As Iowa farmers prepare to get planters rolling this spring, a new soil testing effort is aiming to help producers better manage fertilizer costs while also improving environmental outcomes.
Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says the pilot program focuses on understanding how much residual nitrogen is already present in the soil before additional fertilizer is applied.
He says recent conditions, including drought and a warm winter, have created higher-than-normal nitrogen carryover in some areas, making spring soil sampling especially important this year.
Naig says the goal is to help farmers better understand what is already available in the soil profile so they can adjust nutrient management plans accordingly.
He says that it can create real economic benefits by helping avoid unnecessary fertilizer applications at a time when input costs remain high and margins are tight.
At the same time, he says better nitrogen management also supports water quality efforts by reducing the risk of excess nutrients reaching lakes, rivers, and streams.
The pilot program is starting in five counties north of the Des Moines metro area within the Des Moines River watershed.
Naig says the information gathered will not only help participating farmers this season, but it will also be fed back to researchers at Iowa State University to improve predictive tools like the NFACT model.
Naig says while soil testing does come with a cost, this pilot is designed to help remove some of those barriers by offering free testing for participating farmers.
He says the effort is also supported by the Nutrient Research and Education Council, ag retailers, and several farm groups working together to improve awareness and adoption.
Naig says the program will expand later this year and into next season, with the goal of helping more farmers optimize fertilizer use, improve profitability, and strengthen conservation practices across Iowa.
