Fertilizer Costs Expected to Rise 15 Percent

Sep 28, 2018

Fertilizer costs are expected to increase next year.

University of Minnesota Extension ag business management educator David Bau says he’s anticipating a 15 percent jump.

“And they’ll probably go up even further because a lot of where the fertilizer comes from is overseas, which are affected by the tariffs a little bit too.”

And with expectations of continued low crop prices in 2019, he tells Brownfield most corn and soybean farmers are facing some difficult decisions.

“We’re looking at losses of up to $100-dollars (or more) an acre, a little less on soybeans (and) a little more on corn. So farmers have to look at all their input costs to figure out ways to manage their costs without lowering yields, and that’s the real challenge.”

Click here to see more...

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.