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Fertilizer prices continue to be a top concern for many farmers

The high cost of fertilizer continues to weigh on the minds of many farmers.

Tom Gillis, who grows corn and soybeans in western Wisconsin, says this spring’s price spikes caused him to alter his plans.

“We went with more liquid starter and less dry bulk application, and we switched to anhydrous this spring versus 32%, both were price point opportunities,” he says.

Thomas Perkins, who raises corn, beans, wheat, hay, and cattle in central Illinois, says the high input costs coupled with low commodity prices are squeezing already thin margins.

“When you’ve got DAP that’s hovering around $800 to $900 and potassium at $500 to $600, it’s tough.”  He says, “The way interest rates have been the last couple years you used to prepay everything, but when you’re approaching 7% to 8% interest, it makes it harder to do that.”

AUDIO: Thomas Perkins – Illinois farmer

Gillis tells Brownfield, “It seems like maybe there’s some investigations going on in the government level.”  He says, “I would like to see some of that come to fruition to make sure that we weren’t getting taken advantage of.”

Both farmers say they’re in no hurry to book 2027 fertilizer needs in hopes of seeing prices come back down to more profitable levels.

AUDIO: Tom Gillis – Wisconsin farmer