Don’t overdraw the soil bank for your 2026 crop

As with most years, this is an exciting time in some form or fashion. Harvest is likely wrapped up by now. With any luck, the bins are full, contracts are delivered, and the work was finished with minimal breakdowns or stress.

Unfortunately, the relaxation is short lived. Almost immediately, your focus shifts to the 2026 production year. Seed, anhydrous, fertilizer and crop protection decisions move from a distant memory to the forefront of your mind. And with tight margins and commodity prices lower than anyone would like, spending more money may feel like the last thing you want to do.

However, whether you’ve been farming for a short time or a long time, this current cycle is nothing new. These decisions have to be made—and they don’t have to be stressful. A clear fertility plan can make even the toughest choices more manageable.

When it comes to fertilizer inputs, a couple things I keep hearing this fall are, “These phosphate prices are way too high. I’m just going to spread some potash and see what happens,” or “I’ll just cut fertilizer out all together this year and go with what I have in the soil.”

Now, if you’ve come to one of these conclusions, I’m sure you have put some thought into that decision. But it raises important questions: Do you know how much of each nutrient your soil currently holds? Do you know how much your 2025 crop removed at harvest?

I’ll keep the math simple, but based on what I’ve seen this fall, these numbers may be low for most of you. Let’s say you harvested 200 bushels of corn per acre in a field. That 200-bushel corn crop removed 90 pounds of phosphorus or the equivalent of 173 pounds of monoammonium phosphate (MAP) per bushel of grain.

Some fields may be able to withstand that kind of removal without replacement, but if you’re only looking at the combine yield monitor data, there’s no way to know if your fields can take the hit and produce the desired crop next year.

Soil testing shows you exactly what nutrients are left in the bank, allowing you to make informed decisions about fall fertility. For example, if you have a zone in the field that shows 5 ppm of phosphorus (about 10 pounds P2O5), as indicated on a P-1 (Bray) soil test, that area clearly needs phosphate fertilizer. If you have a spot that tests with 35 ppm (70 pounds P2O5), this might be where you could cut back on phosphate fertilizer because it won’t need as much to maintain yields the following year.

Also keep in mind that soil nutrients work together. Phosphorus is needed to make a robust root system, and potassium helps water and nutrients move through those roots. Think of it this way: Phosphorus is the builder. Potassium is the protector. One builds the house, the other keeps it standing strong. Without adequate levels of each, neither nutrient can do its job effectively.

Working with your trusted MFA advisor, you can get grid soil samples pulled on your field to determine existing nutrient levels and develop a sound agronomic plan for your fertility needs.

Whether you base your fertility strategy solely on yield data or combine those numbers with soil test results in a build-and-removal plan, you’re making a more informed choice for next year’s crop. If your goal is to maintain or improve this year’s yields, your crop needs nutrition to perform. Cutting fertility without knowing the facts may starve that crop and produce less-than-desirable results.

Work with your MFA advisor to develop a custom fertility plan for 2026 using the proven MFA Nutri-Track program, and set yourself up for a successful growing season.