While at the University of Saskatchewan studying agricultural economics, there was one concept that was continually drilled into me: ‘You can’t manage what you don’t measure’. There is seemingly no end to the measurement of input costs, profitability, rainfall/soil moisture, disease or insect pressures and land productivity.
Farming has always been an evolution. You don’t have to go back in time very far to see those practices we did 30 years ago seem somewhat archaic compared to what we do now. Changes that have been adopted in zero or minimal tillage, sensor technology, GPS or sectional control have fundamentally altered how farmers grow food. One aspect that seems to be continually evolving is soil nutrition.
Crop nutrition has received a lot of attention lately. The Government of Canada is telling farmers to reduce the use of fertilizer in the future, while also increasing the food supply to feed the growing world. Fertilizer supply has become tighter over the last year due to geopolitical, environmental, and supply-chain issues. The war in Ukraine has exacerbated this, ultimately impacting prices. So, the question then becomes what is the optimal amount of soil nutrition that is needed to grow the optimal crop?
Different farms have adopted different crop nutrition programs, but one practice that increases the known factors in managing your land is soil testing. On our farm, we’ve been using the services of a private soil testing company that looks at available soil nutrients, while also forecasting what nutrients are needed to grow the optimal crop. This has benefited our farm in two ways: one by optimizing the land’s potential to grow each commodity planted, and two by not over or under applying fertilizer, assisting in our financial bottom line.
Soil testing effectively takes the guesswork out of the equation. There are some generalizations that farmers can make over time, but only the soil knows what it needs. A simple five pounds of nitrogen, phosphate, potash or sulphur up or down can make a difference in our crop’s performance as well as our pocketbook.
Applying the right amount of fertilizer is one step in the 4R Nutrient Stewardship designation of the Right Rate, Right Source, Right Time and Right Place. Farmers- or anyone in the industry- who would like to learn more about the 4R Designation Program in Saskatchewan can head to https://fertilizercanada.ca/ 4r-designation.