Mitigating high fertiliser prices

The recent energy crisis has led to unprecedentedly high fertiliser prices well in, with potential for these to rise further before spring 2022.

The high prices mean growers must factor in a new economic optimum to their nutrient management plans, as the point at which the value of extra grain produced is not worth the cost of the extra N applied has shifted considerably.

This webinar will help you judge the economic optimum level of nitrogen to apply to cereals and/or oilseeds crops, accounting for fertiliser and grain prices. The guidance will help suggest potential adjustments to your typical farm nitrogen rates. All information discussed will be based on RB209 fertiliser guidance and recently revised data by ADAS.

Our expert panel will consist of:

• Pete Berry (ADAS) – understanding your own economic optimum of when to apply nitrogen
• James Holmes (AHDB) – using RB209 to guide your decision making
• Mark Topliff (AHDB) – when doesn’t nitrogen pay? Analysis of the Farmbench dataset to understand the most profitable use of fertiliser on UK farms
• Helen Plant (AHDB) – fertiliser and grain prices - 2022 and beyond?

Speaker information:

Pete Berry, ADAS Head of Crop Physiology

Dr Pete Berry is a crop physiologist and Head of Crop Physiology at ADAS. Pete’s research aim is to improve performance and reduce pollution of cropping systems through an understanding of crop physiology, plant breeding and agronomy. 

Mark Topliff, AHDB Senior Farm Economics Analyst

Expertise in farm production economics and benchmarking. Leads on cereals, oilseeds and potato sectors technical, cost of production and profitability analysis. Responsible for International analysis for these sectors. Special interest in economic impact of crop diseases.

James Holmes, AHDB Environment Senior Scientist

James leads AHDB’s soil and crop nutrition teams. Working across the arable and livestock sectors, the team is responsible for the GREATsoils programme and the Nutrient Management Guide (RB209) James is a FACTS Qualified Advisor (FE4857).

Helen Plant, AHDB Senior Markets Analyst

Helen is an experienced analyst of the long-term market outlooks for cereals & oilseeds sectors. She has a focus on business development – ensuring farm businesses are aware of market risks & opportunities and the tools available to plan for the future.