Northcentral

There is a great deal of excitement about agriculture in the Northcentral Region. Corn planting is creating a buzz, and people are awaiting news of how much corn actually got planted. Ethanol production has driven up corn prices to a very profitable level. No one knows if prices will stay there, so there is plenty of anxiousness about marketing strategies. Prices of some nutrients have been fluctuating greatly from one week to the next, and dealers are anxious about getting enough nutrients in their storage for timely delivery. Farmers who previously put the thought of Asian rust in the backs of their minds now have to rethink their soybean management strategies with the recent news that Asian rust has been confirmed on soybean plant tissue sent into Iowa State University's plant disease clinic. While the actual risk of rust outbreak is still unknown, no one knows how farmers will respond to the news with their planning for 2007. At this time, there is no way of knowing what will happen, but whatever comes, it's sure to be exciting!

With biofuels driving demand and prices for corn, price ratios with fertilizer nutrients have come back to more traditional levels. High prices for both crop and nutrient mean greater profit possibilities from improving fertilizer management—applying the right product at the right rate, time, and place. The International Plant Nutrition Institute provides many information sources that help fine-tune fertilizer recommendations. In a recent presentation to the 10th Annual Tri-State (OH-PA-NY) Conservation Tillage Conference in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, Dr. Tom Bruulsema provided an example showing how strongly corn can respond to nutrients placed with the seed, in the starter band, and broadcast into the soil for several tillage systems. See the presentation, “No-till systems and higher fertilizer prices: should I cut back?”

The Institute also has tips on Using Fertilizers Efficiently and Best Management Practices for Fertilizer Use on Dairy Farms.

RESEARCH RESULTS: The more we work on improving N recommendations, the more we see the strong role played by the weather. A recent symposium focused on the sciences that could be applied to various approached to integrate weather variability. Check out a couple of recent presentations on the topic: Integrating Weather Variability into Nitrogen Recommendations and Nitrogen Use on Corn: What We’ve Learned.

COMING EVENTS:
10-14 June 2007 ­– Plant Canada 2007 – Canadian Societies of Agronomy, Horticultural and Weed Sciences and more, in Saskatoon, Saskatckewan. http://www.plantcanada.ca/2007.htm

24-26 June 2007 – American Society of Agronomy, Crops and Soils, Northeastern Branch Meeting, with the American Forage and Grasslands Council, State College, Pennsylvania. https://secure.asa-cssa-sssa.org/branch/ne/

10-12 July 2007 – InfoAg 2007, at the Crowne Plaza Convention Center in Springfield Illinois. http://www.infoag.org/

Using Fertilizer Efficiently

Fertilizer use is a concern to all farmers given the current high cost of fertilizer nutrients, and the importance of adequate nutrient supply to the crop. The efficient use of fertilizers requires that you try and combine as many “best management” practices in your operation as is feasible. Some of these practices include:

1. Measure and account for the nutrients the soil can provide
2. Consider crop removal as a way of determining nutrient requirements
3. Set realistic yield goals, based on the history of the field in concern
4. Use all the nutrient sources available, including livestock manures
5. Keep the proper balance of nutrients to ensure efficient use
6. Manage soil pH where soils are less than a pH of 5.0
7. Manage crops for maximum economic return, including the variety selected and growing season management practices
8. Time fertilizer applications so as to optimize crop uptake of nutrients
9. Place nutrients where they can best meet crop requirements, and
10. Consult a credible crop adviser when making decisions to help you in the process.

Complete story link: http://www.ppi-ppic.org/fertilizerefficiency

Moisture conditions over most of the region are very good. As of the first of March the Palmer Drought Index values showed the entire region from extremely moist to normal. Winter wheat condition across the region is, by and large, fair to excellent. Yield potential for this year’s winter wheat should be very good, so make sure that the crop is not short of N by addressing N fertilizer topdress needs appropriately. Topdressed N needs to be in the root zone by the time winter wheat hits jointing, otherwise it will have limited yield benefit.

We are going into the spring with more optimism than we’ve seen in a long time… soil moisture is good and grain prices are high. This is certainly a year where we want to make sure and have “all our ducks in a row”, including soil and crop fertility considerations. The benefits of placing a portion of the crop’s fertilizer needs in a concentrated band near (starter) or with the seed (pop-up) at planting have long been recognized. Phosphorus, K, N, and other nutrients placed as starter or pop-up at planting often result in early season response that translates to yield increases and greater profit in the production of corn and other crops. The use of starter fertilizer is an effective management practice that is based on sound agronomic principles. However, in most cases it should not be used as the sole fertility program. The best approach to starter is to view it as a catalyst for a crop that will have adequate and balanced available nutrients in the soil rooting volume as the season progresses. So, as you make plans for the spring season, don’t overlook the potential benefits of a starter fertilizer application.

Farmers and crop advisers have been expressing dismay at the rising costs of fertilizer; especially N and P. Some have been concerned that inadequate supplies or distribution of liquid ammonium polyphosphates may limit the acreage receiving starter fertilizer for corn. Good corn and wheat prices have helped to lift spirits to some extent. However, cotton farmers and forage and livestock producers are suffering from the effects of the ethanol market on corn planting, and prices that stimulate corn planting.

Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in the last few weeks have made the news in Alabama and Arkansas. Poultry houses were damaged and thousands of birds were killed in Alabama. Cattle producers in Alabama were repairing storm-damaged fences.

Soils are abnormally dry to droughty from southeast Mississippi northward to western North Carolina. Most of Alabama and the bulk of south and central Florida have also been affected by dry weather.

Wheat/ Small Grains
Wheat fields in the Midsouth are in fair to good condition and virtually all spring N has been applied. Small grains were in good condition in Georgia, and growers continued to topdress fields with fertilizer. In spite of a harsh winter with below normal temperatures and freezing precipitation, wheat in Missouri and Kentucky is reported to be in fair to good condition. Many farmers in these two states are still assessing the winter injury. Wheat in Louisiana was rated in poor to fair condition.

Corn
The large acreage shift (as much as 20% more corn acres) to corn will likely result in greater fertilizer N and P consumption. Growers that have the ability to include a N-plus-P starter in their planting operations have been encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to get the corn crop up and off to a vigorous start. Even on soil with high P fertility, responses to in-furrow N-plus-P starter have been observed about 30% of the time, according to LSU researcher Dr. Rick Mascagni. In-furrow placement is often the more viable option for growers whose planters are not equipped for a 2x2 placement. Dr. Mascagni has observed yield responses ranging from 8 to 25 bu/A, with an average response of 12.5 bu/A. The responses have occurred primarily on the lighter colored silt loam and sandy loam soils. The darker colored clayey soils, although retaining more moisture than the coarser textured soils, tend to warm-up more quickly and do not cool down as quickly as the coarser textured soils. Lower soil temperatures in the sandy loam and silt loam soils are thought to reduce early corn root growth, which can be remedied with a starter N-plus-P program.

A great deal of corn has already been planted in areas south of a line from Nashville to Little Rock.

Rice
The regulatory agency in Arkansas, The State Plant Board, has p rohibited the use of the Cheniere rice variety that has been produced from seed tracing back to the 2003 Foundation Class from Louisiana State University. It ruled “Cheniere rice shall not be offered for sale, sold, planted, produced, harvested, stored, distributed, transported, subjected to conditioning processes or handled in any manner for grain production in 2007 and 2008. Any other rice variety or lot of seed that may be identified as having a transgenic trait, either a variant of the traits known as ‘LL Rice’ or other traits not currently known, will also be subject to these regulations.” This ruling also affects the popular CL 131 and some CL XL730 varieties. All rice planted in 2007 must be tested for BayerCropScience’s Liberty-Link traits. There is adequate seed of other varieties to plant in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, but many farmers, seedsmen, and trade interests have been hurt as a result of the European shun of the genetically modified rice variety known as LLRICE601 in long grain rice supplies. The USDA Food and Drug Administration has stated that LLRICE601 presents no health, food safety, or environmental risks. The U.S.A. Rice Federation has led efforts to re-establish the marketability of U.S. rice by purging the system of genetically engineered traits.

Cotton
Cotton ginners and cooperatives are lamenting the large shift away from cotton this year to corn, as a result of attractive corn prices. Cotton is the crop in the Southeast that will see the largest displacement of acres to corn planting.

Cotton producers in Mississippi have been reminded by Extension cotton agronomist Dr. Tom Barber that soil testing and variety selection are the two items at the top of the “to-do” list this year. Consistent with the message delivered in the Southeast Region the last several years, Dr. Barber informed cotton growers that: “Potassium continues to be one of the major deficiency problems at peak bloom during the middle of the growing season. Potassium is also one of the best hedges against a dry summer. High levels of K will increase cotton yield drastically in a dry year.”

Forages and Livestock
Many livestock producers continued to feed hay. Others fed alternative feeds such as corn gluten, corn stalks, soybean by-products, cotton seed, cotton hulls, peanut hulls, rice mill feed, and dried distillers grain (DDG) to make up for the poor pastures and depleted hay supplies. Pastures in Louisiana were in poor to fair condition.

Fruits and Vegetables
Cold fronts moved through Florida, caused temperatures to plunge near freezing, and provided some rain in early March. Cold temperatures have injured some beans, potatoes, squash, and sweet corn. Tomato yields may be hurt by heavy rains and wind-borne sand in some fields. Some cabbage, mixed vegetables, and recent potato plantings also showed damage. Most of the citrus crop escaped serious damage. According to the Florida Agricultural Statistics Service, Valencia orange harvesting started its 3rd week. Grapefruit harvest increased for processing, reaching 1.50 million boxes during the second week of harvest. Navel orange, Sunburst tangerine, and Tangelo harvest decreased during month, and is essentially done for season.

Sugarcane
Louisiana sugarcane was rated in mostly poor condition.

Optimism rules for much of western agriculture for 2007. The water outlook is decent for most of the region during the coming year, except for the southwest region. While 2007 will certainly not be considered a wet year, the situation appears adequate for most regions. The global grain supply is approaching an all-time low and an increase in grain demand is resulting in record high prices. Ethanol plants seem to be springing up all over the region, including a new cellulose-based plant in eastern Idaho.

Milk production increased again last year and projections are for improved prices for dairy products. The demand for high-quality alfalfa is expected to climb, since it is a premier feed for dairy rations. An estimated 20% of California’s 1.1 million acres of alfalfa is Roundup Ready varieties just 18 months after the first herbicide-resistant alfalfas were introduced. And the reason is simple; it is producing more high quality alfalfa with less production cost per acre and the promise of longer stand life. This rapid change is also being observed throughout the region. Cotton acreage continues to decrease as growers continue to shift to more profitable opportunities.

California almond production for the 2006-07 marketing year has increased 22% over the previous year, attaining a new record high 1.092 billion lb. Processing tomatoes look to be in short supply this year, leading to higher contract prices. Potato growers generally had a successful season in 2006 and are optimistic for 2007.

The production value of horticultural crops (including fruit, nuts, vegetables, melons, greenhouse, and nursery products) is forecast by the USDA to grow at an average 2.5% for the next 10 years. However, these same crops continue to face increasing competition from imports.

This is a great time to be involved in production agriculture. The new technology, the new skills, plus the increased demand and price all combine to present new opportunities. Whatever your situation may be, remember that careful management is always essential for making the most of these changing times.