Crop Management Strategies Put to the Test Amid Tight Profit Margins

Crop harvest is just around the corner for farmers to evaluate their crop management strategies. With input costs remaining high and grain prices relatively low, profit margins are extremely tight this year.

Fertilizer prices surged in the spring due to the conflict in Iran, prompting some farmers to reduce fertilizer applications or shift acres from corn to soybeans to lower nitrogen requirements.

Tools such as the maximum return to nitrogen calculator can help determine economically optimal nitrogen rates. However, many producers do not take full advantage of it, and decisions are often based on experience, intuition, and conversations with neighboring farmers.