Fertilizer is Tough Sell in Europe, 50% Less Used in France

[SASKFARMER3]

Fertilizer regulations continue to be a burden for Europe’s retailers and farmers as the general public there looks at fertilizer as a bad thing, according to one European fertilizer insider. Some European farmers have moved toward organic crop production because of this situation.

Europe presently uses about 16.7 million metric tons (mmt) of fertilizer annually. Of that total, 68% of Europe’s fertilizer is in the form of nitrogen, 17% is in potash and 15% is phosphorus. Europe imports about 29% of nitrogen needs, 60% of the phosphorus and 62% of its potash needs.
The increasing amount of regulations on using and storing fertilizer has had a detrimental effect on the industry there. Adding to the complications is every European country has its own set of regulations regarding fertilizer, and they differ, he said. This includes regulations concerning the environment (air, water and soil), security and business practices.

Dumas, from France, said his country’s regulations don’t allow nitrogen to be applied from late summer through the fall.

“French farmers now apply 50% less (fertilizer) in the last 10 years,” Dumas said.

The regulations on security amount to mainly storing fertilizer for farmers and fertilizer retailers. In many countries, ammonium nitrate (AN) and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) is no longer available to the general public. In some countries, no more than 250 metric tons (mt) of fertilizer can be stored in a location.
I see a day soon that the end of ammonia use in France will happen,” he predicted.

The regulations concerning business practices are really a set of rules to improve human health, Dumas said.

Companies that have fertilizer to sell must prove to the different countries that their products are safe. The downside is this type of regulation is preventing many new products from being imported in Europe, he said.
Despite the many hoops European farmers and retailers have to jump through to use and store fertilizer, Dumas is optimistic that new technologies will be allowed in Europe as these products can help farmers become more efficient in raising crops.

Among the technologies he listed were coated urea, blended N, P and K and coated fertilizer with yeast or other bacteria. Coated urea would not be subject to many of the storage regulations, and many in the European fertilizer industry are pushing hard for this product, he said. Coating fertilizer with yeast is for nitrogen fertilizer, and bacteria is mainly for phosphorus to be applied to the soil.
Farmers need to feed the world’s growing population, and the use of fertilizer is vital for increasing yields. Dumas said the European fertilizer industry has to do a better job of educating the general public that fertilizer is not bad; the majority of people already believe the opposite.

Many people want healthy products but don’t want to pay a lot for these products. One example is that Europeans want cheap food products and gas and oil products, but genetically modified foods and shale gas production are “massively” rejected in Europe, he said.

The only country in Europe that allows GMO crops to be grown is Spain.

So is this the next fight we are going to have to deal with.

Useless rules so it costs us producers more and the useless ones that eat don't want to pay extra so in the end it costs the primary producer more.

Will we loose Ammonia?

Coated fertilizer is already here but some cost up to $100 a ton more.

[blackpowder]

At the current rate, I'd say heed the warnings in Europe.

[hobbyfrmr]

We had a young farmer from France visit this summer. He said organic transition in France is 10 years so not financially viable to grow half crops for 9 years and selling onto the conventional market. Plus all the weeds out of control. He made it clear that organic farming was not in his plans.

If French farmers use less fertilizer or no fertilizer they won't produce enough grains to feed themselves, let alone feed the hungry world.

[WiltonRanch]

It's shocking to see this unfold in Europe because it inevitably comes our way eventually in some way shape or form. Sad though cause our fertilizer use on the prairies until recently was a mere fraction to what other countries were using. Other than the high production areas there are still some of us myself included which don't use a bunch. I would really hate to cut any more than what I use now. I wonder for interest sake if between public pressure, and carbon tax it impacts the developed world's crop production to the point the developing world becomes the worlds breadbasket? How about that for food safety. Some of the most polluted, unregulated countries grow your wheaties and vegetables. This trade deal with Europe will usher in more of their regulations on us without any measurable benefit to exports. Next we won't be able to dehorn, castrate, brand, or give implants. May as well kiss our beef industry goodbye. Guess it's better public perception to kill agriculture here but let khazikstan or Zimbabwe do it so people don't have to know about their food. Maybe some hippy farmers with a few goats and an organic garden outside the city limits for field trips so everyone feels good.

[hobbyfrmr]

It's shocking to see this unfold in Europe because it inevitably comes our way eventually in some way shape or form. Sad though cause our fertilizer use on the prairies until recently was a mere fraction to what other countries were using. Other than the high production areas there are still some of us myself included which don't use a bunch. I would really hate to cut any more than what I use now. I wonder for interest sake if between public pressure, and carbon tax it impacts the developed world's crop production to the point the developing world becomes the worlds breadbasket? How about that for food safety. Some of the most polluted, unregulated countries grow your wheaties and vegetables. This trade deal with Europe will usher in more of their regulations on us without any measurable benefit to exports. Next we won't be able to dehorn, castrate, brand, or give implants. May as well kiss our beef industry goodbye. Guess it's better public perception to kill agriculture here but let khazikstan or Zimbabwe do it so people don't have to know about their food. Maybe some hippy farmers with a few goats and an organic garden outside the city limits for field trips so everyone feels good.

There are 2 companies near Saskatoon that invite their customers to visit. They usually have a seasonal theme and it happens over weekends. They are very good at marketing and I think they are successful. Pineview Farms and Black Fox farm/distillery.

[WiltonRanch]

There are 2 companies near Saskatoon that invite their customers to visit. They usually have a seasonal theme and it happens over weekends. They are very good at marketing and I think they are successful. Pineview Farms and Black Fox farm/distillery.

I hear you. Not knocking organic just the shortsighted views of non farm folk who steer conventional ag down a dark path. Making us fall on our own sword. Pine View is a stand up operation. Good on them.