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Farmer sees success with nutrient management

A northeastern Indiana farmer says having a nutrient management plan is critical to the success of his farm.

Jamie Bultemeier operates a diversified livestock and grain operation with his wife Traci. He is also an agronomist with A&L Great Lakes Laboratories in Fort Wayne.

“If we use less fertilizer or put the fertilizer and nutrients in the right place and get more return on our investment, it keeps the doors open in these tighter economic times,” he says.

He says implementing a nutrient plan has forced him to take a deeper look at what is happening on the farm.

“I do traditional management- I measure, I make a decision, I implement the plan, and then I re-measure to see if it worked,” he says. “And that re-measuring is when you usually end up with more questions than answers and a good set of notes can answer some of those.”

His advice to growers is start with the basics and think of a nutrient management plan as a living document. He says it can be adjusted and changed as much as needed.

Audio: Jamie Bultemeier