Fertilizer is the hot topic this year, along with the availability of other crop inputs as well. However, when it comes to corn, having that nitrogen on hand is crucial to having a successful year of raising the crop. The thing is, it is hard to know what information has been accurate and what has been, for a lack of a better term, fertilizer. Rumors sometimes persist about who has supplies and at what price, only for farmers to find out they were heading to a mirage.
Last week, at the Iowa Farm Bureau Annual meeting, I had the chance to sit down with Sam Funk. He is a Senior Economist with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF). We talked about the headaches that have been associated with getting a supply of nitrogen fertilizer.
Funk adds that with the soil types we have, Iowa farmers will be some of the most in-need producers in the country. They will be wanting to secure as much nitrogen fertilizer as possible to grow our all-important corn crop.
Funk also added that while he hates to say, ?I told you so?, it really is the case. The protectionist trade policies that were put into place, and international trade disputes. have helped to cause this problem for American farmers.
Iowa farmers have been resourceful in finding their fertilizer supplies. However, Funk says that there are others who are still looking for supplies. Some may have even prepaid but are getting refunds due to a lack of supply.
Funk says that Iowa farmers have been great at trying to keep each other informed as to who has what, and where they have it.
