Source: Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC
Market conditions renewed pressure on farmers to practice good nutrient stewardship this season. While commodity prices soared, the complexity of doing business also increased due to fluctuating crop input prices and supply chain challenges. As summer quickly approaches, farmers can still improve efficiencies and make the most of their valuable resources by tailoring their fertility programs.
“In a year like this, there are economic advantages to doing things differently,” says Josh Byford, Brand Manager of Nutritionals and Coron® Brands at Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC.
“Differently,” according to Byford, means creating a plan that combines early-season, conventional fertilizer applications with in-season, foliar fertilization. This approach allows farmers to provide timely nutrition throughout the season when demand is at its highest. It’s also a way to manage the ups and downs of the fertilizer market.
“Foliar fertilizers can give you more flexibility with your application timing and the efficiency to maximize your nutrition,” says Byford. “For example, our research shows that when you add controlled-release nitrogen to standard fertility programs, you not only see gains in productivity, but you also cut down on the amount of nitrogen that goes into the environment.”
Helena has been researching controlled-release nitrogen benefits for over 20 years with its Coron brands. Controlled-release technology provides more efficiency than conventional fertilizers, which reduces the costly risk of nitrogen loss. Now, the company is taking that efficiency a step further by adding its ENC® Formulation Technology to create Coron Metra.
“When we launched Metra, we wanted to create a fertilizer that provided more than just nitrogen,” says Byford. “We started with a foliar source of nutrition that was already highly efficient. By adding ENC Formulation Technology, we gave Metra an even greater ability to enhance nutrient uptake and fit into almost any program. That’s how we’re going to maximize fertilizer investments going forward. Take tried and true products, and make them perform better.”
Nutrient stewardship is vital for long-term sustainability no matter the season, but in times of both opportunity and uncertainty, its short-term impact is felt. For additional information and recommendations, farmers can visit helenaagri.com to learn more about foliar fertilizers such as Coron Metra and to find their local Helena retailer.