Soil Testing:

If you don’t have an up-to-date (within the last 3-4 years) set of soil tests, this is the fall to make it happen.  Fertilizer prices are heading the way of fuel prices and there are opportunities to save money without sacrificing crop yields, but it won’t happen without a good set soil of test results.  The per acre per year cost is peanuts compared to potential fertilizer cost savings. 

Manure Hauling:

Livestock manure is getting more valuable with each passing month.  If you don’t already have one, formulate an application plan that will best utilize the N-P-K provided by manure and minimize the amount of purchased fertilizer needed.  It does little good to apply high rates of manure to terminal alfalfa stands when the legume will provide most of the nitrogen needed for a corn crop.  Further, don’t forget that manure left unincorporated (within 72 hours) in the soil loses 25 percent of its potential first-year N value.   

Nitrogen:

Be looking for some slightly revised corn nitrogen recommendations from the UW this winter.  Nothing drastic, but rather more focused on soil factors along with ranges for various corn to N price ratios.  On a related note, some of the national farm press is making a big deal about Illinois redesigning its corn N recommendations away from a yield based system (1.2 lb. N for each expected bu/acre harvested) to a soil based system independent of yield goal.   Are the Illini pioneers in this area?  Not exactly......Wisconsin was the first to initiate such a recommendation program in 1990 on the good advice of Dr. Larry Bundy.  It’s nice to see that it only took our friends to the south 15 years to get it figured out. 

P and K:

Okay, we can maybe reduce our N rates given the miniscule corn to N price ratio, but what about P and K?  Remember, these are different animals than N......not so mobile.  Yes, there may be opportunities to reduce your standard P and K rates for corn and alfalfa, but we again come back to a good set of soil tests to make those decisions.  Fields that test above the optimum level are good candidates for reduced rates.  It won’t work forever, but still an effective way to save bucks in the short-term.