Managing Expensive Nitrogen for Better Fertilizer Applications
As the price of fertilizer nitrogen (N) has reached record levels, the agricultural establishment has gone to great lengths to advise farmers on how to manage this cost of production problem. For years, in corn production N was considered to be the key element to guarantee a profitable corn crop. The only part of the agricultural establishment that showed any concern about N usage was related to the environmental area of agricultural production. With the arrival of very high fertilizer N prices, some segments of the agricultural establishment have discussed approaches to applying N fertilizer that haven't received much attention in the past.
For example, weather research at a major agricultural institution suggested that the temperature effect on soil microbiological life could radically change the amount of available N in the soil for use by the corn plant. Also, that temperature influences the corn plant's ability to use the N that is available in the soil profile. So the recommendation from this research is for "farmers looking to fine tune fertilizer may want to consider strip trials. The only way to know if you used too much N is to compare the rate you used to a lower rate in the same field."
Also, one soil testing service suggested that, "Most importantly, choose an appropriate yield goal based on the history of the field. Applying additional N to a field that has other limitations such as drainage problems or low fertility will likely result in a financial loss. Also remember that the maximum yield does not mean maximizing profitability."
However, as these contradictions to past fertilizer discussions arise, some farmer advocates see that the agricultural fertilizer establishment has a difficult time explaining the very large price increases for fertilizer. One advocacy group contends that prices are a result of concentration and price gouging more than a supply disruption. According to this group, "four corporations control 75% of nitrogen fertilizer production in North America. Between 1984 and 2008, the number of fertilizer producers decreased from 46 firms to 13."
However, organizations that suggest the long term fertilizer solution is with "truly reducing farmer dependence on fertilizer "are met with disagreement by The Fertilizer Institute. The Fertilizer Institute's response is: "Without fertilizer, you can erase 50% of crop yields and we've been talking about massive starvation and food security. Now that (this issue) is front and center, we realize that the foundation of long-term food security is access to fertilizer."
This is an excerpt from the Winter Growers Solution (2023) written by Jim Halbeisen, Director of Research.
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