Where to Cut Input Costs On Small Grain Acres

By Jason Hanson

What once was the norm is now often a so-so venture of frustration. That is the small grain acre. Price and production problems such as Fusarium head blight/DON have turned wheat and barley into specialty crops for a number of farmers in the region. Most people that I have talked to this spring know how many acres of corn, soybeans, flax, sunflowers, canola, etc., they are putting in this year. But the last 30-40% of the undecided acres has to be a small grain of some sort to keep the rotation.

How do we make money on these crops? To help answer that, let’s turn to a quick quiz I saw on the Internet that is relevant: Where will a producer add more to their bottom line? A) Decrease costs; B) Farm more land; C) Depend on subsidies; D) Increase yields.

The answer in this case was D) Increase yields, although it can be argued that the other three choices factor into the bottom line as well. In this case, let’s take a closer look at what we might do to reduce production costs, focusing on key inputs to see what might be possible.

Fertilizer
The very first thing a person needs to determine for each field is what the realistic yield goals are. The best tool to help with that in my opinion is a soil test. Too many people want or need to raise a bigger crop than they realistically can. The test gives a benchmark to determine whether you over or under fertilize. Either way it really affects the bottom line.

Look at the land you rent versus the land you own, and decide how you will use fertilizer. Most farmers are not going to cut back on nitrogen, but they can alter the rate of phosphorus and potash they put down on those acres. I like to base that decision on the use of the soil test, because the growers I work with have gone from maintenance or build programs on phosphate to more of a crop removal recommendation. Another thing that I would personally cut would be any use of micro- nutrients unless it is absolutely necessary. These products are expensive and should only be recommended with the aid of a soil test.

 Seed Treatment
This is probably the first thing that gets left out of the expense page when it comes to small grain costs. For the most part, a grower will use very good quality seed with good germination and use the lowest cost product for treating. If it gets later in the growing season, the benefits of treating drop off, unless you are have fields with a wireworm or root rot situation. In that case, it is best to use the best product needed. Evaluate your quality of seed, your seeds per pound on the variety you have chosen and percent germination. Know your fields well before cutting out the treatment.

Chemical
This is the one place where people have the most problems making up their mind as to how to cut out some of the chemical bill. This is because things can change so quickly over a short period of time. Most farmers I work with want to apply most of their product themselves, so as not to write out a check to the pilot or retailer. That is one way to save some of the budget. But also remember that it is important to get something sprayed with the right product and at the right time—don’t lose a dime trying to save a nickel.

I am a firm believer in scouting your fields early, either yourself or with the help of an agronomist, to get an early jump on the weeds.  This is the one place for sure that you can reduce some of your costs: From a combination of reduced rates of herbicides on very young and small weeds.

Of course, you have to know what those reduced rates will or will not do; don’t just apply a reduced rate to get a reduced cost per acre. If your reduced rates don’t control the weeds, it can be an expensive mistake in a hurry. A couple of chemicals that have done well for me at reduced rates are the Starane products, Harmony GT, Puma and Discover. But, I should add that I am very familiar with these products. I know their weed spectrum, what the products will do on small, actively growing weeds, and their performance under certain weather conditions.

Separately, I would advise keeping track of product price based more on cost per acre, rather than cost per gallon.  I have had guys tell me they saved $10-12 dollars per gallon on a product, that, upon further review, they didn’t really need, since the weed spectrum could have been controlled with a cheaper cost-per-acre product.

Insecticides
If you have bugs in small grains at economic thresholds, then you better get them out of there. But don’t use a blanket treatment. Know your insects and thresholds. Then you can worry about the price and efficacy of the insecticide. Reduced rates of insecticides can be used in certain situations with certain insects. The main thing to keep in mind with insecticides is only use them when there is a problem, and if you do apply, make sure the treatment is timely.

Fungicides
The grain variety and weather determine this cost. The use of Folicur has taken off in areas vulnerable to Fusarium, and the product works very well, but it’s still too bad that a person has to spend money that late in the season to suppress scab and maintain the yield they had at one point.

Early fungicide use with herbicide spraying also is an added cost but can pay off if leaf diseases are a problem.  It is more risky than spraying for scab, in my opinion, because the return hasn’t been as great in some situations. Certain varieties respond differently to both the early fungicide and application at heading; knowing the response will help you decide if you can cut out one of those treatments.

Summary
It is tough to cut much out without sacrificing yield. However, cutting costs can at times be justified, with good management that includes fertilizing by soil test results, using good seed, scouting diligently for problems, and treating if necessary in a timely manner.

Hanson is a certified crop advisor.  His web site:www.rockandrollagronomy.com