focusing on good fundamentals.

University of Minnesota Extension agronomist Seth Naeve tells Farming The Countryside host Andrew McCrea there are a number of reliable practices that can help farmers grow more profitable soybeans with little or no added cost next season. Here are five of them:

1. Use Row Spacing To Your Advantage.

Row spacing is one of the most underrated tools farmers have available, Naeve reports. Across a wide range of environments, narrowing soybeans from 30-inch rows to 20–22 inches will deliver about a 5% yield increase.

“That’s three or four bushels, in a lot of cases,” he says. “Farmers are working really hard, buying a lot of products out there, trying to increase their yields by two or three bushels; whereas, adjusting their row spacing would get them to that basically guaranteed.”

Naeve adds that if farmers go from 30-inch rows to drilled soybeans, they could potentially pick up 10% additional yield.

“That would take you from 60 bushels to 66 bushels or from 80 bushels to 88 bushels. It’s not at all unrealistic,” he says.

Why narrow rows deliver on better yield: the canopy closes faster, there’s better light interception by the crop and more efficient use of space.

Naeve says he has preached the message that farmers can benefit from going with narrow rows for years, but the practice hasn’t gained as much traction as he believes it warrants. Equipment cost has been one deterrent, and the other is farmers just haven’t bought into the practice.

“Farmers pretty much universally believe that the row spacing they’re using is probably the best for them, and I think that makes them feel comfortable about their systems,” Naeve says. “I certainly can’t argue with them if that’s really their belief.”

Still, Naeve wants to encourage farmers who are changing planters or open to adjusting their systems to seriously consider going with narrow rows.

2. Consider Whether You Can Scale Back On Plant Population.

Research shows farmers can achieve maximum soybean yields with fewer plants per acre when they focus on achieving a uniform stand across fields.

“We can optimize yields at very low levels” Naeve says. “We have done a ton of research showing where we have yields that are maximized at below 100,000 plants per acre, as long as they’re well distributed.”

Naeve says to use precision placement practices where possible. You can adjust seeding rates upward as needed to address tough areas within fields, higher risk conditions (cold, crusting soils), or if you’re using lower-quality seed.

“My take home on this is a farmer wants to ensure they’ve got 100,000 plants on every single acre of their whole farm,” Naeve says. “But if they don’t sleep well at night because they’re concerned about their crop, adding another 5,000 or 10,000 seeds is an easy way to fix it.”

3. Plant Early—Within Reason.

Naeve says across most of the Midwest, the sweet spot for planting soybeans is from late April into early May.

“Very early May planting puts us into a situation where we can basically maximize yields across almost all the Corn Belt,” he notes.

Going earlier than late April can help yields in some years, but risk rises from poor environmental conditions (cold, wet soils). A freeze will also cancel the benefits.

For many growers, Naeve says the “real decision” is whether to plant soybeans or corn first, and more farmers are finding that putting some soybeans in the ground ahead of corn can be a winning strategy.

4. Consider Using Reduced Tillage.

In northern areas like Minnesota, full no-till soybeans often lag a few bushels behind conventional tillage due to slower warming of soils and slower emergence. But Naeve says there is a lot of middle ground for farmers to consider with their tillage practices.

For one, he says strip tillage can deliver comparable results to full tillage with less fuel and machinery costs along with providing less soil disturbance.

“Reducing the number of passes, even if not full no-till, saves money and protects soil health without a big yield hit,” he says.

5. Spend Input Dollars Where You Know They Pay.

Stay with tried-and-true products in these tight times, Naeve encourages. He says research shows that products sold mainly as yield enhancers or general “plant health” boosters rarely deliver consistent yield benefits across multiple locations and years.

What does consistently pay: making sure fertility, especially macronutrients, is not yield limiting, and investing the time to choose the best varieties for your ground and practices.

“Variety selection is one of the most profitable decisions a soybean farmer makes, yet it is also one of the hardest,” he says. “If farmers move from premium brands to more economical seed this season, they can still do well, but they must be more careful in sorting through the options because there may be more variability in performance.”

Get more insights on how to make soybeans more profitable in the year ahead by listening to the discussion between Naeve and McCrea on Farming The Countryside at the link below:

Beyond Bushels: Align High-Yield Strategies With Your Crop Budget

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 20:31:39 GMT

A practical crop budget can serve as a valuable farming playbook, offering essential direction and guidance from planting through harvest, according to farmers and business partners David Hula and Randy Dowdy.

“Return on Investment (ROI) is the primary focus for the year ahead,” says Dowdy, who farms near Valdosta, Ga. “Everybody is trying to figure out how to survive this lean time, because we don’t have $8 corn or $15 beans.”

Start The Season Strong

For Hula, the strategy for achieving both high yields and ROI begins with selecting the right hybrids and using excellent planting practices, followed by consistent nutrition.

“You want to feel optimistic that you’re going to have high yield potential starting out,” he says. “Then, you need to make sure the crop has all the groceries it needs, because if it runs out of juice at any one time, you’ve just hit the minus button.”

Power Of Finishing The Crop

Hula highlights that another critical component of maximizing ROI, even in current tight markets, is finishing the crop well.

He shares that despite having a challenging growing season this year, his dryland acres achieved their third-best farmgate average. He attributes that to ensuring the crop received the necessary resources late in the season, especially a fungicide application.

“We felt pretty confident [the crop] was going to deliver... and that was mostly because we finished it well. We were picking 66.7 to 67 pounds test weight corn at harvest,” reports Hula, who is based near Charles City, Va.

“Finishing the crop is by far where a lot of people leave a lot of yield on the table,” adds Dowdy.

Use ‘Bushels’ To Track Costs

The current market outlook for 2026 necessitates a sharp focus on expense management, Dowdy notes.

“Obviously servicing debt is still on everybody’s mind. A farmer should never cut out anything that he or she knows makes money. But the problem is sometimes they don’t always know what that is,” he says.

When planning the budget, Hula urges growers to shift their perspective away from the cost of the input and toward the bushel return needed to justify it.

He offers, as an example: “For me to do in-furrow, that requires seven bushels. If I’m not going to get a seven-bushel return per acre, I’m not going to do it.”

Hula believes the bushel ROI mindset should be applied to all inputs. By framing decisions in terms of bushels rather than dollars, he says growers can more easily see the economic impact of each investment they make.

Make Every Input Pay Its Way

Hula and Dowdy are spending significant time this winter consulting with growers on budget strategies through their business, Total Acre . In many cases, they are stressing the importance of refining in-season input applications to make them more efficient, rather than cutting them completely.

“We can keep some of the in-season applications and make them more efficient by placement,” Dowdy says. “The goal is not merely to cut costs, but to find better, more efficient ways to invest money that directly leads to a higher ROI.”

Dowdy and Hula discuss their budgeting recommendations in more detail in their latest Breaking Barriers With R&D podcast discussion on Farm Journal TV and YouTube via the link here:

You can also hear Hula and Dowdy’s latest discussion on AgriTalk here:

Maximize Yields and Savings with Proven Nutrient Strategies

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:09:25 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 22:46:59 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 19:57:32 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?

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

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:47:45 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:

Your next read: Add 75+ Bushels Of Corn Per Acre With Better Closing Wheel Performance

AgZen, Corteva Team up on AI-Powered, Retrofit Sprayer Tech

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:08:47 GMT

AgZen announces an agreement with Corteva to further “explore the commercial potential” of AgZen’s AI-powered crop spraying optimization technology, RealCoverage.

The news comes on the heels of Corteva’s big announcement on Oct. 1 , detailing the crop protection multinational’s plan to split its crop protection and seeds businesses.

AgZen, a tech startup spun out of MIT, is making a name for itself by pioneering feedback optimization for spray applications — a new approach the company thinks has potential to improve farmer outcomes and reduce crop input costs.

(AgZen)

AgZen’s first product, RealCoverage, is a retrofit kit that can be bolted onto any sprayer to measure and optimize the number of drops of agrochemicals applied to crops. The system features a boom-mounted sensor that analyzes the coverage and quality of spray applications in real-time, displaying actionable data to a tablet mounted in the cab. Farmers can use the data to optimize the physical settings on spray rigs, both self-propelled and pull-behind, to increase coverage.

The startup says its system works by leveraging AI and cutting-edge computer vision, and customers have used RealCoverage to save 30% to 50% on input costs.

Farmer Feedback

(AgZen)

Northwest Indiana farmer Bryan Brost slapped a RealCoverage system onto his Hagie STS 16 high-clearance sprayer to use on his waxy corn and soybean crops. He says it has helped boost his spray program efficiency overall by reducing application rates while maintaining optimal coverage throughout his 12,000-acre operation.

“The payback came in the first year,” he tells Farm Journal via text message. “We have increased our acres [covered] per day with less hours on the machine, the operator and the nurse tanks supplying product [to the sprayer].”

Corey McIntosh set the technology loose across his 4,000 acre spread in Missouri Valley, Iowa. He is looking forward to using the data to improve his application efficiency across the board. He’s also letting his neighbors and local retailer in on the secret.

“I was getting a chem shuttle refilled at [the] co-op, these guys have always been complimentary of our weed control, I asked them: ‘What percentage of leaf surface area do you think you are covering with your sprayers?’ One of their best operators said he thought 50% coverage. The salesman next to him said it would definitely be more than 60%,” McIntosh says.

“They were shocked when I told them we were at 9% to 10%, but nobody has had ever had a way to quantify this before,” he adds. “We are really looking forward to making improvements.”

Since launching on the market in 2024, AgZen says it covered more than 970,000 commercial acres of application across the U.S. on row crops and specialty crops.

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

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:28:16 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:

Your next read: Farmer Finds A Silver Bullet For High Corn Yields

26 Ideas To Cut Fertilizer Costs In 2026

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 18:32:32 GMT

The outlook for fertilizer costs versus commodity prices for next season is a tough one for farmers across the country.

With that fact in mind, we have compiled 26 nutrient recommendations, tips, tricks and reminders from Farm Journal Field Agronomists, university Extension and industry experts.

Our hope is one or more of these ideas will help you reduce expenses, reallocate resources and build a fertility program for the 2026 season that works well for your farm and gives you some peace of mind in the process. Here we go:

1. Make controlled, calibrated decisions.
Keep your wits about you and be ready to think through various nutrient scenarios – some of which could be very different from what you’ve done in the past. Minimize knee-jerk reactions by allowing adequate time for reflection and evaluation of potential outcomes.

2. Develop your team of advisers.
Put a team of formal and informal advisers in place, those retailers, agronomists and other farmers you can talk to about purchasing strategies and other ideas they have.

Reach out to these folks now. If you make fall applications of anhydrous, that time is just around the corner. Start having discussions with your advisers on what you’re going to do.

3. The four Rs are still important.
The right product, right rate, right time and right placement are still important and can help you maximize yield potential in the process of minimizing expenses.

4. Study your existing soil test results.
“A good approach is to examine each zone in a field and pull back fertilizer rates on high-testing zones and maintain rates in low-testing areas,” says Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

5. Do some soil tests.
If you don’t have recent soil tests, consider fields where it would be worth the investment to do them this fall because of the payoff next season.

Budget your fertility practices. Here are two ways:

6. Consider using a specific dollar amount.
Stephanie Zelinko, national agronomist for AgroLiquid, says based on historical data, farmers usually invest 16% to 20% of their anticipated income from a corn crop on fertilizer. She offers this example:

“Say we expect to grow a 200-bu.-per-acre corn crop and make $5 a bushel. That’s $1,000 of income per acre,” Zelinko says. “Twenty percent of that is $200, and that would be my starting point for a fertility budget.”

7. Prioritize cuts where fertility is adequate.
Another way to prioritize dollars: Instead of cutting $15 of fertilizer across the board, it could be more advantageous to cut $30 for one field and nothing on another field because you don’t have the fertility there to give up.

8. Remember, applying less fertilizer than removal rates call for will lower soil fertility in the field.
That will need to be reckoned with when profitability finally stabilizes.

“The good news is that many farms are in a good place where you can lean them out without damaging yields short-term. That’s the power of knowing your fertility levels,” Ferrie says.

Also, timing and placement can make fertilizer more efficient, but they don’t change the amount of nutrients plants use. For example:

“One thousand bushels of corn requires 740 lb. of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and 380 lb. of potash (0-0-60); and 1,000 bu. of soybeans requires 1,565 lb. of DAP and 200 lb. of potash,” says Ferrie. “If those nutrients are not replaced, levels in the soil will deteriorate.”

9. Macronutrients matter most, especially nitrogen (N).
“If corn runs out of nitrogen, it’s game over for the crop, regardless of phosphorus and potassium levels,” Ferrie says.

That’s not to say you can ignore other macronutrients. It’s more of a matter of prioritizing the first things first.

10. Don’t ignore micronutrients.
Just make sure they pay their way, says Karen Corrigan, a partner in McGillicuddy Corrigan Agronomics.

She advises farmers to address their No. 1 yield-limiting factor first.

“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.”

11. Evaluate starter fertilizer.
In some cases, starter fertilizers can improve corn yield even when soil test levels for phosphorus and potassium don’t strictly warrant a large application, according to Purdue University research .

12. Is banding fertilizer an option?
Banding can make fertilizer more efficient, just keep in mind it doesn’t change the law of nutrient removal rates. Applying less fertilizer than removal rates call for over time will deplete the soil.

13. Tap into online agronomic tools.
Use online resources that can help you navigate the nutrient-use process. For various N-rate scenarios, check out the regional N rate calculator .

14. Look at soil pH.
The optimum pH range for a corn/soybean rotation is about 5.8 to 6.2. Any field with a soil pH below 5.8 will likely benefit from lime.

With a good soil pH, farmers can improve crop yields, nutrient uptake, weed control and herbicide persistence, notes Kelly Robertson, Precision Crop Services, based in southern Illinois near Benton.

“Compared to all the other inputs, limestone is 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.

Two other things to keep in mind: Not all lime is created equal, so choose carefully. Along with that, pick one that will be available for soil uptake next spring.

15. Consider bean fields versus cornfields.
“If you say, ‘I’m just going to cut out all my bean spreads,’ you’re going to be cutting the lowest fertility in the field,” Ferrie says. “It usually works better to scale back your corn fertility program for most fields.”

16. Can you cut in other places?
Look at how to leave more of your fertility program intact. Maybe you can reduce the number of tillage passes, the dollar amount in your seed spend or substitute generic products for branded ones.

17. Take advantage of ‘reserve now, pay later’ and other financing opportunities.
Talk with your suppliers about any programs they’re offering on bundling products, volume discounts and the like.

18. What isn’t paying its way?
This is the year to cut products and practices that don’t clearly pay for themselves.

“The biggest place to cut is on any extra products – the add-on stuff, where you can easily spend a lot of money,” says Kyle Stull, a certified crop advisor based in Wisconsin.

On the other hand:

19. What new practice could pay next season?
Using cover crops might or might not be a consideration. This is the year to look at new practices through the lens of whether they’ll deliver ROI out of the gate.

20. Are manure and organic amendments opportunities? Consider what’s available, cost-effective and might fit your nutrient needs and farming practices.

21. Evaluate application timing.
Do you need to make a fall anhydrous ammonia application?

Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer for StoneX, says anhydrous could have a big run this fall. Anhydrous is not cheap, but it is well-priced in his opinion compared to urea and UAN.

If you decide to go with more in-season nutrient applications, consider the pros/cons and logistics with your suppliers and applicators. Again, talk with them sooner and not later.

22. Consider what you can do in-season.
Plan on doing some in-season nitrate tests to evaluate where fields stand nutrient-wise and whether the crop can benefit from additional nitrogen.

Ferrie recommends that farmers apply about two-thirds of their nitrogen early and then sidedress the remaining one-third for depth of fill, if you’re using ground equipment.

Be careful to avoid the issue of “gapping” with your N, advises Missy Bauer, Farm Journal Field Agronomist. She says because farmers can get through their corn with high-clearance equipment today, they sometimes don’t make their in-season N application in as timely a manner as the crop requires.

“If you don’t apply much nitrogen on the front end, the crop can run out before you get back into the field with an in-season N application. It’s what we call gapping, and you’ll give up a large chunk of yield in that situation, and you won’t be able to get it back,” she explains.

23. If you made deep cuts to your fertility program for 2025, can you cut deeper in 2026?
That’s a decision many farmers are grappling with at this point.

Here’s one recommendation from Virgil Schmitt, Iowa State University regional field agronomist: “If available funds do not allow for application of all the P and K fertilizer that is recommended for your fields, you should apply the recommended rates for areas testing Very Low, even if you rent,” because research shows a large probability of yield increases and positive ROIs.

Read more about allocating funds at: Lime, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilizers Decisions in Times of Limited Resources

24. Make contingency plans. Have an idea for your plan B or plan C, in case costs go up. Likewise, if costs go down – and they could – be prepared to take advantage of any opportunity to lock in products at lower costs.

25. Own your plan.
Back to the No. 2 suggestion of working with advisers: it’s good to get wise counsel, but at the end of the day make decisions that are best suited to your farm. Those decisions may or may not mirror what your neighbors and friends do but are the right ones for you.

26. Consider the future.
“Right now, we’re concerned about the short-term, but we need to balance that with long-term thinking as well,” Ferrie advises. “Think about the kind of shape you want your soils to be in, once we cycle out of these low commodity prices.”

Your next read: Fertilizer Decisions For 2026 Crop Will Be A Balancing Act

Yellow Soybeans? Why Weather and Carbon Penalties Are Stressing Midwest Farmers

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:40:55 GMT

A Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) in Michigan says a confluence of weather conditions resulted in a roller coaster ride for soybeans over the first two months of the growing season.

The good news is the plants still have time to catch up and recover on the back-end (if timely rains are consistent), but the early season issue is still causing a lot of growers to hang their heads in utter disgust when they head out in the morning and see large areas of small, yellow soybean plants in fields.

How did this happen?
In southern Michigan, northern Indiana, and northwest Ohio, most soybean farmers opted to plant early. That means the beans were in by end of April. The region then had the coolest average night temperatures in May of the past 14 years, followed by the warmest average night temperatures in June of the past 14 years.

A roller coaster ride indeed.

Missy Bauer with B&M Crop Consulting says that two-month yo-yo spell left the region’s soybean farmers battling the “largest carbon penalty the area has seen in 14 years.”

What is the carbon penalty in farming?

(Darrell Smith)

The carbon penalty Bauer refers to is the process where microbes in the soil come alive as soil temps gradually warm and start breaking down last year’s crop residue. The nutrients are then naturally converted to plant-available nutrients through mineralization.

Bauer says the warm-up occurred so quickly it created a sort of massive explosion of microbial activity in the soil. While that sounds like a good thing, she says it actually resulted in some essential early-season nutrients getting “locked up” in the soil, thus unavailable for plant uptake.

“How many calls did we take this year from farmers saying, ‘My beans aren’t growing right, why?’” says Bauer who also serves as a Farm Journal field agronomist. “We’re seeing the biggest carbon penalty we’ve had in 14 years, and this is a hard carbon penalty. It locked up the beans, and that added stress.”

How can I overcome the carbon penalty?
If you have liquid fertilizer technology on your bean planter, Bauer thinks it might pay off this year by offsetting the carbon penalty and helping beans battle that early season stress.

July is currently trending above average for growing degree days (GDD) in the Lake Erie region, which will help shift vegetative growth a gear or two higher and set beans on a course for canopy close and pod fill.

“Basically, we’re back on track (with beans),” Bauer says. “Maybe we’re just a little bit behind last year, but we had better heat units in May last year, too. Now, we’ve made-up for that GDD deficit heat unit-wise, we’re not quite all the way there, we’re still a little behind, but we’re knocking on average.”

Spray drone treatment for nutrient deficiency in soybeans an option, too
Recently, Kameron Barrow, field operations manager, teamed up with B&M owner and CCA Bill Bauer to address some nutrient deficient yellow spots in the operation’s test plots near Coldwater, Mich.

After tissue sampling the affected plants and finding out the culprit was most likely a manganese deficiency, Bauer and Barrow called up a local spray drone service provider and hired it to spot spray a 5% manganese liquid fertilizer over the canopy of the yellow soybean plants. The drone applied a rate of half a pound per acre of manganese.

“We came in and sprayed on July 10 and on July 15 we scouted and immediately those yellow spots are gone, and that’s only after five days,” says Barrow, adding they also left a nearby section of yellow plants untreated as a check. “This just shows we have access to spray drones now, and we can use the technology to use things we’ve never used to better manage the crop.”

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2025 Farm Journal Corn and Soybean College: Making A Stand

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 22:40:25 GMT

A record-breaking harvest of corn or soybeans is built on the foundation of a good stand. That concept is the focus for the 2025 Farm Journal Corn and Soybean College.

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie and team will be addressing some of the key agronomic practices and tools farmers use to accomplish high yields during the two-day event – slated for July 22 through July 23 – near Heyworth, Ill.

“We’re going to focus on what the elements of a good stand are in corn and soybeans and how you can achieve them through agronomic decisions and the tools you use,” Ferrie says.

The program includes a variety of both in-the-field sessions as well as inside, classroom sessions.

Planter Selection For Your Farm

One of the key topics being addressed this year for corn growers is the planter and how to select one that’s a good fit for your specific farm.

“There are so many different systems out there today, and when it comes to making planter purchases, add-on purchases and such, you have to think through the whole process and how they will work for you,” Ferrie says.

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer will also be on hand to help farmers identify the impact of planting practices on corn and soybean stands.

“Missy will be talking to us about how to identify a good stand and also what contributes to a poor stand,” Ferrie notes. “We’re going to talk about hybrid characteristics and different aspects of the rooting structure of corn. We’ll then blend that information all in with farmers’ tillage practices, including strip-till, no-till, and also cover crops.”

Success With Early-Planted Soybeans

On the soybean side of the two-day program, Ferrie and team will be addressing early-planted soybeans and how to build a systems approach to growing them – from variety selection and planting preparation through harvest.

“We want to talk about row spacing, population, soybean characteristics, when can we stress plants and when to not stress plants,” Ferrie says. “We want to help farmers adopt a systems approach to early soybeans versus just planting them early and then trying to treat them like you would normal beans.”

In addition to these topics, the in-field and classroom sessions at the event will address:

Science behind spray nozzles: selecting the right nozzles for the job and making sure they perform well in the field.

Establishing corn ear count: examining the differences in rooting depth and stand establishment across a variety of tillage practices.

Closing systems: analyzing a variety of systems in different agronomic conditions to demonstrate how such systems impact stand establishment.

Put everything together, corn edition: evaluating everything from hybrid characteristics, leaf orientation, ear flex and how plant height affects light interpretation to ear development and plant stress in conventional corn and short corn.

Put everything together, soybean edition: looking at planting date, variety characteristics, tillage system, plant nutrition, row spacing and population all play a hand in bean stand establishment, overall light interception and yield.

The two-day event brings together presenters, farmers, and industry personnel that are passionate about raising the bar in farming, Ferrie says. “This is an unsponsored event making more time for our agronomists to spend with attendees, getting their questions answered, and more time to spend in the field,” he says.

Day 1 of the Farm Journal Corn and Soybean College starts at 8 a.m., Tuesday, July 22, and runs through happy hour/dinner.

Day 2 starts at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 23, and sessions will go through lunch.

“We will finish the second day with a Q & A following lunch. Our agronomists will be available to answer questions until your questions run out, so be sure to come with your list,” Ferrie says.

Price: $625 (includes access to one-day virtual event in January 2026).

Get the complete agenda details and register here .

Dynamic Duo: Research Shows 2-For-1 Benefit Pairing Ammonium Thiosulfate With UAN

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:33:25 GMT

Since 2017, Dr. Zack Ogles, manager of agronomy, at Tessenderlo Kerley, has been trying to understand how applications of thiosulfate can inhibit nitrification when applied with a UAN.

In other words, by adding thiosulfate, increasing the sulfur rate slightly or making a slightly different application method, could one fertilizer benefit the other? Could 1 plus 1 equal 3?

Ogles says yes, as well as a recently published paper in the Soil Science Society of America Journal, which recaps the test results. Thiosulfates not only supply sulfur but also significantly reduce nitrogen loss by slowing the conversion of ammonium to nitrate in the soil.

“We’re improving outcomes on multiple levels,” Ogles says. “By delivering both sulfur and nitrogen protection in a single application, these products help growers maximize return on investment while advancing sustainable farming practices.”

The light bulb moment.

Ammonium thiosulfate (ATS and sold under the brand Thio-Sul) and potassium thiosulfate (KTS) are used in liquid formulations, and typically, ATS is applied in a blend with urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) for a 28-0-0-5(S) fertilizer analysis.

Ogles says prior to the confirmation provided by the laboratory study as well as in-field research, agronomists had recognized the potential for thiosulfate to provide a similar benefit as Dicyandiamide (DCD), a commonly used nitrogen stabilizer.

“Both Thio-Sul and KTS were shown to inhibit nitrification comparable to DCD, in the three soils used in the published research. Additional studies are needed to fully understand how thiosulfates perform in a broader range of soil types and conditions,” he says. “Prior to this research, thiosulfates were often regarded as weaker nitrification inhibitors and with limited effect. But what we discovered in this study was that at the rate thiosulfates are being applied today, we’re seeing effects equal to, or even greater than commercially available nitrification inhibitors.”

Ogles says with the increased focused of sulfur as the “fourth major nutrient,” and most crops requiring sulfur fertility, a banded/concentrated application of thiosulfate applied at the time of planting brings a new agronomic opportunity.

“The big advantage is that you can use a fertilizer to help improve the efficiency of nitrogen,” he says. “In other words, using a thiosulfate fertilizer with these enhanced properties helps improve the effectiveness of the nitrogen that’s being applied.”

The laboratory trials explained in the recently published paper include studies across soil different soil types, which were brought in from California, Iowa and Alabama– Marvyn loamy sand, Tujunga loamy sand, and Sable silt loam.

The trial applied urea solution along with between 15 and 30 pounds of sulfur in the form of ammonium thiosulfate or potassium thiosulfate.

Results

“It allows more of the nitrogen to remain in the ammonium form which is stable in the soil, and it’s not a subject to denitrification,” Ogles says.

This was backed up by a separate field trial conducted over seven site years, which showed an 8 to 10 bu. increase in corn yield.

Ogles says because nutrient use efficiency is driven by soil types and environmental factors more research will continue to be done across various geographies and soil types.

“We are proud to say these thiosulfate fertilizers are important on multiple levels. They provide the sulfur nutrition which crops already need, while helping improve nitrogen use efficiency and maximize yield, all while protecting the environment from leaching and denitrification,” Ogles says.

The full scientific publication authored by Lane A. Galloway, Audrey V. Gamble, Elizabeth A. Guertal, Yucheng Feng, and C. Z. Ogles is available here. Potential of ammonium thiosulfate and potassium thiosulfate to inhibit nitrification in soils - Galloway - 2025 - Soil Science Society of America Journal - Wiley Online Library

Sulfur Is The Secret Nutrient Your Corn Needs Now

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 18:20:22 GMT

With many corn acres in the central Corn Belt headed into the rapid growth stage, growers are calling Ken Ferrie to report corn whorls that have yellow striping, when they should be green. Ferrie says the issue in many cases is a sulfur deficiency – or a combination of too little sulfur and zinc – even on heavier soils versus sandier soils, which traditionally have had the issue more frequently.

“We are seeing pretty substantial sulfur responses in our corn plots even at and above 3.5% organic matter,” he says. “I still believe that, in total, 3.5% organic matter soils will supply enough sulfur. The issue is those soils just don’t supply sulfur quickly enough to plants in the spring.”

As proof, Ferrie says he is increasingly seeing the “yellow sulfur whorl” in soils with 3.5% organic matter between the time corn emerges and the V8 to V10 growth range. As the corn plant gets bigger, roots go deeper and the soil gets more active. Over time, the soil will release organic sulfur and that symptom of sulfur deficiency will gradually disappear.

“But under the concept of never let corn have a bad day, corn showing a sulfur deficiency is having a bad day,” he says. “This is especially true for those G and L1 hybrids that will flex down if you stress them in that window before tassel and right after emergence.”

Make Sure To Know The Deficiency Your Crop Has

Ferrie says farmers need to make sure what they’re dealing with is a sulfur deficiency and not a lack of nitrogen.

“The main difference,” he says, is that nitrogen deficiency shows up in the bottom of the plant, but sulfur deficiency shows up in the newer growth—the top or whorl. That’s because, unlike nitrogen, sulfur is not mobile in the plant, so the plant can’t steal sulfur from older portions and move it to newer ones.”

Plants deficient in sulfur can show reduced plant development and delayed maturity.

“Anything that retards growth delays maturity,” Ferrie explains. “Sulfur-deficient 112-day corn will act like a 115-day corn; it tassels and finishes later. In other words, plants become inefficient, producing less growth per heat unit per day.”

Fall Fertility Factors Likely Play A Role This Season

In many cases, the sulfur deficiency this spring can be traced back to last fall if the grower took ammonium sulfate and DAP out of their program to reduce costs and then forgot to update their program, and add nutrients back in this spring (check out our video above on the topic).

For that reason, Matt Duesterhau, Crop-Tech Consulting field agronomist, wants to remind growers to update their corn nutrient plan for this season, if they haven’t already.

“If you kicked out the fall dry [fertilizer], are you counting on adding that sulfur in at sidedress?” he asks. “Let’s make sure we’ve got a complete plan that we’re using, to get that full rate of nitrogen we need for our target yield goal, and the sulfur to go along with it.”

Ferrie calls the process of updating fertilizer plans balancing the checkbook.

“Rapid growth is not the time to show a sulfur deficiency, because you’re setting so much of the crop yield,” he says.

Meaghan Anderson tells Iowa growers to be sure to add up the sulfur their corn crop is getting from all the various sources, like ammonium sulfate in pesticide applications and sulfur from any other fertilizer materials.

“This can help avoid unnecessary spending and luxury uptake by crops,” says Anderson, Iowa State University field agronomist for central Iowa, in her online article, Who Needs Sulfur? You Might Need Sulfur.

Evaluate And Select The Right Source Of Sulfur

Purdue research suggests 10 lb. to 15 lb. of sulfur per acre, applied just before planting but no later than sidedress, is adequate in most sulfur-deficient situations.

Duesterhaus says high-yield growers in his area (western Illinois) are having good results using 20 lb. to 25 lb. of sulfur in a corn-soybean rotation, and a little more than that in a corn-on-corn program.

Minnesota research shows an annual rate of 25 lb. of sulfur is adequate for corn production on sandy soils, while fields with more organic matter need less (10 lb. to 15 lb. per acre). The application can be done via broadcast or as sidedress.

Selecting the right source of sulfur is critical to ensure enough sulfate-sulfur is present in the soil at key uptake periods, notes Dan Kaiser, nutrient management Extension specialist at the University of Minnesota.

“Rapid uptake of sulfur occurs in corn from V5 to early silking when 50 percent of sulfur needed by corn is taken up,” Kaiser says. “Roughly 10 percent of sulfur needed by corn is taken up prior to V5, but this timeframe is still critical and deficiencies early in the growing season can limit yield – particularly in cool and wet springs.”

Kaiser reviews some considerations for sulfur sources in his online article, What source of sulfur is right for you?

Ferrie cautions growers that elemental sulfur must go through a biological breakdown to get to sulfate, and is not a good option for corn this time of year.

“This reaction doesn’t get into full swing until soil temperatures are above 75 degrees F, which means elemental sulfur doesn’t make it to the dance until later in July and August,” he says. “That is great if you still need sulfur then, but higher organic matter soils usually release enough sulfur by mid-June to take care of the deficiency issues.”

If you have sandy soils, you could need a different strategy. Sandy soils have low organic matter content and a low cation exchange capacity (CEC), making them prone to sulfur leaching. In those types of soils, Ferrie advises farmers to put together a program that keeps the corn plant supplied in sulfur all season, and not just up until V10.

Why Are We Seeing More Sulfur Deficiency?

What has occurred is less acid rain is falling today, so fields get less sulfur from the atmosphere. You can trace this fact back to the Clean Air Act of 1970. So, while it’s good that acid rain has been reduced, it has resulted in less sulfur being available for crops to tap into.

What that means now is that farmers in much of the Midwest must treat sulfur more like a macronutrient rather than a micronutrient.

“The continued drop in the soil’s ability to supply sulfur has now reached the level that we have to start thinking about applying sulfur every year ahead of corn, no matter what the organic matter is,” Ferrie says.

He adds that depending on where farmers live, the results and needs for sulfur applications can vary. For instance, growers farming downwind of a large city like Chicago may still be receiving enough acid rain to meet their crop’s sulfur needs, due to all the fossil fuel being burned on the roads and highways.

“When all the cars in Chicago are electric, then you’re going to have to join the rest of us and start applying sulfur,” he says.

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Sap Tests Can Help Reduce Nutrient Use, Improve Crop Health and Boost Yields

Thu, 01 May 2025 15:09:26 GMT

As farmers look for ways to increase crop yields with strategic fertilizer use and contain costs at the same time, some are turning to sap testing and analysis.

“[Sap testing] helps us fine-tune our fertility program in-season based on what the plants tell us they need nutrient-wise, so we don’t over-apply or under-apply fertilizer,” says Lawrence Hewing, who grows corn and soybeans in Champaign County, Ill.

Over the past three years, he’s been able to reduce nutrient use, improve crop health and boost yields.

“We haven’t seen a large yield increase in corn, but we’re using a half pound or less of nitrogen per bushel – half of what we used to use,” Hewing says. “In soybeans we have gained additional yield – up to 10 bu. more per acre from doing a foliar application in-season. I think that’s helped us hold onto more blooms and then retain pods.”

How Sap Testing Works
A sap test measures the nutrient levels – including minerals, sugars and proteins – in the plant’s vascular tissues, the xylem and phloem, according to Mike Evans, co-owner of Calibrated Agronomy, based in Dow City, Iowa.

“Sap tests have taught us a lot about nutrient mobility in the plant, that plants can reallocate certain minerals and not others,” he says. “This was a big a-ha moment for us and really opened our eyes to the deficiencies we’d been missing with tissue tests.”

Tissue tests are done only on new growth, Evans adds, while a sap test is done on both new and old growth, which provides additional data for analysis.

“You’re pulling a sample from a new leaf, just like you would for tissue sampling, but you’re also pulling a sample from an older, mature leaf on the plant, too, and then comparing the test results between them,” Hewing explains. “The idea is to give the plant enough nutrition it can support new growth without needing to rob nutrients from the old growth. We think this helps us improve overall plant health throughout the growing season.”

Because a sap test sample is pulled from both old and new leaves, the analysis can reveal current nutrient deficiencies as well as those that will soon occur.

“It’s like getting a glimpse into the future,” Evans says.

John Kempf, founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) in northeast Ohio, says sap analysis detects upcoming nutrient deficiencies between 21 to 28 days ahead of tissue analysis and 35 to 42 days before visible symptoms appear.

In-Season Nutrient Adjustments
Evans has used sap testing and analysis with his clients for the past several years. He says the most significant benefit is being able to better address corn nitrogen needs.

“The biggest eye opener has been the value we’ve seen from measuring what we call a plant’s nitrogen conversion efficiency,” he says. “We benchmark the nitrogen at the beginning of the season, and then we watch it. We want to keep it at a level above 95%, regardless of how good the plant looks.”

Sap test and analysis also help Evans’ growers fine-tune micronutrient needs in corn, including zinc, boron, iron and copper.

Who Finds Value In Sap Tests?
According to Evans, producers are usually in one of two camps. “A lot of them have been doing tissue sampling for a while and have hit a yield plateau they can’t get past,” he explains. “Then there are the farmers who are really inquisitive about crop fertility and want to achieve better nutrient efficiency.”

Hewing is in the latter camp. “We knew something was missing in our program and that we needed better agronomic insights,” he recalls. The search for those led him to John Kempf and AEA. The 2025 season marks the fourth year Hewing has worked with the Ohio-based organization.

“We started out using just one sap test on a couple of fields,” Hewing says. “This year, we’re going to use the tests across the whole farm.”

Evaluate The Pros And Cons
The upfront cost of doing sap testing and analysis is about $100 per two-part test – more than the price of a tissue test.

To optimize ROI, Evans says he tells growers to allocate 70% of their dollar spend to their baseline fertility program and then retain 30% of their budget for sap testing and in-season nutrient applications.

Another potential issue with sap testing, Hewing says, is the analysis usually requires more turnaround time than tissue testing.

“Depending on the lab you use and who you work with, it can take 10 days or so to get your results,” he says.

Still, Hewing has achieved measurable results he says outweigh the cost and time involved with sap testing.

He offers a common-sense recommendation to other farmers looking to improve crop health and performance: “I’d tell them to pick out their worst field and give sap tests a try. Evaluate the results for a few years and see what kind of results you get and then go from there.”

Your Next Read: Master The Use of Growing Degree Units to Boost Corn Yield Potential

300-Bu. Corn Has a Big Appetite for N, P and K

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:06:53 GMT

Hang around national corn yield champions David Hula and Randy Dowdy for any time at all, and you realize how much fun the two farmers have giving each other a hard time.

Case in point. Dowdy, who’s based near Valdosta, Ga., just recently purchased some timber ground in Michigan that he cleared last year, put into cover crops and is planting to corn this season. On a frosty March morning, he’s asking Hula for advice on what kind of fertility program to use to fuel the crop.

Big mistake. A mischievous grin sweeps across Hula’s face.

“Knowing you, you’ve probably got a 500-bushel goal, or maybe 650, so just slow down a little bit,” Hula tells Dowdy, who laughs and retaliates in kind.

“Yeah, well, yours is probably 624 this year,” Dowdy says.

Both men laugh and then get down to business, discussing their favorite topic – how to grow better and bigger corn yields.

Start With A Yield Goal

“You’ve got to set a yield goal on that ground,” Hula tells Dowdy who finally shares that he’s shooting for 300-bushels per acre this season.

“I’m assuming you did soil samples and got that ground all tiled and you got the irrigation,” Hula replies. “But, with that ground coming out of timber, you’ve got a long way to go. I’d focus first on soil pH, that’s No. 1.”

It’s the same advice the two yield champs say they routinely pass along to other corn growers looking to boost yields and nutrient use efficiencies.

They say it’s important to have a soil pH in the neutral to 6.8 range across all corn 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,” Dowdy notes.

Consider Lime Type And Source

Not all lime is created equal, and some types are better suited to a spring application than others.

“Understand the source of lime, whether you need magnesium or not and also understand whether it is a coarse or a fine-textured lime,” says Hula, who’s based near Charles City, Va.

The finer textured lime is what’s needed for 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 or anytime last year need to be aware of that, so they don’t over-correct on lime applications this 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.

Check Off All The Nutrient Boxes
Hula likes to remind farmers that while fertilizer efficiency is important, to reach your yield goals you have to fuel the crop adequately.

“We’ve got to realize that it takes pounds to make a crop, even if you’re using them in an efficient way,” he says.

Every grower knows corn crops depend on adequate amounts of macronutrients, especially nitrogen (N). But not every grower knows the specific amount needed for a 300-bushel crop.

Mark Jeschke, Ph.D., agronomy manager for Pioneer, says corn grain removes approximately 0.67 lbs. of nitrogen per bushel harvested, and stover production requires about 0.45 lbs. of nitrogen for each bushel of grain produced.

With that in mind, for a 300-bushel per acre corn crop, the nitrogen requirement is around 336 pounds per acre. Only a portion of this amount needs to be supplied by N fertilizer; N is also supplied by the soil through mineralization of soil organic matter, Jeschke says in his article 7 Management Practices for 300 bu/acre Yields in Corn.

Ken Ferrie says corn’s phosphorus (P) requirements are nearly as important as its need for N. “The right timing and placement of phosphorus can boost yields 30 bu. to 40 bu. per acre, especially in years of late planting,” says Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

Hula says he increasingly is giving potash more credit for helping him hit record corn yields. “Corn is a crop that just loves potash. It’s a luxury consumer of it,” says Hula. “We like to front-end load our entire potash in the first part of our rotation.”

Hula’s Potash Strategy For High-Yielding Corn

To front-load potash applications and improve nutrient uptake, Hula says to focus on these key strategies:
1. Apply potash primarily during the corn rotation year, as corn is a heavy potash consumer.

2. Use humic acid alongside potash to:
· buffer salt indexes
· help chelate nutrients
· improve nutrient absorption by the crop
· provide a food source for soil biology

3. Distribute enough potash to meet the nutrient demands of your entire crop rotation, including subsequent small grain or soybean crops.

4. Leverage the corn crop’s residue as a “holding tank” for potash, which will break down and provide nutrients for following crops.

5. Don’t neglect soil sampling, especially deep soil samples, to understand your soil’s potassium retention characteristics, particularly in clay-heavy soils.

Learn more about how Dowdy and Hula grow high corn yields and work as partners in their Total Acre program.

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New Product of the Year 2024: Loveland's Awaken FlowBoost

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 14:51:44 GMT

We asked, you answered. With more than 1,300 votes tabulated, Awaken FlowBoost from Loveland Products has officially been named the winner of The Scoop’s 18th annual New Product of the Year contest.

Awaken FlowBoost marks a new path for Loveland’s seed treatment products, adding a talc/graphite replacement to the company’s portfolio.

“People are getting away from talc and graphite for a lot of different reasons, which is ultimately why we went with a corn-based product,” says Rian Bernhardt, Loveland’s crop protection marketing manager. “We just recognized it as a growing market space and an opportunity for us to bring something to our growers that’s unique, and from an agronomic standpoint, makes a lot of sense for them.”

Awaken FlowBoost’s benefits are two-fold:

Seed singulation and flowability. The product is applied at plant and maintains a 99% effective use rate as seeds are flowing through the planter, which is comparable to a standard 80/20 talc/graphite mix.
A micronutrient package (5% phosphate, 1% iron, 3% manganese, 2.5% molybdenum, 10.5% zinc) helps mitigate the stresses that come with planting early in cold, wet soils.

Bernhardt says these advantages brought growers improved yield, test weight and moisture across all geographies during the product’s first official year on the market.

“The trials that we have seen range anywhere from 4- to 6- to 8-bu. differences,” Bernhardt says.

Casey McDaniel, vice president of Loveland Products, adds that quicker emergence was also a common result, due to the product’s micronutrient package.

“Not everybody has the opportunity to put an in-furrow starter or two-by-two applications. This allows them to get some micronutrients on that seed and in that furrow where it’s most effective,” McDaniel says. “They saw a quicker emergence when it’s most important — in that first 20 to 30 days.”

The addition of micronutrients is what Loveland believes sets Awaken FlowBoost apart and is contributing to its popularity.

“The uniqueness of the product got a lot of people’s attention,” Bernhardt explains. “I think that is what’s ultimately driving its success.”

During Awaken FlowBoost’s first year on the market, it far exceeded what the Loveland team had initially expected in overall sales.

“We had to go into production a couple of extra times,” McDaniel says. “This isn’t a space we had historically played in, and you’ll generally get some skeptics the first time around. But we did our homework and thoroughly tested the product.”

As for 2025, Loveland has 10 new products that are headed to the U.S., and an expansion of the Awaken FlowBoost lineup could be on the horizon as well.

“We definitely see room for expansion with this product line, specifically from a seed treatment standpoint,” Bernhardt says. “It’s a cool concept that will just get better from here.”

Your Next Read: New Product of the Year Runner Up: RhizoSorb from Phospholutions

Crop Consultants Offer Their Top Tips To Reduce Input Costs

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 19:47:27 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.

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Not Your Father’s Fertilizer: 4 Ways Fertilizer Has Changed in 40 Years

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 02:11:09 GMT

It’s only been since 1988 that the International Plant Nutrition Institute has credited the 4R framework—application of the right nutrient source or product at the right rate, right time and in the right place—as having a close tie and application to agricultural sustainability. The 4Rs are millennials, and we are seeing a generation’s worth of change in today’s fertilizer products.

Of course, product development, environmental stewardship and crop yields have dynamically changed in 35 years. So what about fertilizer? Here’s an overview of some developments that have changed products to be not your father’s fertilizer.

Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers

Enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEF) span three categories: controlled-release products, ammonia volatilization inhibitors and nitrification inhibitors. In 2019, North American sales for EEF products was $590 million.

“Farmers’ interest has been how to get more from the fertilizer input and more into their yield,” says Karl Wyant, director of agronomy at Nutrien. “There have also been more state-by-state regulatory efforts as well as voluntary programs to reduce leaching and loss to the environment, making EEFs a popular choice.”

Nitrapyrin, which is used in nitrification inhibitors such as Instinct and N-Serve, may be the oldest technology in this group having been introduced 40 years ago.

Introduced in 2001, Agrotain was the first commercial ammonia volatilization product and was later acquired by Koch Agronomic Services (KAS). KAS has also introduced two effective chemistries in the past five years–Pronitridine in Centuro and Duromide in Anvol, says Tim Laatsch, KAS director of agronomy, North America. These innovations and technologies allow growers to protect their nitrogen with a solution that best fits their operational needs.

“What is most important about using EEFs is knowing the game you are playing,” Laatsch says. “You need to understand the potential for nitrogen loss in your system and select the right tools to manage that risk.”

Controlled-release options continue to expand.

“We want to supply premium fertilizer products that help farmers get the outcomes they are seeking,” Wyant says. “In that way, it’s more about the approach—and learning how to serve the customer and using our knowledge.”

Nutrien has 20 years of research for its ESN (Environmentally Smart Nitrogen 44-0-0) versus urea showing up to 26-bu.-per-acre increases in corn. There’s a logistical advantage of a longer preplant application window to extend the residence time of the nitrogen in the soil. Growers have reported being able to skip a second in-season fertilizer pass because they feel their nitrogen is “staying put” with ESN.

Ostara ramped up production this year of Crystal Green, which releases nutrients (phosphorus, magnesium, and nitrogen) in response to crop demand based on its organic acid solubility.

Packaging Nutrients

The number of fertilizer options is expanding, says Nutrien’s Wyant.

“Fertilizer 1.0 was such a massive technology innovation in human history. It shouldn’t be overlooked how we went from not using fertilizer, to night soil, to bird guano, to making fertilizer easy to transport and nutrient dense while also being able to write an analysis on a label,” he says. “Fertilizer 1.0 was a huge leap forward for crop production and food security in just a few generations.”

He says the current fertilizer products wave has been driven by local needs to meet farmer challenges, such as logistics and crop safety.

“It’s a fully customizable menu now. Instead of five product options, you have a factorial of hundreds of options,” he says. “How to pick the right product for your needs is a great discussion point with your local ag inputs dealer.”

More options equals more need for education.

“Resoundingly, yes, fertilizer has changed in a generation,” says Tom Fry, director of performance products at Mosaic. “It’s so confusing right now because retailers can get overwhelmed with options.”

Fry says Mosaic’s tried to help give retailers a focus around balanced crop nutrition to supply the right ratio of macros, micros and secondary crop nutrients. As an example, MicroEssentials provides sulfur and enhanced phosphate.

“It allows the nutrients to interact, so we improve the uptake and carefully spoon-feed the crop across the entire growing season,” he says.

Fry explains how the popularity has increased for MicroEssentials, and its sales now surpass the company’s volumes of MAP and DAP in North America.

He shares Aspire as another example. It combines boron with potassium.

“We have not figured out everything in the last two generations of soil science. We are sitting in the captain’s seat now to drive innovation and drive yields with farmers to see how technologies are coming together,” Fry says.

Essentially Sulfur

What was once supplied by the sulfur in the air has been cut by 50% in the past decade because of the Clean Air Act. Therefore, sulfur is being brought back into focus in a crop nutrition plan.

“My grandfather didn’t have to worry about sulfur,” says Jason Magan, sales manager at AdvanSix. “Demand continues to grow for ammonium sulfate. As such, we’ve increased our supply.”

Magan highlights two important facets of sulfur. The first is the relationship between sulfur and nitrogen uptake by the plant. The second point to consider is the opportunity to apply sulfur fertilizer to soybeans.

“Farmers want to plant soybeans earlier and earlier—when cold, wet soils cannot supply plant-available sulfur for nodulation,” he says.

He adds, “Sulfur isn’t a new crop nutrient, but how crops get sulfur has changed, and we have to adapt our practices to supply the crops with what they need.”

Biological Breakthroughs

Biofertilizers are seen as potential tools to reduce rates and complement traditional fertilizers.

A first generation of nitrogen-fixing products applied at the time of planting has been commercially available for several years. The team at BioConsortia is one group working on its next generation of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and the goal is to use spore-forming microbes.

“This is a more difficult technology platform to develop than other microbes, but we want to provide a product that can fit into the standard agronomic practice—the industrial seed treatment, local seed treatment, and on-farm tank mix applications. The other benefit is it could ride alongside acidic product such as urea,” says Sarah Reiter, senior vice president at BioConsortia.

With more than 75 trials in corn since 2021, the team at BioConsortia is reporting a 5.8 bu. yield gain and 10% to 15% displacement of traditional nitrogen rates. Soybeans had their first trials in 2022. The goal of the commercially ready product is to provide a 20% yield gain and displace 30% of the applied nitrogen.

As a new chapter in crop nutrition, this type of research explores the symbiotic relationship between soil bacteria and plant roots. It’s a balance. As plants grow, they excrete sugars and acids through their roots, and soil bacteria feed and colonize to break down nutrients in the soil making them more available for plant uptake.

“We aim to put biological nutrition along with balanced crop nutrition. It will continue to keep farmers profitable, and it will continue to improve their sustainability,” says Mosaic’s Fry. “The goal is to do more with the fertilizer investments we make.”

He adds, “We will learn more in the next 15 years than we’ve learned in the past 50.”

Bolt-On At-Plant Micronutrients

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 21:29:43 GMT

New for the 2024 season, Loveland Products introduces Awaken FlowBoost. This is a new seed lubricity agent applied at plant as a talc/graphite replacement which also provides a micronutrient package (5% phosphate, 1% iron, 3% mnagenses, 2.5% molybendum, 10.5% zinc.)

Rian Bernhardt, Loveland Products seed treatment marketing manager for North America says the company’s technical representatives developed the exact formulation for Awaken FlowBoost realizing the opportunity in the market. He says this is a expanding product segment, which Loveland sees as a growth category for retailers as well as an agronomic yield booster.

What The Product Delivers

“Seed stewardship and safety is a top priority,” he adds. “This is a corn-based seed fluency agent, and it provides the same performance for lubricity as the traditional products—we knew we couldn’t give up the performance of the lubricity compound.”

In side-by-side singulation test trials, Awaken FlowBoost provided a 99.7% singulation rate. The company says it’s compatible with any planter system.

There’s a trifecta of benefits: seed singulation, lower dust off and delivery of micronutrients.

“We’re honing in on seed stewardship and safety—we’re replacing talc and graphite and lowering dust off issues,” Bernhardt says. “And it’s important to see what we’re offering with this micronutrient package.”

How This Boosts Early Season Crop Nutrition

It’s formulated to be an additional source of micronutrients needed by the crop early in the season.

“The product is not a crop starter replacement, but this could provide a nice bolt-on to a farmer’s current starter program,” he says.

Compared to other competitive products, Bernhardt says Awaken FlowBoost delivers 2.5X the nutritional value.

The target markets for Awaken FlowBoost are corn and soybean acres. Loveland also says the product has good responses in cotton and cereal grains.

“We’re targeting this product specifically to farmers who are planting earlier,” Bernhardt says. “Those who are planting in cold wet soils can get help with the abiotic stresses that we see in early season planting because of the boost given by Awaken FlowBoost. That’s where we saw the strongest results.”

Before the official 2024 lauch, Loveland Products conducted many in field tests.

“Last year we had several trials across the U.S. focused on the corn belt’s east and southern regions,” he says. “We heard good feedback on early season root development and plant development.”

The company has not found any product or crop compatiability issues with the seed treatment.

“Additionally, we tested the micronutrients to ensure they don’t have any negative impact on rhizobia or other effects,” Bernhardt says.

Handling And Storage Considerations

Application rate is 3 oz per unit of seed. It is applied directly in the planter box at the time of planting, or the product can also be used as a seed finisher. The product is available in 50 unit pails and 200 unit pails with resealable lids.

“As long as you can keep it dry, your storage is as long as you want it to be,” he says. “That’s a good aspect of this product is it’s ease to store and handle.”

HGS BioScience Introduces A Trio of HumiK Products

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 21:58:28 GMT

Three new products are hitting the HGS BioScience lineup in 2024: HumiK One, HumiK Bio, and HumiK ZN.

HumiK One
According to the company, HumiK One is meant to protect yield potential across a variety of soils and conditions. It contains a low-dust formulation for ease of use and blending with dry fertilizers.

The product is comprised of 60% humic acid to improve soil health and structure, 5% fulvic acid for better nutrient transportation and absorption, and 10% potassium to aid in water, nutrient and carbohydrate movement within plant tissue.

“HumiK One embodies our dedication to providing solutions that are not only effective, but also sustainable and easy to use,” says Mike Steffeck, HGS BioScience CEO.

HumiK Bio and HumiK Zinc
HumiK Bio and HumiK ZN build upon the HumiK One formulation.

Along with the benefits found in HumiK One’s ingredients, HumiK Bio contains sea plant extracts and microbes to increase the plant’s ability to tolerate stress and it’s nutrient availability.

HumiK ZN is made up of equal parts humic acid and zinc, along with smaller levels of sulfur, potassium and fulvic acid.

The company shares zinc helps to activate plant enzymes to support plant growth, development and overall metabolic processes.

“These new launches demonstrate our unwavering focus on innovation and commitment to releasing novel solutions that cater to the evolving needs of the agricultural market,” Steffeck says.

David Hula Hit Another New Record Corn Yield With 623 BPA, Now Thinks 900 BPA Is Possible

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 19:37:26 GMT

A corn grower from Virginia is the reigning National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) National Corn Yield Contest champ, hitting a new national record yield of 623.8439 bu. per acre. David Hula, who’s known for growing big yields, beat his previous record set in 2019.

In 2019, the Charles City, Va., farmer set a national yield record at 616.8439 bu. per acre, and four years later, he moved the needle once again. Hula’s win marks his 12th national high-yield victory and his fifth world corn yield record.

Just how much more yield potential does Hula think is out there? If you ask him, he’ll tell you farmers might just be scratching the surface.

“I used to think it was 500 [bu. per acre], and then Randy Dowdy broke 500. Then we saw 600 [bu. per acre],” Hula told Farm Journal at the 2023 Commodity Classic.

Related Story: Young Farmer Breaks Soybean World Record With Stunning 206-Bushel Yield

Hula said when he harvested the record yield in 2019, some spots in the field reached 700 bu. per acre. Still, he thinks the yield potential is even higher than that.

“I do believe the corn genetic potential is probably in that 900-bushel [per acre] range,” Hula says. “Think about it, if that’s the genetic potential, and USDA forecasts the country’s national average to be 180 to 181 bushels [per acre], we, as growers, have a big gap to fill.”

Hula’s most recent corn yield victory came with a Pioneer corn hybrid. As a proponent of minimal tillage practices, such as strip tillage, he’s found success with some biologicals. Hula likes to use products, such as Excavator by Meristem, that help break down residue while also releasing much-needed nutrients in the soil to help feed to crop.

“As a corn grower, the No. 1 focus is to get corn to come up uniformly,” Hula says. “We all think about what hybrids to choose, but we still have to get that corn to come up uniformly. Strip-till allows us to get that soil zone in good condition.”

Related Story: Randy Dowdy Smashes Soybean Yield Record, Busts 190 Bu.

Another benefit of minimal tillage combined with a biological has been the reduction in the amount of fertilizer he needs to apply.

“We can cut back 40% and have the same effect as if we were to broadcast 100%,” Hula explains. “Better stands and more efficient use of our fertilizer is a win-win.”

Hula’s advice for growers who are also striving to break yield barriers on their own farm is two-fold.

“Have a positive attitude, and be willing to make that change,” he says. “As growers, we get into the mindset of wanting to do same thing. Be open-minded to try something, whether it’s new products or a new technique on your operation. If a grower can change one thing each year, just try it and then compare it to what you were doing before. You’ll see continued success over time.”

NCGA has hosted its National Corn Yield Contest for 59 years. This year, NCGA reported nearly 7,000 entries from 46 states.

AgroLiquid Celebrates 40 Years of Business

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 20:13:43 GMT

More than 350 AgroLiquid employees and retail partners from across the U.S., Canada and Mexico gathered at AgroLiquid headquarters in St. Johns, MI this month to mark the company’s 40th anniversary.

“Farmers needed something different,” Troy Bancroft, owner and co-founder says. “They were looking for foliars, transplant solutions and fertigation options. There was an opportunity to address those needs by providing a true solution chemically and agronomically.”

Founded in April 1983 by Bancroft and his father-in-law Douglas Cook, the company has grown to include five manufacturing plants and a 1,400-acre research farm. AgroLiquid has also built a national team of agronomy experts, a network of more than 200 independent retail partners and hundreds of highly trained sales representatives.

“From day one, our goal has stayed consistent: providing farmers with what they need,” says Nick Bancroft, who took over as president and CEO from his father Troy in 2020. “Looking forward to the next 40 years, the goal is the same, but the process has changed.”

The company, which manufactures and distributes precision crop nutrition products throughout North America, remains family-owned.

In addition to Nick Bancroft serving as president and CEO, his brothers Albert and Gerrit are leaders in the company as the company’s workplace development lead and the operations director, respectively. The third generation of Bancrofts is also actively involved in the company’s management.

WinField United’s New Three-Fold Micronutrient Foliar Blend

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 13:29:03 GMT

Introduced as a premium foliar applied blend for 2024, Max-In Ultra ZMB Plus delivers high loads of zinc, manganese and boron.

WinField United highlights how nearly 70% of corn crops are deficient in those three micronutrients.

“Zinc, manganese and boron are the most common micronutrient deficiencies in many crops, including corn and soybeans, and a deficiency in just one can impact yield potential,” said Jon Zuk, crop protection product manager with WinField United. “Now, with a single application of MAX-IN Ultra ZMB Plus micronutrient, farmers can meet a majority of in-season crop demands.”

Max-In Ultra ZMB Plus is made with CornSorb technology which can increase the uptake of micronutrients by 20 to 50%. The foliar fertilizer is tank mix compatible with crop protection products and other crop nutrition products with an application rate of 1 to 2 quart/acre and a guide timeframe of V3 to V8 in corn. WinField United says the product is classified as non-corrosive and can be stored over winter with no minimum storage temperature.

Meristem Announces Its Next Generation Bio-Capsule Technology

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 17:06:50 GMT

Meristem has unveiled its next generation of the Bio-Capsule Technology delivery system, which provides a unique approach to keep microbes alive and vigorous.

Bio-Capsule Technology is used for at-plant application of Meristem’s Revline Hopper Throttle, which is formulated with multiple biological products including Terrasym, a consortium of N-fixing microbes with ion encapsulated zinc-rich micronutrient blends. The formulation also has a talc/graphite fluency agent.

“Massive roots, more nutrients -- farmers are seeing great results on the 3.1 million acres applied this season with Revline Hopper Throttle powered by the Bio-Capsule microbial delivery system,” said Mitch Eviston, Meristem’s Founder and CEO of as he held up the new Bio-Capsule. “With our next generation system, we will be ready to help farmers win on more than 8.5 million acres in 2024.”

The new Bio-Capsule design has a larger pail, which provides space and capacity for up to six products positioned on a single pail.

Bio-Capsule will also be used for delivery of new products including Ether Enzyme Technology featuring mannanase and lipase for corn and Ether Enzyme Technology with mineralization microbes and IonLock Zinc for soybeans–both products coming for 2024.

“With what we learned, we quickly improved the design and are currently building our inventory to meet the demand we know is coming in 2024.” Said John Gertz, Meristem’s Chief Operating Officer.

Additional Bio-Capsule improvements includes:

larger capsules with more space for microbes to eliminate clumping, caking or sticking.
more dispenser teeth and easier material release
self-locking nuts assure Bio-Capsules stay fixed in the lid
larger, easier to push buttons
larger robust pail with a clear pour side, metal handle and pour-assist grip

“Now we are able to bring the proper load of bios and micros to the crop and put them, safely, right where they need to be,” says Chris Thrasher, Meristem’s Director of Innovation and Product Management. “As an industry, we’ve tried to put more on the seed through seed treatment, but available space on the seed is limited. Now we can adhere to the seed in a high enough concentration to change the effectiveness of biologicals.”

“When you have the right material in the right place for that seed, it’s like getting the shot of adrenalin exactly right,” Thrasher says.
The company first launched the new design to its 300 dealers attending the company’s annual meeting.