As farmers plan for the upcoming growing season, they’re facing higher fertilizer prices verses 2018. Nitrogen fertilizer is leading the way due to the increased cost of natural gas used to make those products. That’s hitting crop budgets hard, adding $20 to $40 per acre for corn and dictating increased fertilizer management, according to DEKALB Asgrow District Sales Manager Keith Mockler.

Dave Schwans, President of N’Rich Plant Food in Humboldt, South Dakota, says farmers doing split applications and using starter don’t have to apply as much fertilizer later in the season.

Starter fertilizer prices have also stayed relatively steady because the raw materials are tech or food grade.
Precision agriculture tools can also cut costs. Kevin Rozenboom, precision ag specialist with Farmers Coop Society in Sioux Center, Iowa says they’re looking at variable rate fertilizer applications, which also bump yield.

And he says the use of manure can also lower the use of commercial fertilizer.

For the last week of January 2019, anhydrous ammonia prices averaged $584 per ton verse $490 per ton for the same week in 2018, which is up 19-percent. Urea was at $409 per ton, compared to $353 per ton last year and an increase of 16-percent.