Practices

Planting is the most important trip you’ll make across your fields each year. Some of the biggest and most impactful steps you can take toward reaching your yield potential are completed as soon as your planter leaves the field. Here are 10 things you’ll want to consider before your planter hits the field. 1. Soil temperature Corn can germinate at 50° Fahrenheit, which is one reason that soil temperature is important. Don’t get underway with planting until the average daily temperature reaches 50° and future temperatures are predicted to be adequate for maintaining or increasing that soil temperature. 2. Soil moisture Soil moisture is also critical for proper germination and uniform crop emergence. By placing corn seed into adequate moisture, you have a greater chance of achieving even germination and emergence. During drought years, pre-irrigating soils can eliminate moisture deficit problems. In wet years, be careful driving equipment across the field so you don’t create added soil compaction. 3. Weather forecast Keep a close watch on upcoming weather and how it could affect planted seed. For example, if heavy rains are in the forecast, it may be a good idea to delay planting for a slightly later date. Wait to begin planting until future frost chances are low.  4. Soil type Soil type should also be a consideration when planting. Sandy soils tend to warm up faster than clay soils and have less nutrient and water holding capacity. In some cases, it may be better to plant the sandy soil fields first, as those soils may be drier and warmer. 5. Crusting probability Some fields are prone to crusting issues. If that sounds like some of your fields, consider planting when less rainfall is in the forecast. Keep in mind that scouting emergence issues and taking appropriate action can usually help to alleviate crusting. 6. Emergence vigor Choose corn hybrids rated high in seedling vigor in order to establish the uniform final population desired. This is especially important on farms with a history of soil crusting or when hard rains and high temperatures are in the forecast. 7. Planting depth Because corn seed imbibes 30% of its weight in water to achieve germination, corn should be a half-inch below the soil moisture line to ensure adequate moisture is available. Most seed companies and agronomists agree that corn seed should be planted at a depth between 1.5 inches and 2.5 inches. This depth will ensure that the nodal roots will develop at least 3/4 of an inch below the soil surface. The nodal roots are critical to the healthy establishment of the corn plant’s root system, as they supply the plant with nearly all nutrients during the first two weeks of seedling emergence. When the nodal roots are exposed to heat and air the root system can become compromised, reducing nutrient availability and resulting in yield reduction. 8. Seed-to-soil contact Firm seed-to-soil contact is essential. This will protect against inhibited root growth due to air pockets in the soil and will assist in water availability to begin germination. 9. Planting date When planting dates are later than in previous years, some farmers are prone to rush, often planting into soil conditions that are less than ideal. Any yield loss seen from later planting is often less costly than the soil issues that can result from early planting into poor conditions. 10. Crop residue Crop residue can impact seed depth, seed-to-soil contact and soil temperature. “Hairpinning” corn seed into previous crop residue is a common problem when planting into both no-till cropping systems and conventional tillage. This can result in skips of the final stand and cause delayed seedling emergence. And, finally, stay calm. Keep all these factors in mind, but remember that common sense plays an important role in determining what is best for every scenario. Always have your planting equipment in the best condition possible. Take time to check behind the planter and make any adjustments necessary to accomplish your final stand population. Monitors do not find all planter issues. And when in doubt, remember that making the right planting decisions is what helps you reach your maximum yield potential. Copyright © 2014 - 2023 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN” are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state/provincial law to use any crop protection product other than in accordance with its label. The distribution, sale and use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. It is your responsibility to confirm prior to purchase and use that a product is labeled for your specific purposes, including, but not limited to, your target crop or pest and its compatibility with other products in a tank mix.

All you need is your yield monitor files, your soil samples, and your state's crop nutrient removal figures to carefully manage both your crop yields and your input budgets. Here's how. Yield monitors have dramatically increased our ability to improve nutrient management on each and every field. Historically, nutrient recommendations were based on yield goals chosen by farmers, which often meant that they were based on a farmer’s aspirational yield, rather than the actual needs and reasonable expectations of a field’s yield potential. In some cases, this led to massive over-applications of fertilizers which, beyond costing farmers a lot of money, has also had negative impacts on water systems across the country. Getting the right nutrients , in the right amount, to the right part of the field is the key cost-effective nutrient management, and one powerful tool in identifying those factors is your yield files. Yield monitor data allows farmers to accurately replace the nutrients that have been removed from the soil by the previous crops by showing them exactly where nutrients were removed. Top yielding areas within a field remove more nutrients, so it’s generally safe to assume that in a field with big variations in yields, you’ll need to change your application rate within the field to make sure you get the nutrients to where they’ve been removed. If farmers aren’t careful to replenish these nutrients, field fertility will decline, decreasing the yield potential in the field every year.   Organizing Yield Monitor Data Organizing your yield monitor data into zones can be a valuable way to determine the amount of nutrients that are removed from an area in a cropping year. These zones can be defined in multiple ways; by soil types, grids, aerial imagery, historic yield data, etc. The smaller your chosen zones are, the more accurately you’ll be able to apply replacement nutrients, within the limitations of equipment and time. [READ: 8 Ways to Track Your Farm Data Throughout the Season] Soil Tests If soil test data is available for the field and can be summarized for each zone, the rates can be adjusted so that excess applications will not waste the input and zones with low soil test values can have higher rates applied to increase yield potential and fertilizer efficiency. More antiquated methods of determining applications, like the whole field yield goals previously discussed, tend to average out applications across fields. You'll often end up applying less than what is needed in high-yielding areas, possibly crippling your yield potential for the coming seasons, while over-applying and wasting fertilizer in low-yielding areas.   [READ: How to Read a Soil Analysis Test] Crop Nutrient Removal Numbers Crop nutrient removal numbers vary between states, and more information on crop nutrient removal numbers can be found at state agricultural extension service pages online. The USDA also has compiled a list of removal rates and has created tools to access the information ( https://plants.usda.gov/npk/main ).   Using these defined removal factors, each zone in your field can be treated as an independent field and have its own recommendation calculated so that you can have more confidence that you’re getting nutrients exactly where they’re needed most. The best way to check your nutrient application strategy on any zone in the field is to soil sample on a regular basis (most recommendations suggest a four year soil test rotation for all fields) and keep records of all inputs between sampling cycles. By using precision application methods to apply nutrients, you can use your crop nutrient removal numbers, your application totals, and your soil sample information to determine if your application strategy is really helping you replenish your soil’s nutrients, and ensure your soil reaches and maintains its peak fertility. Looking For Crop Nutrition Products? If you're purchasing  soil prebiotics ,  soil probiotics ,  high uptake nutrients  or other  crop nutrition products  to improve your soil, FBN Direct®  offers a range of solutions available for delivery directly to your farm. Shop online 24/7 with full insight into pricing and discounts upfront — no rebates required.  Copyright © 2014 - 2023 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, “FBN Direct” are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. FBN Direct products and services and other products distributed by FBN Direct are offered by FBN Inputs, LLC and are available only in states where FBN Inputs, LLC is licensed and where those products are registered for sale or use, if applicable. If applicable, please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Nothing contained on this page, including the prices listed should be construed as an offer for sale, or a sale of products. All products and prices are subject to change at any time and without notice. Terms and conditions apply. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its label. The distribution, sale and use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any information provided on this page or which is provided by us in any form. It is your responsibility to confirm prior to purchase and use that a product is labeled for your specific purposes, including, but not limited to, your target crop or pest and its compatibility with other products in a tank mix and that the usage of a product is otherwise consistent with federal, state and local laws. We reserve the right to restrict sales on a geographic basis in our sole discretion. You must have a valid applicator license to use restricted use pesticides. Please consult your state department of agriculture for complete rules and regulations on the use of restricted use pesticides, as some products require specific record-keeping requirements. All product recommendations and other information provided is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for consulting the product label or for specific agronomic, business, or professional advice. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, consult with a qualified advisor. Neither Farmer's Business Network Inc. nor any of its affiliates makes any representations or warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the statements or any information contained in the material and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed.

With today’s low commodity prices, you may be thinking about planting fewer corn acres and more soybean acres. If so, you might want to consider growing yellow field peas. Growing Yellow Field Peas We chose to grow yellow field peas on our farm for the past three years to diversify our typical corn-soybean rotation and as a “defensive” crop. While yellow field peas are not overly profitable, the agronomic benefits for subsequent crops carry significant value. This is especially true on non-irrigated acres where annual precipitation is 20 inches or less. Water use efficiency for the crop following yellow field peas is much higher. On our non-irrigated acres, we’ve also seen higher corn yields and improved plant health following peas. I’ve heard from other pea producers, anecdotally, that peas can provide benefits for the following two growing seasons.  Plus, yellow field peas can be planted and harvested much earlier than corn or soybeans. This allows us to spread out our planting and harvest windows, minimizing risk and reducing the stress that the planting and harvest season typically bring. Where we are in central Nebraska, planting peas gives us a much larger fall seeding window, which gives it an advantage over wheat, which can be difficult to get established after soybean harvest in the fall. If you practice summer fallow or are open to exploring a multi-species cover crop, field peas are a crop that you should consider. How To Grow Yellow Field Peas We use a John Deere 1990 air seeder with 7.5” spacing to drill peas at a 300-350k population. A thick stand is important for yield and season-long weed control, so I haven’t seeded any wider than 10” spacing.  Field peas can tolerate much colder conditions than corn or soybeans, so on our farm, we target the end of March to the first week in April for our planting window. This allows for bloom/pollination to wrap up before the bulk of the summer heat arrives, and then we harvest in late July to early August. Our fertilizer program is pretty basic. Peas are a legume, so a typical soybean fertilizing program works great. At a minimum, we apply 100-150 pounds of MAP per acre. Being a legume, peas do use a lot of calcium. We use gypsum to get calcium and sulfur into our fertilizer mix. The remainder of our fertilizer mix is dependent on the soil’s needs based on sampling we do every 3-4 years. [READ: Give Your Fields The Nutrients They Need] Pea inoculant, another important factor, is different than soybean inoculant. Particularly when we first started planting peas, we were sure to double inoculate. The peat-based inoculant is cheap, so the more the merrier as long as it doesn’t hurt seed flow during planting. Our seed dealer is able to provide us with this inoculant.  We’ve had good success controlling weeds with a pre-emerge pass of Spartan Charge. This herbicide costs around $20/ac plus application costs. We did attempt a post-emerge application of a Raptor and Basagran mix once when kochia was getting a little thick with limited success considering cost. A high seeding rate and a thick stand is your best bet for season-long weed control. Most dry, edible bean herbicide programs will work for peas (i.e. Dual and Outlook). Of course, consult your herbicide dealer and/or agronomist for the best options for your region.  Harvest is very similar to soybean harvest with a few exceptions. To ensure a consistent harvest without a lot of green peas or green weeds to contend with, we sometimes use a desiccant, such as Gramoxone, to terminate the field.  We typically use a flex head for soybean harvest, and it also works great for field pea harvest. If you invested in a flex draper head, you might want to borrow a neighbor’s standard flex head. Peas tie themselves together using their tendrils and won’t flow into the combine using a flex draper. They can actually roll right over the head and you’ll have a mess in a hurry.  We harvest peas at a slightly higher moisture than soybeans to reduce shattering and splits which could result in dockage at the elevator. If we’re going to handle the grain more than once or twice, we use a conveyor instead of metal augers, which will damage the grain even more. This is also true when handling seed at planting. [READ: 5 Things You Need to Know Before Planting] Do We Make any Money on Field Peas? For a quick profit analysis, our annual costs (above) can run around $200/ac, and if we grow 50 bu/ac and sell them at $6/bu, which nets us about $100/ac.  Of course, this doesn’t account for the agronomic benefits for the next crop or two, which are more difficult to quantify without long term studies. As yellow field peas are non-proprietary, we’ve recently begun holding back and cleaning enough seed for the next year. There is a little risk and more logistical issues, but we estimate we’re saving about $20-$25/ac. Is There a Market for Yellow Field Peas? This is typically the first question that I am asked when discussing yellow field pea production. In central Nebraska, nearly every acre is corn, soybeans, wheat, or alfalfa. There is a more developed market for peas in the Nebraskan panhandle where small grains and pulse crops are more prevalent. Gavilon built a pea processing facility in Hastings, Nebraska, so hopefully this will create a more stable market for field peas. What are Yellow Field Peas Used For? Peas are a great protein source. If I had my own small cattle or hog operation, I think feeding peas would be a good option since they are a balanced protein. When sold to an elevator, yellow field peas likely go to a dog or cat food manufacturer or are ground and used in vegetarian protein powders. If they are higher quality peas and considered food-grade, then you might even find them in a can of split pea soup at your local grocery store! If you’d like to learn more about why you should consider field peas in your operation please feel free to contact me at claygovier@gmail.com . Copyright © 2014 - 2023 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, “FBN Direct” are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. The views expressed in this article are the author's alone, and not those of Farmer's Business Network, Inc., its affiliates or members. As such, neither Farmer's Business Network, Inc. nor any of its affiliates makes any representations or warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the statements or any information contained in the material and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed. 

These pre-season tasks will help you and your operators make the most of your precision equipment. When you back your planter into the shop to do pre-planting checks, you should do the same with your planting monitor. While you’re drawing up your planting schedule and prepping your team, here are a few steps to make it a great season:  1. Determine your farm's optimal planting conditions and timing.   By analyzing past yields, FBN can help you identify your farm’s historically optimal planting temperature. In FBN Seed Finder, you can check daily soil temperatures and see seed response to planting temperature and date.  2. Find your optimal planting speed and seeding rate with the Analyze My Operation tool. FBN analyzes your farm’s data to find multi-year trends across your operation in order to effectively determine your planter’s most yield-efficient speed and highest yielding seeding rate. Planting too quickly can cost you real yield dollars, so make sure all your team members know your farm’s unique speed limit! 3. Determine your prescription accuracy to see how well you’ve executed your planting prescriptions in the past. Factors like excessive planting speed, complex prescriptions, high seeding rates and difficult terrain can affect the accuracy of your prescriptions. FBN analyzes planter data to identify your equipment’s effective performance range, both on the field level and across your whole operation.  4. Know whether your prescriptions have been properly inputted and tested. All manufacturers have their own best practices on how prescriptions need to be written, so meet with your Precision Ag Specialist for specific use information and tips for your software. You should have your prescriptions written and inputted to your monitors as early as possible. Your specialist should have insight on what challenges exist and can even contact your prescription provider to write prescriptions for your operation. 5. Identify and understand software updates for your monitor or GPS. Even when software updates are available (for example, Precision Planting requires yearly updates to access the most current database of varieties) your technician may recommend another, more reliable version for your specific area or needs. Open houses or clinics are a great resource to make sure that your displays are up-to-date and properly calibrated.  Once you’ve nailed down all the pre-planting information you need, check out the 5 Steps to Optimize Planting Data Collection for tips on calibrating your precision equipment for optimal data collection. Copyright © 2014 - 2023 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN” are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state/provincial law to use any crop protection product other than in accordance with its label. The distribution, sale and use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. It is your responsibility to confirm prior to purchase and use that a product is labeled for your specific purposes, including, but not limited to, your target crop or pest and its compatibility with other products in a tank mix.

Corn plants use large quantities of nitrogen (N) to grow and yield. Corn removes 1 pound of nitrogen for every bushel of grain produced, so a 200-bushel corn crop requires about  200 to 250 pounds  nitrogen per acre i.e., roughly 1 to 1.25 pounds nitrogen per bushel corn harvested. Each Growth Stage Requires Different Nitrogen Amounts Corn will accumulate 65% of the total nitrogen need by the time flowering begins. In the seedling stage of corn growth through V5 (5 leaf), corn plants have taken in approximately 10% of total nitrogen needed. It may be the most important 10% used because ear size, as well as both rows around and row length, are developing then. A shortage of nitrogen at V5 can cause reduced ear size formation and lessen yield potential, which cannot be reversed as the plant continues to grow. During the rapid growth stage, or V6 (6 leaf) to V18 (18 leaf), corn will absorb up to 8 pounds of nitrogen per acre per day. If environmental conditions are right, corn plants can grow more than 4 inches per day. A nitrogen shortage at this stage of corn development can result in a significant and permanent yield loss. Look for yellowing corn leaves and any aborted kernels on the ear tips as symptoms of a nitrogen deficiency. Benefits of Nitrogen for Corn Nitrogen plays a major role for corn production because it is a major component of amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins. Nitrogen will help corn reach its genetic yield potential. [READ: Get More Out of Your N Applications Using a Nitrogen Stabilizer] How Much Nitrogen Is Too Much Nitrogen? Nitrogen is one of the most expensive nutrients applied in corn production. That is typically due to the quantity of N that corn requires. It makes sense not to over-apply from an efficiency standpoint, but over-applying nitrogen can have a negative effect on yield, too. Stalk rot diseases flourish in high nitrogen environments and can cause premature plant death and stalk lodging, which makes machine harvest difficult and can cause some grain loss. Get Nitrogen Credits Where You Can Once a reasonable yield goal has been established for your crop, credits for residual nitrogen from a soil and water analysis (if you’re growing irrigated corn) can be deducted from the total amount of nitrogen your crop needs . If a legume crop was grown in rotation, you should deduct a reasonable credit for estimated nitrogen produced naturally by those plants. Also, be sure to deduct any nitrogen applied as a starter fertilizer and any nitrogen used as a herbicide carrier. [READ: How Can the Maximum Return to Nitrogen Calculator Increase Your Profit Potential?] Applying Just Enough Nitrogen Split applications of nitrogen prevents nitrogen losses from leaching and other volatilization issues, and they are more efficient than applying the total amount of nitrogen required as preplant. This time of year, sidedressing nitrogen will soon be completed. However, if you’re injecting nitrogen through a pivot, now is the time to apply so you can reduce your chances of not being able to do so later due to rain. All in all, it is best to have all of your nitrogen applied to corn before R1 (or silk emergence) because nitrogen applied after that stage is not as efficient and generally has little, if any, impact on your final yield. Want to Learn How to Spray Like the Pros? Want to learn what the pros know so you can do it yourself? Get experts tips on how to make the most of your chemical spray application and how to do your own applications with our free guide,  Spraying Tips for the DIY Farmer . Copyright © 2014 - 2023 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, “FBN Direct” are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. FBN Direct products and services and other products distributed by FBN Direct are offered by FBN Inputs, LLC and are available only in states where FBN Inputs, LLC is licensed and where those products are registered for sale or use, if applicable. If applicable, please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Nothing contained on this page, including the prices listed should be construed as an offer for sale, or a sale of products. All products and prices are subject to change at any time and without notice. Terms and conditions apply. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its label. The distribution, sale and use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any information provided on this page or which is provided by us in any form. It is your responsibility to confirm prior to purchase and use that a product is labeled for your specific purposes, including, but not limited to, your target crop or pest and its compatibility with other products in a tank mix and that the usage of a product is otherwise consistent with federal, state and local laws. We reserve the right to restrict sales on a geographic basis in our sole discretion. You must have a valid applicator license to use restricted use pesticides. Please consult your state department of agriculture for complete rules and regulations on the use of restricted use pesticides, as some products require specific record-keeping requirements. All product recommendations and other information provided is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for consulting the product label or for specific agronomic, business, or professional advice. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, consult with a qualified advisor. Neither Farmer's Business Network Inc. nor any of its affiliates makes any representations or warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the statements or any information contained in the material and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed.

Are you ready for planting? Follow these three helpful steps to get high quality data this season. 1. Name your farms and fields consistently between your monitor and your FBN® account. Tip: To make sure everyone on your team uses the same names for consistency across all operators, list out your field names and make sure the list is visible in the cab for everyone to reference. 2. As you start planting on each field, double check to ensure you’ve entered the full seed name with traits into your monitor and that you are successfully recording seeding rate and speed. Tip : Enter your seed data prior to planting to help FBN better match seeds in your account for analysis later in the season. 3. After planting, transmit planting data to your FBN account by exporting raw data from the monitor and easily uploading it to your account.  Tip : For more information on importing data, check out FBN FAQs .  Copyright © 2014 - 2023 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN” are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc.

Ready to maximize your farm’s profit potential? You know that a healthy, rich soil will give you the best opportunity to achieve high yields. After you’ve collected a quality soil sample and delivered it to a soils laboratory of your choice, what comes next? Reviewing your soil analysis test!  The soil analysis report that you will receive back from the lab should consist of all the attributes of the soil test you selected when you sent off your samples. This can include a fertilizer recommendation for achieving the yield goal of the commodity to be grown, which are usually based on local university research for your particular area. But each laboratory can adjust these recommendations based on your specific needs and their expertise. The quantity and quality of information you receive for the cost of the analysis makes soil testing a terrific value. [READ: How Does Soil Productivity Determine Land Value?] Understanding Elements in my Soil Test Report Elements reported on a standard soil test include both macronutrients and micronutrients . Their saturations are reported in parts per million (ppm). With the exception of nitrogen, simply multiplying ppm by two will equal pounds per acre of each nutrient. 1. Nitrogen Nitrogen is tested as nitrate (NO3) form only, unless requested otherwise. By multiplying the analysis ppm number by 0.3 per inch of soil sample depth, you can determine the total pounds of nitrogen in the soil. For example: 8 inch soil sample depth equals 0.3 X 8 = 2.4 If 12 ppm of NO3 is reported, then multiplied by 2.4 equates to 28.8 pounds of nitrate nitrogen in the soil, which means your nitrogen applied should be effectively reduced by 28.8 pounds from total N needed to grow your next crop. 2. Phosphorus (P) Soils with 25 to 35 ppm P is typically adequate on most soils. There are three common analysis methods to evaluate the presence of soil phosphorus: Bray test is best with neutral and low pH soils Olsen test is used on high pH soils (this test generally reports phosphorus at lower levels) Mehlich III test can be used on most pH values of cropping soils 3. Sulfur (S) Sulfur is measured as sulfate, which is the available form of sulfur the plant can use. Sulfate is also subject to leaching. For most common soil types, soils with a range of 7-15 ppm S are considered adequate. 4. Zinc (Zn) Soil tests can also predict if adding zinc will impact your plant health and crop yields. The desired ppm for zinc ranges from 1.0 to 3.0. 5. Iron (Fe) Iron ppm of 10-20 is typically common on most soils. Iron chlorosis is a problem with iron shortage and high pH issues, so applying additional iron could potentially help to alleviate any iron chlorosis problems you might see. 6. Manganese (Mn) Manganese at 8-11 ppm is typically sufficient. Mn availability is influenced by soil pH, and low pH can increase Mn availability, while high pH can lessen it. 7. Copper (Cu) Plants only need a small amount of copper. Copper at 0.8-1.0 is adequate for most crops. The majority of the copper deficiencies occur in highly acidic soils. 8. Potassium (K) The soil test measures the exchangeable potassium in the soil. Look for a minimum of 165-220 ppm to supply the needed amounts of potassium to maximize production. 9. Calcium (Ca) Calcium is typically plentiful in soils with pH of 6.0 and higher; however, calcium can be applied as gypsum and not affect soil pH. Calcium ppm of 1400 or higher is generally right for most crops. 10. Magnesium (Mg) Magnesium is often adequate in soils with a pH 6.5 and higher, though magnesium at 100 ppm or more is acceptable. 11. Sodium (Na) This part of the analysis is primarily for use in repairing saline or alkali soils. Sodium is not a soil nutrient— adding other elements, such as gypsum or elemental sulfur, will help with water infiltration to flush away the sodium you have present. The range for sodium in most common soil types is typically 80-120 ppm. [Watch FBN® Vice President of Research and Development Matt Meisner explain how farmers ensure healthier soil through the power of FBN data .] What Other Information Is Included in a Soil Analysis Test? In addition to each element level that will be reported back, you will also receive a few other important soil characteristics as well: 1. Soil pH This a measure of acidity or alkalinity of your soil on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7.0 soil pH being neutral. Soils with a pH below 7.0 are acidic, while soils with a pH above 7.0 are alkaline. The pH is important because nutrient uptake can be affected when pH is too high or low. Row crops are typically most efficient with pH between 6.2 and 7.2. Outside of these pH parameters, certain crops can have a difficult time absorbing essential nutrients. With a low pH (less than 6.0), it may be necessary to apply calcium to adjust pH upward. Lowering the soil pH is a more difficult and expensive task — sometimes, an application of elemental sulfur can be used to lower soil pH. 2. Buffer pH This is not a characteristic of the soil. Instead, when a soil’s pH is below 5.8, this characteristic is used to estimate the lime (Ca) required to correct the soil pH to around 7.0. That is the only reason it is reported on your soil test analysis, and only on soils with a pH below 5.8. 3. Soluble Salts This measures the electrical conductivity of the soil solution to determine the risk of salt injury to plants. Soluble salts are largely affected by environmental conditions — soils that contain high salt content are called saline soils (NaCl). Soils high in sodium (Na) are referred to as sodic soils.  Salts can accumulate due to excessive fertilizer applications, poor quality irrigation water, or limited rainfall. With proper soil drainage accompanied by rainfall or irrigation, the salt can sometimes be flushed out of the root zone to correct the problem. Don’t be too concerned about correcting soluble salts unless they are reported over .75 mmhos/cm (millimhos per centimeter, which is the basic unit of measure of electrical conductivity in soil) on your analysis. 4. Excess Lime This a measurement of the amount of free lime in the soil. The reading can be important in your herbicide selection and fertilizer applications, so that you can avoid product tie-ups with the calcium present — which would render it ineffective and unavailable to your plants. 5. Organic Matter (OM) Generally speaking, the higher the organic matter, the healthier the soil. This is reported as a percent, and it measures the the ability of the soil to supply nutrients, water, and other physical wellbeing to growing plants. Organic matter accumulation is a slow process. Reduced tillage has been shown to have a positive impact on organic matter and soil tilth. Row crops should be at around 2.5% OM or higher, though it is not uncommon for sandy soils to be lower. 6. Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) This measures the ability of the soil to store and release nutrients. This number also helps to define the soil’s texture and composition. Sandy soil to loam soil CEC will vary from 1 to 40, but the most common range is from 13-25 CEC. 7. Percent Base Saturation Percent base saturation is closely related to CEC and pH. This measurement indicates the nutrient supply and balance of cations for K, Mg, Ca, H, and Na. Soils with a high percent base saturation can be more fertile because they often have a higher pH, and can contain greater amounts of these nutrients for use by plants. [READ: The Pros and Cons of Spring vs. Fall Soil Tests] What Should I Do Next? Although no soil analysis is perfect, the information and insight from a soil test can help you to improve your nutrient efficiency, diagnose in-season plant deficiencies, and ultimately prevent unnecessary yield loss. To make the best fertilizer applications on your fields, consult with your independent agronomist or fertility specialist. If your next step is to purchase soil prebiotics , soil probiotics , or other crop nutrition products to improve your soil following your analysis report results, FBN Direct® offers a range of solutions available for delivery directly to your farm. Shop online 24/7 with full insight into pricing and discounts upfront - no rebates required. Copyright © 2014 - 2023 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”,“FBN Direct” are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. FBN Direct products and services and other products distributed by FBN Direct are offered by FBN Inputs, LLC and are available only in states where FBN Inputs, LLC is licensed and where those products are registered for sale or use, if applicable. If applicable, please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Nothing contained on this page, including the prices listed should be construed as an offer for sale, or a sale of products. All products and prices are subject to change at any time and without notice. Terms and conditions apply. Please note, this information is not intended as an agronomic recommendation, nor are we making any such recommendation. Always consult an independent agronomist if you are unsure of agronomic decisions on your operation. The reader is solely and exclusively responsible for determining the suitability of any product for his/her intended use, following the product label for proper handling and use, and for complying with all applicable local, state, and federal law. This information is a summary of product information and should not be used as a replacement for consulting the applicable product label. Please consult the label for the most complete and up-to-date information about any referenced product.

What Is Glufosinate?  Glufosinate is a post emergence, non-selective herbicide for broadcast use on canola, corn, cotton, and soybean crops designated as LibertyLink® or glufosinate tolerant.  Glufosinate herbicide has been around in various formulations for many years, dating all the way back to the 1990s with the introduction of Liberty® herbicide products .  Today farmers have access to formulations from many different manufacturers, some packaging the same active ingredients under multiple brand names. This is often because products may be labeled for different uses, which is why it’s extremely important to read and follow the label instructions when selecting herbicides. [Find herbicides to control yield-robbing weeds and grasses on FBN Direct®.] Glufosinate Brands Available on the Market The following examples use the same active ingredient— 24.5% glufosinate ammonium —but may be labeled differently as to where they can be applied: Willowood Glufosinate 280SL Liberty® 280 SL Ignite® 280 SL Rely® 280 Cheetah® Herbicide Glufosinate Tolerant Soybeans Combination herbicide tolerances are also available, stacking glufosinate with other herbicide chemistries. Enlist™ E3 and others have the glufosinate trait combined with other herbicide traits. Confirm on the seed tag that glufosinate and other herbicides are approved for application. How to Apply Glufosinate After carefully reviewing the label on the product you plan to use, you can apply glufosinate throughout the growing season in conjunction with crop height restrictions as a post-emergence application product on tolerant crops. (To avoid severe crop injury, do not apply glufosinate post-emergence to non-tolerant crops.)  Glufosinate herbicides can be applied as a standalone burndown herbicide in the fall and spring, but it is better to tank mix with different herbicide modes of action to reduce chances of seeing resistant weeds in your fields. Remember to always perform a jar test to confirm compatibility of tank-mixed products. No matter when you plan to apply glufosinate, always remember to add the appropriate adjuvant and surfactant. Rates and approved adjuvants can vary by region and tank mix partners; consult the herbicide label to figure out what you need in your area.  FBN.com features an adjuvant recommendation tool to help farmers understand what products are labeled to be used with specific herbicides, like glufosinate.  For products such as Willowood Glufosinate 280SL , the recommended Farmers First™ adjuvants to incorporate are Even™ 34L , IN-Zorb™ ADV or FieldGrip™ DRA .  Lastly, keep excellent records during spring planting to ensure you know where you’ve planted specific tolerant crops and promote a positive experience with glufosinate. [Delay Herbicide Resistance in Weeds with These 7 Tactics] Looking for Solutions to Weed Pressures? With FBN Direct , you can easily purchase a broad range of key ag chemical products online — including glufosinate . With direct to farm delivery (including flexible scheduling based on your availability), transparent list pricing, special pricing offers and a range of exclusive discount opportunities, FBN Direct is here to help you achieve significant savings for your ag operation this season.  Copyright © 2014 - 2023 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, “FBN Direct” are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. Enlist E3™ is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Glufosinate 280SL and Glufosinate 280SL (OT) are registered trademarks of Willowood USA, LLC/Generic Crop Science LLC. Liberty ® 280 SL by Bayer CropScience LP, Ignite ® 280 SL and Rely ® 280 are registered trademarks of Bayer CropScience LP. Cheetah ® Herbicide and Leopard™ Herbicide are registered trademarks of Nufarm Inc. FBN Direct products and services and other products distributed by FBN Direct are offered by FBN Inputs, LLC and are available only in states where FBN Inputs, LLC is licensed and where those products are registered for sale or use, if applicable. If applicable, please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Nothing contained on this page, including the prices listed should be construed as an offer for sale, or a sale of products. All products and prices are subject to change at any time and without notice. Terms and conditions apply. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its label. The distribution, sale and use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/ or state law and is strictly prohibited. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any information provided on this page or which is provided by us in any form. It is your responsibility to confirm prior to purchase and use that a product is labeled for your specific purposes, including, but not limited to, your target crop or pest and its compatibility with other products in a tank mix and that the usage of a product is otherwise consistent with federal, state and local laws. We reserve the right to restrict sales on a geographic basis in our sole discretion. You must have a valid applicator license to use restricted use pesticides. Please consult your provincial department of agriculture for complete rules and regulations on the use of restricted use pesticides, as some products require specific record-keeping requirements. Any product recommendations or preselected bundles are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for consulting the applicable product label or independently determining the appropriate product offerings and quantities for your operation. Product Use Statement: Enlist E3® soybeans contain the Enlist E3 trait that provides crop safety for use of labeled over-the-top applications of glyphosate, glufosinate and 2,4-D herbicides featuring Colex-D® technology when applied according to label directions. Following burndown, the only 2,4-D containing herbicide products that may be used with Enlist™ crops are products that feature Colex-D technology and are expressly labeled for use on enlist crops. 2,4-D products that do not contain Colex-D technology are not authorized for use in conjunction with Enlist E3 soybeans. Warning: Enlist E3 soybeans are tolerant of over-the top applications of glyphosate, glufosinate, and 2,4-D. Accidental application of incompatible herbicides to this variety could result in total crop loss. When using 2,4-D herbicides, grower agrees to only use 2,4-D products that contain Colex-D technology authorized for use in conjunction with Enlist E3 soybeans. Always read and follow herbicide label directions prior to use. YOU MUST SIGN A TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT, READ THE PRODUCT USE GUIDE PRIOR TO PLANTING AND FOLLOW HERBICIDE RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT (HRM) REQUIREMENTS. The transgenic event in the Enlist E3® soybean is protected under Corteva Agriscience and M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. Patent Rights which can be found at: www.corteva.us/Resources/trait-stewardship.html. The transgenic event in the Enlist E3® soybean event in Enlist E3® soybeans is jointly developed and owned by Dow AgroSciences LLC and M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. ®™ Enlist, Enlist E3, the Enlist E3 logo and Colex-D are trademarks of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Please read the M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. Use Restriction Agreement located at: - http://www.mstechseed.com/use-restriction-agreement/  FBN recommendations regarding seed placement are based on field observations collected by FBN Direct, provided by FBN suppliers, contributed by member farmers or are consistent with local established agronomic practices. Individual results and performance may vary depending on local growing, soil, weather conditions, commodity prices.

This panel was originally presented live at Farmer2FarmerVI in Omaha, NE.  Sign up to be first in line for Farmer2FarmerVII by clicking here.  Times have changed for biologicals. Once thought of as just an option for organics, biologicals are now mainstream – used in both conventional and organic operations. Get the latest insight on the state of biologicals, learn how to determine if biological products could help and understand which biological products producers are finding success with. Featured Speakers: Neil McCormick: Global Product Development Manager, Biologicals & Adjuvants at FBN Pat Duncanson: Partner, Highland Family Farms Spencer Stensrude: CEO, Ag Ventures Alliance Ben Pederson: Proprietor, Vital Grains LLC Neither FBN nor its affiliates endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, opinion, product, or service referenced by third parties during Farmer2Farmer. Copyright © 2014 - 2022 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, "Farmers First", “FBN Direct” , "F2F", and "F2F Genetics Network" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc.

This panel was originally presented live at Farmer2FarmerVI in Omaha, NE.  Sign up to be first in line for Farmer2FarmerVII by clicking here.  Each of the panelists in this educational Farmer2FarmerVI session is a leader in adopting conservation practices that benefit the long term health and profitability of their farm. In this session, they discuss both their successes and failures in implementing and monetizing regenerative practices, from trying out new equipment to optimizing cover crop usage to participating in new greenhouse gas markets. Watch the discussion to learn from each farmer’s trials, good and bad, in adopting new soil health practices. Featured Speakers: Kurt Alles: Senior Manager, Sustainability at FBN® Trey Hill: Harbor View Farms, Rock Hall, Maryland Mike Neff: Decatur Co, Kansas Jamie Scott: Pierceton, Indiana To learn more about sustainability at FBN, click here. Copyright © 2014 - 2022 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, and “FBN” are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc.  Neither FBN nor its affiliates endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, opinion, product, or service referenced by third parties during Farmer2Farmer.