Special Report

Agrium agronomy manager says Corn Belt prone to Nitrogen loss

Alan Blaylock is manager of agronomy at Agrium Wholesale.  At the 2015 Commodity Classic he discussed a scenario in the Corn Belt that he says happens all too often. “By midsummer, farmers are saying their corn is turning yellow.  They lost their Nitrogen (N).  That late spring rain pushed it out.”  Blaylock tells Brownfield that the Corn Belt is an environment “prone to Nitrogen loss.”

Agrium offers ESN Smart Nitrogen, which Blaylock says prevents N loss and improves N use efficiency; which in turn makes the farmer more money. “ESN helps farmers get the most result for the N they put out.”

Growers in the Corn Belt have come under more scrutiny about water quality because of runoff.  Blaylock says ESN will “protect the water” by limiting N loss.  In addition to environmental benefits, he says keeping that N in the field will produce more yield.

Looking ahead, Blaylock says the fundamentals look good for agriculture.  Even with the downturn in commodity prices, he states the global picture shows strong demand for food, strong demand for ag inputs, and “that bodes well for the American farmer.”