# Fertilizer Prices



## dbergh (Jun 3, 2010)

Was just wondering what anyone is currently paying for fertilizer these days? My last bill for Ammonium Sulfate was $542 / Ton. Wondering if I am getting hosed or that is the going rate these days.
Dave.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

dbergh said:


> Was just wondering what anyone is currently paying for fertilizer these days? My last bill for Ammonium Sulfate was $542 / Ton. Wondering if I am getting hosed or that is the going rate these days.
> Dave.


Its up here, but our neighbors in TX are reporting its decreasing in price there....I paid 695/ ton for urea last week. Thats just part of having high grain prices.....hopefully everyone will be able to recover the price increases this year....I am raising my hay at least .50 cents a bale due solely to the fertilze price increases.

Regards, Mike


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## jdhayboy (Aug 20, 2010)

3 weeks ago, got 46-0-0 was 570.


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## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

We got some 21% A/S a week or so ago. $440/t. I'm told 46% recently went down. Don't know since I have gotten any in about 8 wks, but last time it was $712/T.


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## dbergh (Jun 3, 2010)

Thanks for the responses- sounds like my guy is a bit on the high side- guess i need to do a better job of shopping price.


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## jdhayboy (Aug 20, 2010)

I'm not sure how it all works but the blended fertilizer prices came down first, had to talk them in to giving me the next weeks price on the 46. Otherwise it was 630. Usually don't use straight nitrogen but wanted to give our pasture ground we're gonna bale a little boost. 
Last year had just enough ground to not have to feed my cows til December. Now I sprayed for weeds and are baling where they are not.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

All I can say is "Wow!" Ammonium Sulfate at $542 per ton comes out to $1.29 per lb of nitrogen.
Urea at $695 per ton equals $0.755 per lb of nitrogen.

Urea has dropped in price since corn is no longer being fertilized across the Mid-West.

When I shop for nitrogen, I price it not by the ton but by the pound of actual nitrogen. To do this, multiply the decimal fraction of the percentage nitrogen in the material (for ammonium sulfate, 0.21; urea, 0.46) by 2000 lb per ton. This tells you how much actual N is in a ton. Once you know how much N is in a ton of material, divide that number into the dollars per ton. For example:

Ammonium Sulfate is 21% N. 0.21 x 2,000 = 420 lb of N per ton of material
Ammonium Sulfate is priced at $542 per ton, so $542 divided by 420 = $1.29 per lb of actual N. (With ammonium sulfate, you also are purchasing sulfur that has some value if your soils need sulfur.)

If you shop for your nitrogen cost comparison among sources (Urea, ammonium nitrate, urea ammonium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, and anhydrous ammonia) using the price per pound of actual nitrogen, you will get a better idea whether you are paying a high price or getting a good deal on N.

I hope this was not telling you something you already knew...


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## jdhayboy (Aug 20, 2010)

Its like going to the grocery store, don't look at the cost of the box, look at the cost per ounce or unit of the product.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

vhaby said:


> When I shop for nitrogen, I price it not by the ton but by the pound of actual nitrogen.


I do too, but that sure hasn't made me feel any better at these prices!









Regards, Mike


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Once per season for granular application for us and everything else is foliar feeding. I've reduced my fertilizer costs by 70% and not looking back......


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

ARD Farm Could you expand your methods?

I can visualize you climate but not necessarily you dirt soil(s).

Does nitrogen persist in you soil, for months or years or will it be gone in just weeks.

i.e. HERE we have a calcareous soil that is a heavy clay. 
Calcareous meaning a surplus of free calcium carbonate, and a high pH. 
Heavy clay meaning in a 40 to 50 CEC range. This soil will take and hold nitrogen for years. Compared to some sandy soils that need nitrogen replenishing every 21 to 42 days.

I find the concept of foliar fertilization interesting. In theory the ideal route for fertilizer should be through the roots.
BUT HERE grafted pecan tree's usually need three or more foliar applications of zinc.

I am truly curious, not trying to be a smart donkey


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## dbergh (Jun 3, 2010)

I have to clarify a bit - the $542 is actually a blended price of 46% and 21% but still works out to $1.07 per unit of N. I paid .75 to .85 cents for the same thing last year which was bad enough but this year things just seem totally ridiculous. And true we are getting the sulfer as well which our soils definitely can use but not sure I can justify it at this price level.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

dbergh said:


> I have to clarify a bit - the $542 is actually a blended price of 46% and 21% but still works out to $1.07 per unit of N.


What you apparently were sold is a 50 - 50 mix of urea and ammonium sulfate to equal 33.5% nitrogen. If you don't want that much sulfur you might ask your fertilizer dealer to get permission from APF or whoever the supplier is to blend a 42% nitrogen using mostly urea and less ammonium sulfate. This usually brings the price per pound of actual N down even lower and you get less sulfur. However, as with using any urea, there is the concern about ammonia loss through volatilization. You can prevent this for a week or more by purchasing Agrotain to blend with the urea nitrogen and this will delay hydrolysis of the urea (reaction with water) and the formation of ammonium hydroxide that then goes to ammonia and water with the potential for loss of N as ammonia. Rainfall or irrigation within about 12 hours moves the urea into the soil and prevents volatilization loss of ammonia if one is lucky enough to receive or apply water soon after fertilizing. As little as 0.2" inch of rain would do this for the urea.


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## DKFarms (Aug 11, 2008)

Hey ARD Farms, I'm with Hay Wilson. I would like to know more about your foliar fertilization methods. Math was never my best subject, but by my calculations, getting the same amount of nitrogen in lbs/acre based on what concentrations I can purchase liquid fertilizer in locally, it comes out to roughly the same amount of dollars. Went to a seminar on forage put on by the LSU AgCenter and they told us pretty much the same thing, only that foliar feeding was less dependent on rainfall. What part of the equation are we missing? I would sure like to cut my fertilizer cost as well.


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

I'm new here so I don't want to get into getting scolded for posting something I should not post, but, I was a doubting Thomas at first myself and I still am to some extent. I find it hard to accept this when I compare costs against granulae or liquid urea application. The difference is extreme, cost wise.

I've always been a granular application person, one reason why I have an account at the local co-op and they know my fields. We have mostly sandy loam to sand here. We are on the edge oh a large strip of fertile loam that stretches from kentucky, through Ohio, up into SE Michigan toward Detroit. This is produce tarming country.

I still use a granular application one time per year, usually prior to first cut if possible but I tried (on another grower's advice BTW, a liquid foliar feeding supplement called TSM Micro-boost Foliar. TSM, Total Soil Management, makes it.

Hopefully, I don't get chastized for this but their website is: www.totalsoil.com

It's a chelated mixture of essential nutrients in concentrated liquid that you dilute with plain water and spray on when the plant leaf stomates are open and receptive to infusion of the nutrient package, easly morning or late evening (I prefer early morning myself). I never owned a large spray righ but I have a quad so I put a poly tank and wet boom on the quad and a polyy tank and transfer pump in the truck and I traiiler my quad to my fields and apply the Micro-boost.

My mentor told me to apply it after each cut, when regrowth has achieved 3" or better and I did after first cut but the lack of rain here has really impacted any growth. I will say all my alfalfa is standing at attention, a sure sign that the plant is absorbing the boron in the liquid.

I've done a whole bunch of reading about foilar nutrient application and how it impacts growth and yield and frankly, there are as many naysayers as positive comments. It seems to work for me but this year isn't really a yardstick for performance in as much as precip is sadly lacking.

The really good thing is cost, about $20.00 per gallon and it's a quart to an acre mixed with 15 gallons of water (again from my mentor). I figure water, concentrate and fuel for the quad comes in about comes out to about 7 bucks an acre plus my time.

No storage issues, comes in 2.5 gallon jugs or totes, It's not corrosive, has no smell, actually looks like thick windshield washer fluid.

It's not heavy on N like granular or 28 is but application regimen is a lot different. As follows:

Total Nitrogen (N) 4.00% (From Urea)
Sulfur (S) 3.00%
Zinc (Zn) 3.00%
Boron (







0.25%
Copper (Cu) 0.25%
Manganese (Mn) 3.00%

Interesting stuff.

Next year should really rell the story for me. I'm going to forego the granular entirely and go with the foilar application.

We had a lot of winter kill here so I was down from the start. No snow pack and freezing rain equals poor yield and then no rain to speak of. Reminds me of '88.

My mentor uses it on his row crops as well and intermixes it with herbicides.

There are other foliar nutrients available but this stuff was recommended so I'm using it.


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

I don't have a good yardstick this year (to gage application versus yield or application versus growth rate) because it's the Sahara desert here ot so it seems.

According to the literature I got with the TSM product. TSM recommends application intervals based on yield and growth rate, neither of which are sustainable here this season. Application sure isn't difficult and cost per acre per application is inconsequential compared to granular or 28.

In other words, I was hoping for 3 maybe 4 cuts but I'll settle for the first and another in late August providing we get some precip. Fingers crossed, toes too. Tes, I've applied the TSM product and yes the alfalfa is standing at attention, in fact, the alfalfa is growing pretty well compared to the clover, the timothy or the grasses.

My customers aren't too happy but the Clearspan is full of rounds...for me and I'm not telling anyone where I live either......


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