Fertilizer prices in 2025 have been climbing steadily, with products like urea, DAP, and MAP up significantly compared to last year. For growers, this reality adds more weight to every input decision. While it’s tempting to focus on cost control alone, the greater opportunity lies in using each pound of fertilizer to drive the highest possible yield.
That’s where soil testing plays a critical role.
Turning High Input Costs into High Returns
When fertilizer prices rise, the return on each nutrient applied becomes even more important. Soil testing helps pinpoint the exact nutrient profile of a field so every pound applied works harder toward yield goals.
Rather than applying a blanket rate, a grower who knows their soil’s specific nutrient availability can:
- Focus inputs where yield potential is highest
- Balance nutrient ratios for optimal crop performance
- Identify hidden deficiencies that could limit yield even when macronutrients are sufficient
This means that, instead of under- or over-applying, you can match fertility plans to yield potential, ensuring that higher fertilizer costs are offset by higher returns per acre.
Phosphate Prices and the Case for Micronutrients
With phosphate prices at some of their highest levels in recent years, many growers are rethinking how they build fertility programs. This creates an opportunity not just to evaluate phosphorus applications, but also to take a closer look at micronutrients that are critical for crop performance.
According to A&L Canada’s Micronutrient Bulletin, “micronutrients play a vital role in plant metabolism and often act as catalysts in enzymatic reactions.” Deficiencies may not always be visually obvious, yet they can significantly reduce yield potential. For example:
- Zinc is critical for early root development and hormone production in crops like corn.
- Boron is essential for pollination and seed set, particularly in canola and other oilseeds.
- Manganese supports photosynthesis and is often deficient in high pH soils.
When phosphate is priced high, it becomes even more important to ensure that these micronutrients are not limiting the crop’s ability to utilize that phosphorus investment efficiently. Soil testing highlights these interactions, giving growers a roadmap to achieve maximum response from both macro- and micronutrient applications.
Finding the Missing Links in Yield Potential
The nutrients that hold back yield aren’t always the obvious ones. A&L’s bulletin notes that hidden hunger—deficiencies too subtle to show visible symptoms—can suppress yield by 5–10% or more. Soil testing and tissue analysis make these issues visible, so fertility programs can be adjusted before bushels are lost.
Examples include:
- Zinc deficiency limiting grain fill in corn.
- Boron deficiency restricting pod set in soybeans and canola.
- Manganese deficiency reducing chlorophyll production, lowering overall plant vigor.
By addressing these often-overlooked yield constraints, growers can unlock significant returns even in years of higher input costs.
Yield Gains Outweighing Cost Pressure
With the right nutrient balance in place, the return on investment from soil testing can be significant. For example, a 5–10 bushel increase in corn yield or a modest bump in soybean protein content can more than offset the cost of testing and tailored fertility application—even in a high-price fertilizer year.
It’s about maximizing yield per input dollar, not minimizing spend.
The Long-Term Payoff
Incorporating soil testing into an annual fertility program doesn’t just help in expensive years—it builds a long-term database of your field’s nutrient trends. This makes it easier to fine-tune decisions, anticipate deficiencies, and continuously push for higher yields season after season.
Bottom line:
When fertilizer prices are high, the smartest move isn’t necessarily to spend less—it’s to make sure every dollar works toward yield. Soil testing, supported by A&L Canada’s expertise in both macro- and micronutrients, gives you the clarity to apply nutrients with precision, support plant health through the season, and harvest the bushels that make the difference on your balance sheet.