In this fifth session, Kurt Steinke, MSU Extension field crop soil fertility specialist, and Jon LaPorte, MSU Extension farm management educator, focus on “Crop Fertility Decisions—When Less is More and When Less is Less.” Fertilizer is a critical part of a farm’s ability to reach yield goals and frequently one of the largest inputs in the cost of production. Balancing the pursuit of high yields and achieving farm profitability raises the question of how much fertilizer should be applied each year. The Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations is one resource often used to help answer that question. Recently updated with newly released research data, the resource now offers new insight into how producers can address their fertilizer needs. These updates also contain the potential to help farm managers reduce one of the larger costs to their production practices.

In this presentation, Steinke discusses the updates to the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations. This includes the research behind the commendations and their impact to your farm’s agronomic needs. LaPorte provides a discussion on how these updates will impact the cost of production, including how to calculate the potential cost savings for your farm and insight into the best times to purchase fertilizer products. Our presenters also talk about the use of nitrogen protectants and their use to protect yield potential and farm profitability.