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Keep an eye on new government regulations, such as air pollution
fees, additional irrigation discharge rules, and new restrictions
on crop health chemicals that can make it difficult to remain
profitable. Rising prices can take a toll on profitability as
the costs of some essential inputs increase. Since farmers do
not have much influence over crop prices, the only option is
to improve efficiency and get more value out of every dollar
of input.
Good business practices suggest that we continually reexamine
the value of every input and then eliminate whatever is not essential.
Some growers look at fertilizer as one of the inputs that might
be reduced when financial conditions are tight. However, crop
nutrients must be in adequate supply in order to achieve healthy
plant growth and top yields. Nutrient-deficient crops cannot
make good use of soil water and they are more susceptible to
pest damage. A loss of yield and quality is a very real possibility
when nutrients are in short supply. Any changes in a fertilizer
program should be thoughtfully made on a field-by-field basis,
using results from soil testing as a guide.
The outlook looks bright for a successful 2010. Take time to
examine what can be done to make this year even better than last
year.
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