Fertilizer Price Hikes Impacting Budgets Of Local Cattlemen

Rising fertilizer prices turning into a real issue for local cattle farmers trying to stay in budget.

The White/Van Buren County Cattlemen’s Association has information that might help. Van Buren UT Ag Extension Director Chris Binkley said a meeting Thursday will discuss how to handle the situation.

“We’ve adapted this meeting to meet the needs of a common thing right now that all of them are facing regardless if you have 100 cows or you have 5 cows,” Binkley said.

Binkley said over the past year, prices have increased by 50 percent. Binkley said fertilizer usually makes up 15 percent of a cattlemen’s budget. Binkley said most beef producers use the fertilizer to forge grass.

“Prices are as high as they have been since 2008,” Binkley said. “A lot of producers are crunching the numbers to try to figure out ways in which they can fertilize within their budget

Binkley said the meeting at the Ag Learning Center in Van Buren County begins at 6:00 p.m. Binkley said participants will hear about fertilizer management, budgeting and what is behind the cost increase.

“We’re going to touch on some of those at the meeting,” Binkley said. “One of the biggest things is fertilizer is a global commodity and the ways of the global economy affect the price.”