With higher input costs and low commodity prices, I’ve been thinking how to be of help to the farm community I serve during these times. A small group of farmers and I met before Christmas. We talked about the difficulties the farm economy is facing yet also talked about realistic things that can be done to save money right now. One of those is around nitrogen and thus, we planned a Nitrogen Challenge Meeting on Jan. 16^th at the Holthus Convention Center in York beginning at 9 a.m. The goals of this meeting are to share the research-based results from using in-season nitrogen management via Sentinel Ag, understand how to use this technology, and share testimonies from growers utilizing this technology. They wanted to create a peer network of famers supporting farmers during the growing season with this technology-so the first step will be a peer networking lunch sponsored by Sentinel Ag. The NRD is providing nitrogen certification credits. There is no charge but please RSVP for the meal count to 402-362-5508 or jrees2@unl.edu.

Why have I stressed nitrogen so much? In the Upper Big Blue NRD newsletter, Terry Julesguard wrote an article about nitrogen in the NRD based on the information provided by the Phase 2 and 3 reports. You can read the full article at: https://www.upperbigblue.org/increased-nitrogen-efficiency-brings-new-questions. In this excerpt Terry shares, “The numbers that stand out are the residual nitrate nitrogen in the soil:

• Corn-on-corn field increases from 33 lbs/A average to 86 lbs/A, an increase of 202%.
• Corn/bean rotation field increases from 32 lbs/A average to 86 lbs/A, a 212% increase.”

I know most farmers are seeking to do their best. The data is showing we’ve increased soil nitrate post-season by over 200%, meaning we’re overapplying N. We talk about the nitrate legacy from past generations, but this is the legacy we’re leaving right now in the soil for our kids and grandkids.

Soil tests in this area of the state from the 2025 season are showing residual soil nitrate is available to reduce the amount of nitrogen applied next growing season. This provides an opportunity to save on nitrogen input costs. No agronomist, including myself, can tell you exactly how much nitrogen you will need because we don’t know the weather/soil conditions for each piece of ground each year. This is why sensing what the plant needs is so powerful using technology like Sentinel Ag.

We have an opportunity to change the nitrogen story now-with us! On-Farm research with Sentinel Ag (2022-2024) in our part of the State showed an average 56 lb N/ac savings without impacting yields, while leaving an average of 5 ppm Nitrate in the top two feet. No other product or practice has proven that in our area of the State via on-farm research. It’s about using technology to manage the nitrogen the plant needs to the best of our ability. Thus, the Nitrogen Challenge in which I’ve asked growers to consider only applying a base rate pre-plant of 50-100 lb N/ac and apply the rest of the nitrogen in-season using a sensor-based technology like Sentinel Ag. Sentinel Ag uses satellite imagery to sense when a corn plant is becoming nitrogen stressed before our eyes can see it. The research was originally developed at UNL and the grad student (Jackson Stansell) then developed a company (Sentinel Ag) around it. Please consider learning more by joining us for the Nitrogen Challenge meeting on Jan. 16^th. Farmer testimonials at: https://go.unl.edu/f3si.