Managing Fertilizer Price Volatility Through Efficient Nutrient Management

Kansas wheat farmers are watching their input costs closely, with fertilizer being one of the biggest expenses. With global supply issues and changing demand affecting prices, this article looks at how farmers can manage risk by using careful nutrient management and Wheat Rx strategies.

On a recent episode of Wheat’s On Your Mind, Corey Rosenbusch, president and CEO of The Fertilizer Institute, outlined how fertilizer markets are shaped by geopolitics, energy supply and international demand. Nitrogen production depends heavily on natural gas, and when Europe lost access to Russian gas, much of its nitrogen production shut down. Trade flows shifted, markets tightened and prices responded.

The United States is relatively strong in nitrogen production but still imports key products. Potash remains largely import-dependent, and phosphate markets are influenced by global suppliers and export decisions. Big buyers like India can affect global prices with just one purchase, and China’s fertilizer policies can have wide effects.

Kansas wheat farmers can’t control these global factors, but they can make decisions about how they manage their fields.

“There’s no better time to be a good steward of your fertilizer,” Rosenbusch said. “Now’s the time to really tighten the belt and look at some of those good stewardship things, because you can’t control, as a grower in Kansas, what China’s going to do, what Russia’s going to do.”

This focus on stewardship ties in with Wheat Rx, a partnership between Kansas Wheat and K-State Research and Extension. Wheat Rx is designed to help farmers grow high-quality winter wheat in Kansas in a cost-effective and sustainable way. The program highlights the importance of timing nutrients, setting realistic yield goals and making management decisions that fit Kansas conditions.

Research shows there is flexibility in when to apply nitrogen. Studies in the Wheat Rx series found that winter wheat can bounce back from early nitrogen shortages if nitrogen is available around the jointing stage. In some cases, applying nitrogen later led to better yields than applying it before planting.

This flexibility gives farmers more choices when fertilizer prices are high. Rather than applying all the nitrogen at once, they can watch how the crop is doing, estimate yield potential and adjust their fertilizer use as needed. Tools like remote sensing and in-season checks can help make these decisions even better.

Wheat also helps make the whole farming system more efficient. According to Wheat Rx, wheat residue protects the soil, cuts down on water loss and keeps soil temperatures steadier. Standing stubble can catch snow and boost soil moisture for the next crop. These benefits help maintain nutrient efficiency over time.

“Winter wheat can handle early nitrogen deficiency and recover well,” the Wheat Rx publication notes, underscoring the crop’s management flexibility and resilience.

Kansas winter wheat harvested area has declined at an average rate of about 1.9 percent per year since 2005, according to data cited in the Wheat Rx series. Even so, research continues to document agronomic, ecological and economic benefits of including wheat in cropping systems.

Global fertilizer markets may keep changing due to world events, but decisions about efficiency are made locally. For Kansas wheat farmers planning their fertilizer programs this season, Wheat Rx provides research-based advice to help balance profit and sustainability. Learn more at kswheat.com/kansas-wheat-rx.