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A focus on soil health
A southern Illinois-based agronomist says focusing on soil health in the midst of an economic downturn can benefit farmers in the long run.
Nick Frederking of AgriGold tells Brownfield: “We always like to check CEC and organic matter to understand the holding capacity of our soil and how much mineralization we can expect in that organic matter throughout the year . When we really get down to the nitty-gritty, phosphorus and potassium are often the two main nutrients we focus on the most.
He says many farmers are considering cost-cutting measures for the 2025 growing season.
“No matter where you decide to reduce input costs, be very aware of what it ultimately means,” he says. “There’s always the dollars and cents that we look at and where we can cut them, but we don’t always think about that other aspect and how that’s going to affect it for the rest of the season.”
Frederking encourages farmers to assess the fertility of their soils to improve their performance next year.
AUDIO: Nick Frederking