Farmers have always been looking for ways to improve their yields and save money. In recent years, the rising costs of traditional fertilizers have made this search even more urgent. Commercial farming operations are feeling the pinch as fertilizer prices continue to climb. As a result, many farmers are exploring alternative methods of fertilization. Some are turning to organic materials such as compost and manure, while others are using new technology to develop more efficient ways of delivering nutrients to their crops. Our AGT-50 is a concentrated fulvic, amino and organic acid formula that extends the reach of your nutrients by making them more bioavailable. It’s a clean and totally soluble addition to your nutrient program whether you are a USDA Organic farmer or use synthetic fertilizers. Whatever the approach, the goal is the same: to maintain high yields while keeping costs down. With the stakes so high, it's no wonder that farmers are working tirelessly to find the best possible solution.
According to Aaron Smith on Ag Data News, “Fertilizer prices approximately doubled between the summer of 2020 and the end of 2021. High fertilizer prices hurt farmers' pocketbooks, especially for fertilizer-intensive crops such as corn. The continued Russian invasion of Ukraine may further drive up prices, although this has not happened yet as far as I can tell.”
The high fertilizer prices are also contributing to rising global food security concerns state Charlotte Hebebrand and David Laborde in a recent article published at the International Food Policy Research Institute.
They write, “Like people, plants need a multitude of nutrients to thrive. These are categorized into micronutrients, such as zinc and iron; secondary macronutrients; such as calcium, sulfur and magnesium; and three primary macronutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Mineral fertilizers provide higher and more plant accessible nutrients, while organic minerals importantly also provide carbon, which contributes to healthy soils. While efforts to reduce nutrient losses to the environment must be continued and stepped up, it bears emphasizing that fertilizers play a crucial role in agricultural productivity.
World market prices for both food and fertilizer (here we focus only on N, P and K) increased significantly over the past year and a half and have climbed to even higher levels following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, hitting their highest levels yet in March.”
Myra Saefong wrote in the April 24, 2022 article, Surging Fertilizer Costs Are Pushing Food Prices Higher, “Fertilizer costs have roughly doubled from a year ago as the war in Ukraine disrupted the flow of supplies from Russia, the world’s largest exporter of the commodity. That has contributed to higher global prices for food, especially corn.
‘Corn is the most fertilizer-intensive crop and is likely to be the most impacted by rising input costs driven by the spike in fertilizer prices,’ says Jeremy Thurm, senior credit research analyst at Aegon Asset Management. Fertilizer is an input cost for most all crops, so those will be affected at some level as well, he says.”
The Bottom Line
Things are bad and they do not look to get better anytime soon. We can help with the rising fertilizer costs with AGT-50, a concentrated formula that extends the reach of your nutrients by making them more bioavailable. It encourages optimal growth in all phases including sprouting, rooting, vegetative growth, and flower development allowing plants to have overall better health, more long-term vigor, and harvestable yield. Growers should consider AGT-50 as it provides long term optimal nutrient availability and increased yields that will allow the grower to optimize their production.
Over time growers will notice fewer nutrients are needed with the addition of AGT-50 because they are more easily transported and utilized by plant cells. Reducing grower input costs and boosting yields translates into increased profits overall.
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To assist with achieving optimal performance, we recommend considering the outstanding results of the above scientific findings. Science has proven again and again that a well-rounded health and growth program can no doubt help you reach your desired outputs.
For more information on AgTonik for livestock, soil, specialty produce, and more, contact us today.