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Controlling fertilizer costs part of efficient managment planBy Randy Buhler CSU Cooperative Extension, Logan County agent, agronomy Colorado Controlling input costs for farm production is essential this coming season. Managing risk to cover those input expenses is an essential component for a complete management plan. Fertilizer is one input that has rapidly increased in price since last season. Availability of fertilizer will complicate this issue for the coming season. Trade sources indicate mounting troubles are occurring with production, importation, and transportation of fertilizer products to the retail market. More than 50 percent of our nitrogen fertilizer supply is imported. Russian production facilities are experiencing problems, which are limiting the amount of ammonia available to meet world needs. Nigerian sources are subject to internal strife and undependable natural gas and product delivery. China and India agricultural development has increased competition in the world market for fertilizer supplies. Put in your order for fertilizer as early as you can to line up delivery for your needs. Cash buyers have a better chance for delivery as compared to credit buyers. Late orders may not get filled at all. Shortages, particularly for nitrogen, can be expected to cause price and delivery problems throughout the coming growing season. Using appropriate amounts of fertilizer is the best way to save on fertilizer costs. Application methods that increase first year recovery add to the savings. Banding versus broadcast reduces pounds of fertilizer to produce optimum yield. Timing of application, especially nitrogen fertilizer, can make a significant difference in recovery and efficiency. A newer concept for nitrogen application is optimum economic yield rather than optimum agronomic yield. This concept allows for some trimming of input nitrogen cost to account for the relationship of pounds nitrogen to pounds yield and nitrogen cost to grain price. Purdue and University of Nebraska have worked on this concept. Work with the soil test recommendations to find your nitrogen requirement. Adjust your nitrogen rate by averaging your last five years of production results and adding 5 percent yield to that figure. The soil test recommendation should provide for that yield level. Be realistic with your yield goal. If you have taken 170 bushels per acre or less from your field each of the last five years, then a 200-bushel yield goal is not a good bet. That extra 30 pounds of nitrogen could be your profit for the year. 2/4/08 Date: 1/30/08 Advertisement
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