WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – The cost of fertilizer is going up, and agricultural economists are warning area farmers that they will have to adjust.
A researcher from Outagamie County, Kevin Jarek, says one type of fertilizer, 0-0-62, has had its price double over the last year, dating to July 30, 2020.
The buying of fertilizer has also been affected by importing issues.
Jarek, a crop and soil agent with University of Wisconsin Extension, says if farmers are affected by rising costs, they should make a plan that best fits their needs. “They may choose to rotate. Instead of a field where they were going to plant corn they may choose to put soybeans in. Maybe there’s…alfalfa that they were going to keep another year, instead they rotate that to corn,” Jarek said.
He adds that this situation farmers are facing is a smaller part of a larger issue that has affected multiple industries. “Even if you’re not in agriculture we all can relate to increasing costs to do our job and unfortunately this is one of the things that this supply chain situation has created for farmers,” Jarek said.
He adds farmers went through a similar situation in 2008, where the price of fertilizer also increased at a high level.
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