Minnesota Crop News

Manure nutrient management is uniquely complex, and we discuss some reasons why on today's Advancing Nitrogen Smart episode. What specific factors make manure management far more complex than applying standard chemical fertilizer?  How do digestive systems and diets cause nitrogen availability to differ across various livestock species ?  Why does nitrogen availability decline so rapidly when manure is left exposed on the soil surface, and how much may be lost to atmospheric evaporation within a just few days?  How can farmers optimize their fertilizer investments and evaluate whether their crops received sufficient nitrogen using late-season testing ? These questions and more on today's 42nd episode of  Advancing Nitrogen Smart . Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Melissa Wilson, Extension manure nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: How to put together a manure management plan Nitrogen ava...

Photo: University of Minnesota Extension How do soil health practices—such as minimizing disturbance, maintaining ground cover, and promoting biological activity—interact with the 4Rs of nitrogen management to reduce runoff and nitrate leaching into water sources? How does nitrogen release (mineralize) or become tied up (immobilize) in residue depending on soil moisture, temperature, and microbial activity? Are biological soil tests (like the Haney test and Solvita CO₂ burst) precise tools for calculating exact fertilizer rates, or should they be considered general risk indexes? What role do strong soil structure and expansive root systems play in maximizing nitrogen uptake? Brad Carlson, Anna Cates and Dan Kaiser discuss this and much more on the 41st episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart  podcast.  Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Anna Cates, state soil healt...

Photo credit: University of Minnesota Extension The benefits and challenges of manure use in general is the topic on this 40th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast series. What is it about manure that makes it good for the soil - and what makes livestock bedding an important addition? What's in manure that's organic but isn't living? What makes the benefits of manure usage long-term in nature? How should people think about manure use related to water quality issues? What kinds of tech might farmers want to be on the lookout for which affect manure use efficiency? According to panelist Melissa Wilson, manure is like a multivitamin for the soil. Find out why she thinks so on today show. Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Melissa Wilson, Extension manure nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: Manure management How to put together a manure management plan Nitrogen availability of different...

Photo credit: University of Minnesota Extension Today on Advancing Nitrogen Smart  we ask an unusual question: What is manure, really? We all know manure is made of the liquids and solids that pass through an animal's digestive system, but what has to happen for manure to become usable? Is all manure created equal, or do differences in animal type - and their feed - result in manure with variable nutrient values? How do factors like handling, storage and animal bedding impact available nutrients in manure? What are some of the long-term benefits of manure application? Is there an optimal time of year to apply manure? Brad Carlson and Melissa Wilson answer these questions and many more on this 39th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast. Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Melissa Wilson, Extension manure nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: How to put together a manure management plan Nitrogen ava...

Clockwise from upper left: oat, seeds, wintermax mixture, winter rye, alfalfa Nitrate reduction with perennial plants is the topic on today's  Advancing Nitrogen Smart  podcast. What are some pros and cons of covers like rye, oat and alfalfa for reducing nitrate? How do they compare in terms of biomass or establishment? What sets alfalfa apart as a cover crop candidate? How does our Minnesota climate affect a strategy for perennials? How could cover crop benefits stack up when used in conjunction with a dairy operation for example? Do some areas of the landscape benefit from perennials more than others? All this and more on the 38th episode of Advancing Nitrogen Smart . Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: Cover Crops Best management for cover crops in unfavorable weather patterns Growing cover crops in Minnesota: 4 great resources...

Sidedress application in Faribault, MN. Photo: UMN Extension Brad Carlson and Dan Kaiser discuss sidedressing in today's Advancing Nitrogen Smart Podcast episode. What's the big-picture rationale behind sidedressing? How can sidedressing or split-applying be beneficial in terms of avoiding nitrogen loss? Since nitrogen uptake isn't linear, what growth stages coincide with peak daily demand for nitrogen? Are there any significant risks in starting a sidedress or topdress application early in the season? What have past experiments shown regarding positive and / or negative responses to sidedressing? How should inhibitors be used with sidedress / topdress? What should farmers know about soil types and tile drainage when making sidedress decisions? This and much more on the 37th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast series. Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) ...

Photo credit: Anna Cates, Minnesota Office for Soil Health We’re talking all about nitrate management and placement as important factors for reducing nitrogen loss to water on today's episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart Podcast series. Different forms of nitrogen have their own potential for loss. How does nitrogen already in the nitrate form differ from ammonium for example? How does basic soil science slow down or speed up nitrogen transformation? Why can't nitrates be easily stabilized in the fall in Minnesota? How do other factors like pH affect nitrogen transformation? This and much more in today's discussion.  Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: Nitrogen placement: What MN farmers should know about depth, incorporation, loss pathways, and more How 4R Nutrient Stewardship can help Minnesota farmers Four things I’ve learned about nitrog...

Photo: University of Minnesota Extension Brad and Jeff continue their discussion of variable rate nitrogen technology by zeroing in on the pre-sidedress nitrate test (PSNT). What are key differences between the PSNT and the pre- plant nitrate test (PPNT)? What growth stage should the crop reach before taking a PSNT? How have sampling and storage procedures evolved from past years? How variable can samples actually be within the same zone and between zones? What should farmers watch out for when interpreting test results? Do different methods of N application produce different PSNT results? How about timing? Manure? What's N's 'critical value' in Minnesota? All these answers and more in-depth discussion on today's episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart Podcast . Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Jeff Vetsch, Lead researcher, Southern Research and Outreach Center (Waseca) Additional resources: What’s th...

Photo: University of Minnesota Extension Did you know that the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast series has episodes which focus exclusively on manure? Learn about manure's nutrient characteristics, potential pros and cons, and its role in a comprehensive nitrogen management strategy in these three episodes. Join Brad Carlson, Extension educator and Melissa Wilson, Extension manure nutrient management specialist as they discuss manure management, testing, safety measures, documentation, rules and more for Minnesota farmers and ag professionals. Episode 1. Fall manure application: Optimal strategies for Minnesota farmers Brad and Melissa discuss fall manure application. What are the most important dos and don'ts of fall application? How much time can nitrification inhibitors buy you after application? What's the optimum soil temperature for application, and what if you can't wait? What are characteristics of manure from different sources, and how can they work to your ad...

Drone demonstration in St. Paul, MN. Photo: University of Minnesota Extension Brad Carlson and Jeff Vetsch talk about variable rate sensors on today's  Advancing Nitrogen Smart Podcast  episode. What is meant by the term 'active sensors' and what data do active sensors capture? Which specific brands of sensors have the Southern Research and Outreach Center (SROC) researched, and how did they perform? What stage does corn need to reach before sensors can best contribute to variable rate decision making? How do other field variables like soil texture or irrigation systems contribute (or not) to variable rate sensing? Join us today for part one of a two-part discussion on variable rate technology with Brad and Jeff. Read the full transcript Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Jeff Vetsch, Lead researcher, Southern Research and Outreach Center (Waseca) Additional resources: 5 Things to consider for sensor-based nitrogen management Variable ...

Tilled field in St. Paul, MN Photo: University of Minnesota Extension Today on the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast we speak in-depth about the recently-revised Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy with Matt Drewitz from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. What are the goals of the MN Nutrient Reduction Strategy, and how are they being addressed specifically? Are we on track to meet our objectives? How have environmental changes over the years affected our progress? How have wastewater treatment plants contributed to the effort, and what have we learned from them? What kinds of other practices can be leveraged to meet the goals of the NRS, and how should farmers approach these ideas? Who's a farmer's point of contact with questions about adopting these practices? All of this on today's episode, recorded on the road from the recently held Nutrient Management Conference in Mankato, MN. Read the full transcript Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankat...

Photo: University of Minnesota Extension Today we’re going on the road, bringing you a conversation recorded during the Minnesota Association of Social and Water Conservation Districts' (MASWCD) annual conference. Mike Schultz, district manager at the Le Sueur County SWCD talks with Brad Carlson about actual methods of incorporating conservation practices into the landscape. What are general categories of conservation practices? How are watershed plans written, and how do they address a balanced set of interests? Which practices tend to appeal to farmers the most? What kinds of resources can the County SWCD provide? What are some examples of successful implementation? Are there cost-share programs available - and if so how do farmers find them? All that and more on today's episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart Podcast . Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Mike Schultz, district manager, Le Sueur SWCD Additional resources: Le Sueur ...

Photo: University of Minnesota Extension Today on the show we join a panel of 5 specialists, practitioners, Extension educators to discuss nitrates and water quality in southeast Minnesota. What is the current situation with nitrates and water quality in southeast Minnesota? Is the situation improving over time? What are some key factors affecting nitrate concentrations? What should growers in the region be thinking about in terms of nitrogen best management practices? What are some other ways that farmers in southeast Minnesota can help improve water quality? What else should we be thinking about related to N BMPs and nitrate water quality issues in southeast Minnesota? What resources (financial and otherwise) are available to farmers in southeast Minnesota? All this and much more today's Nutrient Management Podcast from University of Minnesota Extension. A video of this podcast recording is now available on YouTube .   Read the full transcript Guests: Mary Nesberg, Extension educ...

Photo: University of Minnesota Extension We return to first principles with a detailed discussion about nitrogen loss on today's  Advancing Nitrogen Smart Podcast . The five terms that describe how nitrogen is lost from the soil are: leaching, denitrification, volatilization, crop removal and soil erosion & runoff. But what do those terms actually mean? How does N's chemistry change during loss? Do N loss processes happen at the same speed? How do temperature and precipitation affect N loss pathways? How might farmers hedge against N loss by incorporating the 4Rs into their input planning? All of this discussion and much more on today's show. Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: Nitrogen Conference  (held annually in February; past videos are available online) Four things I’ve learned about nitrogen management for corn based on a decade o...

Photo: University of Minnesota Extension On today's episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast , Brad and Dan talk about variable rate application - and zones in particular. What's the overall point of variable rate nitrogen application? How might an initial starting N rate be determined? How do farmers' fields and equipment introduce their own variables, and how can these variables be monitored? What's the difference between a yield map and a zone map, and should farmers rely on yield maps for zoning purposes? Do the best yielding spots always need the most nitrogen? All of this and much more on today's show. Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: With high nitrogen fertilizer prices and low corn prices, can you decrease your nitrogen rate for 2026?  www.cornnratecalc.org (Corn Nitrogen Rate Calculator) Is variable rate nitroge...

Photo: University of Minnesota Extension By: Brad Carlson, Extension educator The University of Minnesota uses the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) method for helping corn growers pick a nitrogen fertilizer rate. This method uses a database of results from many research trials around the state and then factors in the price of corn and the price of nitrogen fertilizer to find the most profitable nitrogen fertilizer rate for Minnesota corn growers. Understanding the “price ratio” is key. The price ratio is the price of nitrogen fertilizer per pound to the value of a bushel of corn.  For example, if N fertilizer costs $0.40 per lb. of N (or $656 per ton of anhydrous ammonia), and corn is valued at $4.00 per bushel, the ratio would be 0.40/4.00 = 0.10. Historically, the price ratio has hovered around 0.10 but in recent years high nitrogen fertilizer prices have resulted in higher price ratios. What is the price ratio looking like heading into 2026? The University of Minnesota’s corn f...