Risk Management
HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR FERTILIZER $$$
With Fertilizer Prices increasing and the uncertainty of the weather patterns; many producers are looking at new ways to approach their fertilizer dollar. Traditionally, North American growers make a huge gamble predicting all their fertilizer needs and ultimately placing their fertilizer investment down before the growing season even begins. This leaves growers completely exposed to growing season risk. In other regions of the world there are approaches that spread that risk over the growing season and allow for adjustments as the season develops. With this in mind, we suggest there are multiple ways to strategically approach your fertilizer dollar.
TRADITIONAL
Find out more: Each of these plans presents some interesting advantages and disadvantages.
Please reach out to your local ASLE team members to help decide what the best option is for your farm. We are happy to provide a customized plan, tailored just for you or Call us at 780-669-3822 or email sales@asle.ca
RISK MANAGEMENT AND PLANT MANAGEMENT
This method presents similar advantages to the simple RISK MANAGEMENT mentioned above but also focuses on ensuring the plants are functioning at high efficiency. By adding fertilizer supplements to the crop, initial nutrients will be maximized even when conditions not favorable for adding additional nutrients. Supplements will support the crop vigor if conditions do support additional fertilizer applications. This plan will protect heavier investments, ensuring healthier plants that make the most of the added nutrients. Supplements promote plant vigor under ideal and adverse growing conditions. This plan should be expected to have the greatest yield results.
This method would have a plan based on yield targets and soil sample results. The nutrient requirements would be placed at seeding time based on the agronomic recommendation to hit the yield target. ASLE products could be part of the recommendation, taking advantage of our innovative granular low-salt carbon- based fertilizer and foliar recommendations to maximize yield potential to push for the best possible yields. This approach does not spread your risk, but it does maximize operational effectiveness: your largest fertilizer investment is placed at seeding time and the dollars are exposed to growing season risk.
RISK MANAGEMENT
This plan would involve a base rate of fertilizer placed at seeding time, with the potential to add more through top dressing and foliar applications. This method allows for the fertilizer costs to be spread across multiple applications. The
recommended nutrient plan can also be more tailored for the economics and growing conditions throughout the year. If the growing conditions are not suitable then the money does not need to be spent. Conversely, if grain prices or growing conditions are ideal, then application plans allow for suitable increases in fertilizer spending. This method would have options for ASLE Granular products and ASLE low-salt carbon-based foliar products. Other fertilizer products could be incorporated into the plan as well.
This method can take the previously mentioned approaches to the next level of detail. Through variable rate technology we have the capability to build the right prescription down to the pixel – or zone management level. With ATG PIXEL you can maximize your input dollars by not fertilizing too much or too little, but rather exactly what is needed for the crop each year in each zone. We can also combine risk management processes by splitting applications if needed. This method has the potential to save money and break yield barriers.
PIXEL (ZONE) MANAGEMENT