What should farmers know when planning their crops management this year?
Taking a look at how the agriculture supply chain, the 2025 weather forecast, and pest predictions could potentially affect agriculture, this post explains how farmers can prepare for uncertain supply and demand, pricing pressures, crop nutrition, and crop protection.
“There are a lot of uncertainties affecting agriculture right now. The impact that a new federal administration and agenda, proposed tariffs, inflation, and global demand for U.S. commodities will have on the ag economy are all challenging to predict. This leads to a lot of variability in pricing and supply, among other potential challenges,” says Mitch Roth, FBN® regional proprietary agronomist.
Proposed duties on 2,4-D Ester, for example, will likely lead to a substantial price increase this year, as indicated in FBN’s 2025 Crop Protection Market Outlook Report. A decision on the order is expected in March.
Regardless of what may or may not occur with tariffs, ag chem prices will likely peak in-season, as is typical with the seasonal dynamics of logistics. Purchasing early can help farmers get ahead of potential price increases. Generic crop protection products often can be a cost-saving measure as well.
“It’s a good idea to start developing your 2025 crop plan early and consider buying your herbicides, insecticides, and other chem products now rather than waiting to purchase them in-season,” says Roth. “This could help you avoid potential supply issues or price changes later on.”
“It’s also a good idea to consider strategic adjustments to your chem plan for next season,” says Roth. “Many times farmers will find success with a particular program or a particular product and stick with it no matter what, because it has given them success in their weed control. However, there are likely many products that will have the same — or similar effect — and can be a lot more cost effective.”
La Niña — a weather event that typically leads to heavy rain and cold weather in the Pacific Northwest and drought and warm weather in the South — is expected to be weak this winter but not without impact. The year will start out with recognizable La Niña conditions but return to ENSO neutral conditions likely by March–May, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
“Below normal temperatures are still slightly favored over the Northern Plains and portions of the Upper Midwest while chances of warmer than normal conditions increase over the Ohio Valley and southwest Colorado, following typical La Niña winter impacts,” says the National Weather Service (NWS).
The NWS also forecasts that there will be “above-normal precipitation over portions of the Northern and Central Plains, the Great Lakes, and Ohio Valley.” Meanwhile, expect lower-than-normal precipitation in Colorado and Kansas.
Soil temperature affects the activity of soil microorganisms, which are essential for decomposing organic matter and releasing nutrients. Optimal temperatures promote microbial activity, enhancing nutrient cycling and availability.
Prolonged dry periods can lead to soil compaction, reduced microbial activity, and decreased nutrient availability. Heavy rainfall, on the other hand, can lead to waterlogging, which reduces oxygen availability in the soil and negatively impacts root health and microbial activity. It can also cause nutrient leaching, where essential nutrients are washed away from the root zone.
Farmers can adopt various practices to mitigate the negative impacts of weather on soil fertility, such as cover crops, mulching, tillage, irrigation management, and organic amendments.
“Without balanced fertility, yields will always lag behind the plants’ full potential,” advises Roth.
“There has been a lot of evolution in the crop nutrition space in recent years. Many fertilizers or fertilizer additives now help plants use fertilizers more efficiently, or help plants respond faster to environmental stress and disease pressure,” says Roth. “FBN has been an early supporter of these next-generation fertilizers and additives, with data to demonstrate their effectiveness.”
La Niña’s warmer temperatures in the South allow more pests to survive and reproduce over winter compared to colder years, so insects may be more pervasive in 2025.
Warmer temperatures have been bringing in more corn leafhopper, says Chris Dietrich, Illinois’ chief entomologist and a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Likewise, La Niña has been known to create more favorable conditions for corn rootworm egg survival.
La Niña can also create a breeding ground for aphids, which can wreak havoc on wheat fields.
Conduct regular field scouting and stay updated on management practices to control pests.
“We can help you solve problems by presenting tools and resources,” says Roth. “Resources like Pest Solutions pages provide context on weed, insect, and disease problems, and provide different solutions for each of them.”
“The best thing a farmer can do is plan ahead. Consider what plans you have used in the past, and examine alternatives. Weigh the pros and cons of old plans and new plans, and choose the one that you are most comfortable with,” says Roth.
“While FBN always tries to provide high-quality inputs at fair prices, we also provide a lot of value in other ways,” says Roth. “We can help save you time by doing price comparisons for you. We actively compare our prices to other prices on the open market, and provide these prices directly on our product pages 24/7.”
“FBN has a lot of free tools to help you plan your year,” he says. “Tools like AcrePlanSM present farmers with a workflow that suggests multiple options to tackle similar problems. Some products will be familiar to you, and others may not be. Learning about what options are at your disposal gives you the power to control costs more effectively, while still achieving your goals and solving your weed problems.”
“This tool extends beyond weed control, presenting options for you to alter your in-furrow fertility program, disease-control plan, and foliar feed strategies to develop a comprehensive approach to your acres — all while tabulating a cost per acre in real time,” says Roth.
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Written by Stephanie Nikolopoulos, assisted by NormSM.
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