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Being a good steward of the land is a necessity for growers who want to realize optimal yields, maximize profitability and ensure good growing conditions for the next generation.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

You’ve been thinking about the next crop and wondering what to prepare for. Will it be a wet or dry spring, or will a late snow prevent you from getting out into the fields exactly when you’d planned?

From watching a seed transform into a crop awaiting harvest to the curiosity on how a combine separates a seed from a plant, agriculture has a way of instilling a sense of awe and pride in most who grew up living it. At least, this is the case for product service advisor, Chris Buckentin.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

When it comes to input costs, every grower knows that each year will be unique. Between weather, seed, machinery, crop inputs and labor costs, commodity pricing and so much more, growers know they can expect only one thing—the unexpected.

Growers have to make many decisions that can have positive and negative consequences for their crops. What seed hybrid should they plant? When should they irrigate? What pests do they need to spray for this year? But one decision that could have the greatest effect on a grower’s bottom line: skimping or skipping the use of a nitrogen stabilizer to protect their input investment.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

Growers are looking for options to save money. Some may consider reducing costs by not protecting their applied nitrogen, but the numbers won’t add up the way they think they will.

You know that the plant uptake of key nutrients can make or break your crop’s yield potential. Without essential nutrient availability at the root zone, your crop will not reach optimal growth and you could miss out on the payout at harvest. But do you know the critical factors that can impact plant growth?

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

It’s a scenario all growers face during planting season. You’ve seen how last year’s crop performed and strategized on how to better meet next year’s goals. To give your crops the best foot forward from the moment the seed goes in the ground, it’s crucial to consider the nutrients that are needed for early growth.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

Experiencing failure can be discouraging for many, but for Ahmed Iman, failing is just one step closer to succeeding and a lesson learned.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

Fall fertilizer decisions can be one of the most important decisions a grower can make to help boost crop performance and help provide efficiencies when it comes to spring workload.

Post-harvest always comes with a check list of to-dos as growers gear up for the next season. From fall applications, equipment maintenance, learning about new technologies, seed selection and soil nutrient evaluation, fall and winter can be a busy time of year.

Nitrogen management is essential to prevent nutrient loss, maximize yield potential and optimize economic return — it’s especially important when your nitrogen program includes a fall application.

Each year, you put a lot of thought into your operation. Preparing your fields, planning what seed to plant and cultivating your crops with the hopes of getting the most yield potential. But dry conditions during the growing season can put a crimp in those plans.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

Let’s set the scene. Harvest has wrapped up. You’ve met your yield goals and you’ve started marketing your grain. You evaluate the crop's performance and the state of your fields. Before you know it, with the previous crop in mind, it’s time to shift gears to the next crop, moving to understand how the nutrients removed in the harvest portion of the crop align with your current and future fertilizer program.

Growers looking to provide the critical nutrition needed for early crop establishment can now turn to PROTIVATE️ nutritional seed enhancer. With proprietary blends of nutrients applied directly to the seed, PROTIVATE is tailored to maximize emergence and resilience for a variety of crops.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

Transient Deficiency: A short-term deficiency with potential long-term impacts. A simple way to explain what could quickly become an issue a crop may face each season.

Don’t discount manganese when it comes to a nutrient management plan for crop production.

One of the most satisfying sights to witness is the vibrant green sprouts of a crop emerging from the soil. It’s a scene that portrays the hard work, sweat and days of meticulous planning in physical form.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

Many growers across the U.S. haven’t turned a wheel this spring. Spring rains, and in certain parts of the country cold conditions with snowfall and cool soils, have delayed field work this season.

When it comes to being a farmer, it is no secret that unpredictability and challenges are a way of life. In fact, most of a farmer’s attention will typically be directed toward applying inputs, controlling pests and weeds, and attempting to analyze weather forecasts.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

As an innovator for agronomic solutions, Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) consistently strives toward being the crop nutrient enhancement leader by empowering our employees. With this, the KAS team is dedicated to the agriculture industry—some even outside their career.

Change brings you an opportunity to learn new things. Some people are scared of change, but not Doug DeGroot.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

Copper is an essential micronutrient for plant nutrition and is needed for successful crop production.

Among the many limiting factors growers face as they search for higher yields, nutrients are one factor that shouldn’t be overlooked.

When it comes to farming, controlling limiting factors is a critical component to reaching maximum yield potential and improve your operation’s bottom line.

As an innovator for agronomic solutions, Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) consistently strives toward being the crop nutrient enhancement leader by empowering our employees. With this, the KAS team is dedicated to the agriculture industry—some even outside their career.

As an innovator for agronomic solutions, Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) consistently strives toward being the crop nutrient enhancement leader by empowering our employees. With this, the KAS team is dedicated to the agriculture industry—some even outside their career.

Every spring, crops face a series of challenges that can cause poor emergence and slow growth.

If you’ve been around agriculture for more than a few days, then you know weather can be a fickle friend and this year may be setting up to be no different.

Critical to the growth and health of all crops, boron is one of the most important micronutrients for plant production and maximizing yield potential.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

Zinc was one of the first micronutrients recognized as an essential nutrient vital for plants. This nutrient is needed throughout the growing season for crops to reach their full potential.

No matter the conditions, protecting applied nitrogen is an important part of a strong nutrient management plan.

Getting the most out of your input investment is important to every grower. In east central Iowa, Jamie Vesely is someone growers lean on for input advice.

James Leonard grew up on a row crop farm with livestock. As far back as he can remember, he loved agriculture.

Working in supply chain has always been an interesting job. But as the logistical challenges of transporting goods has changed, the people who specialize in those areas have had an opportunity to take a new look at how they do their jobs.

As input costs climb to historic levels, growers around the globe are being forced to take a critical look at their nitrogen management strategies.

With higher commodity prices, growers are fine-tuning nutrient applications to maximize yield potential and achieve set goals. Micronutrient solutions from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) entered the market halfway through the growing season to meet the rising demand and ensure no inventory shortages.

Boron is the second most widely used micronutrient in the industry and if a crop experiences a boron deficiency, it can have a direct impact on yield potential. Between its behavior in the soil and crop.

Micronutrients play a large role in potato production. Regardless of the type or variety of potato, complete and efficient micronutrient nutrition can achieve maximum yield and quality potential.

Two of the largest challenges faced in sugar beet production are increasing yields and increasing sugar content and quality.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

With harvest quickly approaching, planning for next year may be top-of-mind for many. From seed genetics to fertilizer input, there is no shortage of decisions and bets to be made. But what if you could take away the some of the uncertainty that comes with planting a crop and give it the best foot forward from the moment it is planted?

With the recent trends in fluctuating commodity pricing, growers know they need to protect their valuable nitrogen inputs — from a financial, plant growth and sustainability standpoint.

For more than a decade, Justin Speth has worked in agriculture retail. He’s been hands-on with products since he started his career. During much of that time, he has faced challenges with the nitrogen stabilizer products he was using on anhydrous ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN).

While soil CEC is a critical component for soil, there are common misconceptions when it comes to its relationship with nutrients. To understand the relationship between soil CEC and nutrients, we need to understand the chemistry behind the soil and the nutrients found or applied to the soil.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

Debunking the Myth: More Nitrogen is Not Always the Answer

For many growers, the arrival of warm weather means the start of a very busy season. Between planning, planting and nitrogen application, time management suddenly becomes a vital factor to your success in the field.

You might not be able to control what you aren’t expecting, but you are capable of minimizing nitrogen loss. When your applied nitrogen is affected by ammonia volatilization, your return on investment decreases.

Because variables such as weather and soil type can all contribute to the loss of nitrogen, the process of keeping it available to nourish crops becomes complicated quickly.

Nitrogen volatilization can occur in all weather conditions, including both warm and cold temperatures. But no matter how or when fertilizer is applied, without a stabilizer, it’s vulnerable to loss.

If you are applying UAN or anhydrous ammonia — spring, fall or split applications alike — all nitrogen sources are subject to leaching after being nitrified to the nitrate form.

Whether you apply fall anhydrous ammonia or spring UAN, all nitrogen sources are subject to denitrification after being nitrified to the nitrate form.

With the recent trends of fertilizer and grain pricing, growers making spring nitrogen plans may choose to change their nitrogen needs and look at other inputs such as nitrogen stabilizers to optimize their overall profitability.

 

Some people who work in agriculture grow up on farms. They help with harvest and ride in tractor cabs before learning to ride a bike. But others take a different path into the industry.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

There are several misconceptions when it comes to UAN, including that it is not subject to nitrogen loss via volatilization, with many believing the water content found in UAN is enough to protect it from above-ground losses. We’re here to dispel this myth and help growers make the most of their UAN investment.

Rarely does Mother Nature give growers perfect weather conditions for their crops. Over the last several years, growers have dealt with weather conditions ranging from intense downfalls to warm, dry wind.

Imagine this scenario — there’s a hole in your fence and your cattle are getting out. What do you do? Buy more cattle and hope they don’t also get out? No, you fix the fence to stop them from escaping.

Spring will be here before you know it and soon it will be time to be out in the fields once again. And if you’re a grower applying anhydrous ammonia, timing is everything since spring weather can be somewhat unpredictable.

In most fields growing fall crops, winter weeds will start to emerge in early spring. A burndown application can be an effective part of a grower’s weed control program.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

Agriculture keeps you on your toes — from changes in the economy, challenging weather conditions, to any of the other many variables you face — you’ve learned to be flexible. But if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we should be prepared for the unexpected.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

Planning is part of agriculture. Growers review yield reports so they can order the right seed. They schedule maintenance checks on their irrigation systems and tractors so they’re ready to run when needed.

With several regions across the U.S. receiving little precipitation over the last few months, many growers may be questioning how the lack of rain may impact their fall anhydrous ammonia (NH3) applications.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

Was your crop given the right source at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place? Learn best management practices from the 4R Nutrient Stewardship initiative.

This episode features Kate Koehler, the director of product management and communications for Koch Agronomic Services, and Edwin Suarez, technical agronomist with Koch Agronomic Services. They discuss the information growers need to make their input plan for next season, the benefits of fall applications and how the decision to use a stabilizer can help growers achieve a higher return on their nitrogen investment.

As you plan for the next growing season, fluctuating commodity prices may have you looking at your expenses. In order to manage tighter margins, you could even be tempted to cut input costs but it may end up hurting your bottom line.

Thanks to agronomic research being conducted around the world, advances are being made each day to help growers produce more with fewer resources. And that work not only helps to feed people across the globe, it also creates value for society as a whole.

As you start to plan for next year, you may be looking for expenses to cut from your overall budget. We're here to tell you why the investment in nitrogen stabilizers can give your operation an edge.

Each year, new agronomic solutions are introduced for growers to consider using to help them better their operation. The best of those allow growers to use fewer resources, potentially saving them money in the long run and promoting a more sustainable future.

Summer applications of nitrogen fertilizer on pastures can boost production, but there are risks of nitrogen loss.

As fall approaches, many growers across the Great Plains will be taking to the field to start late summer and early fall nitrogen applications on wheat acres.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

DCD or dicyandiamide is the active ingredient found in many fertilizers and additives marketed for their nitrification inhibition properties.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

Nitrogen is one of the most critical nutrients for a corn crop and plays a large role in plant growth, development and yield potential. Depending on several environmental factors, nitrogen can be lost to from the rooting zone of the crop which can lead to a nitrogen deficiency.

The hard fact is that there are things on your operation that are out of your control. Spring rains and soil temperature both adversely impact your crop’s overall yield potential. But another fact is just as powerful – research has proven that the technology built into nitrification inhibitors can protect your UAN investment and your overall profitability.

As the world’s population increases, one of the critical concerns of food production is the shrinking number of farming acres.

To produce higher yields, growers need to be resourceful. And as you look for sustainable options to best manage nutrients, preventing nitrogen loss is a top concern. To do that, you have to understand the three types of nitrogen loss and the tools you have to prevent it.

Dealing with unknowns is nothing new in the world of agriculture. Rainfall levels, soil conditions, unforeseen maintenance costs — the list goes on and on. Local, national and international events are also capable of throwing a wrench in even the most well-run operation. The best growers don’t just understand this fact, they accept it and adapt their strategies to deal with whatever comes their way.

In a 2019 cotton study, urea treated with ANVOL nitrogen stabilizer and SUPERU premium fertilizer, applied at varying nitrogen rates, consistently outperformed untreated urea resulting in greater cotton lint yields.

With corn being planted across the Midwest, spring top-dress applications should be top-of-mind for many growers. Typical top-dress applications are applied using white urea, with this though you may be setting yourself up for increased losses to ammonia volatilization, leaching and denitrification. Better protect your nitrogen investment with SUPERU premium fertilizer.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) will break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

To better understand why plants need nitrogen to grow, it’s important to know what the element does and why the nitrogen cycle is a necessary part of all living matter.

Nitrogen volatilization can occur in all weather conditions, including both warm and cold temperatures. But no matter how or when fertilizer is applied, without a stabilizer, it’s vulnerable to loss.

We know that nitrogen is an important element. It makes up 78% of our atmosphere and is a key component in plant growth. But how do plants utilize this key nutrient? What role does nitrogen play as a crop nutrient? How do the three types of nitrogen loss differ?

SUPERU premium fertilizer has proven effective for growers all across the country. With its ability to guard against both above- and below-ground nitrogen loss, it has earned a reputation for being a must-have fertilizer. But it’s not just farmers who are tapping into the power of SUPERU.