High Fertilizer Prices and Low Commodity Markets:

Why Fertilizer Still Matters for a Big Crop

In today's agricultural landscape, farmers are facing a tough equation: fertilizer prices remain high, while commodity prices—particularly for corn, soybeans, and wheat—have seen a significant drop. This squeeze on margins is causing many to reconsider input costs. Yet, despite the financial pressure, fertilizer remains a critical investment when it comes to growing a high-yielding crop.

Fertilizer plays an irreplaceable role in supplying essential nutrients that crops need to reach their full potential. Cutting back too much on fertilizer in an attempt to save costs can ultimately lead to lower yields, leaving farmers with fewer bushels to sell in an already soft market. The result? Potentially greater losses in both production and revenue.

While it’s tempting to dial back on nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium, under-fertilizing during key growth stages could mean missing out on a profitable harvest—especially in years when weather and soil conditions are favorable.

Now more than ever, strategic fertilizer use is key. Precision application, soil testing, and CMT variable rate technologies can help optimize input use and stretch every dollar. But skipping or skimping on fertilizer entirely is a risk that could cost more than it saves.

Reach out with any questions about locking in early fertilizer or joining our CMT program to your local CFC agronomist.

Silage season is quickly approaching and, as many of you know that, covering a silage pile is not the most fun job on the farm.  However, the benefits seen from covering the pile are worth it in the end.  When silage is not tightly covered, air and moisture can easily access the pile and adversely affect the quality of silage during storing and feeding. This creates great potential for excessive dry matter (DM) and nutrient losses, moldy feed and other problems. The extent of these losses is far greater than most people realize.

Several studies at Kansas State University have reported at least a three percent loss in DM from the top three feet of silage in uncovered bunker silos compared to bunkers covered with plastic sheeting weighted down with tires. In a 12' high x 80' wide x 140' long bunker, the top three feet of silage contains approximately 672 tons (as fed) of silage at a density of 40 pounds/ft3. Thirty percent loss in this top three feet would equal 201.6 tons of as-fed silage. If corn silage is worth $60 per ton as-fed, the total savings potential, in terms of lost corn silage is at least $12,096. This does not take into account any negative effects that the top three feet of spoiled material might have on DM intake, milk production, or reproduction. Nor does it consider that additional silage is lost on the sides and closed end of uncovered bunkers. These losses can easily amount to 2-3 percent of the total silage volume. If we assume a two percent loss on the entire pile, this additional loss in our example would be 53.8 tons of silage worth another $3,226.

Inoculants are also a nice addition to boost the benefits of silage in rations.   An effective silage additive helps to drive fermentation in the right direction, preventing undesirable microbes from robbing valuable protein and energy resources from the silage.  

I think most of us would agree that the smell of fresh corn silage is one of the best scents in the world.  Let CFC help you get the tarps and inoculants you need for your silage pile to keep it fresh and get the most out of your feed source.