fertilizer pricing

[parsley]

One way to give the farmer an option on the mount of money spent on fertilizer/yr is by seeding perennial wheat.

Insist on deductions being spent on the development of perennial wheats. Perennial barleys.


Good for the farmer.

Parsley

[boarderbloke]

pars, how will this save on fertilizer costs, will the wheat be some kind of legume hybrid that will fix it's own nitrogen?

[parsley]

Most producers fertilize their brome and alfalfa crop every year.

But they can skip if need be, and they will harvest a crop even when they don't fertilize, because the crop is a perennial. (You also save the cost of seed.) Granted, the yield is down, but so is the operating loan.

IF the price of fertilizer goes through the roof just as your cash flow is in the basement, you can negotiate with the dealer,and if the negotiation falls through, you can walk out the door. You can get by.

It gives the farmer one more negotiating option, boarderbloke, when you say: "Lower the price or I walk,".

With perennial planting, you actually have a back-up to your offer,(along with the seed cost savings). If there are lots of farmers who are able to walk, there is a risk of too much inventory for the dealer.

If you are seeding annually, you really have little option except to fertilize, or cut back on fertilizer. Few walk.

Parsley