352: Simple Rice Fertility Steps for Stronger Crops

Today’s episode is here to help rice growers stay strong and make smart moves. We walk through rice fertility in a simple way that makes sense in the field. This episode is packed with real farm knowledge you can use this season.If you grow rice or work with someone who does, this episode will help you think differently about nutrients, water, and timing. Small changes can lead to healthier crops and stronger yields.🌱 What You’ll Learn:Why phosphorus and potassium are hard to build in rice fields and what to do insteadHow zinc supports plant health when fields are floodedHow better nitrogen timing helps rice fill grain and boost profit

High input costs and tight margins are forcing farmers to look harder at every dollar. In this episode, Ryan talks with Stephanie Fackler from John Deere Financial about how financing decisions impact profitability more than most producers realize. Many farms rely on the same operating loan year after year without understanding the hidden costs. This conversation breaks down better ways to manage cash flow, what 0% financing really means, and why unsecured input financing can reduce risk. Stephanie also shares insight on where the Ag economy may be headed and how farmers can protect working capital while navigating low commodity prices.When margins are compressed, profitability isn’t just about yield. It’s about making better decisions with your inputs, your timing, and your money.

In this episode, we talk with Robbie, a farmer from Mississippi who decided to question the way things had always been done. After floods, lost seasons, and rising costs, Robbie knew the “old way” was not working.He shares why putting nutrients exactly where the plant needs them made a real difference on his farm.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• Why questioning old habits can protect your farm• How targeted fertility gained him 12+ bushels• A better way to spend money from planting to harvest

Farming carries heart, pride, and purpose. Today, we talk with Sam, a sixth generation Iowa farmer, who shares how learning, teamwork, and belief helped his farm grow again. With guidance and education, his farm found new energy. His joy for farming returned. His family gained confidence.This episode reminds us that farming is better when we grow together.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• How simple agronomy knowledge can boost confidence in the field• Why working with a strong team helps farms move ahead• How a positive mindset can lift your farm and your family🎧 Tune in and keep building a better way to farm.

In this episode, we talk with Scott, a South Dakota farmer who is chasing better margins. What he has learned helped him cut nitrogen nearly in half and grow healthier crops.If you have ever wondered if there is a better way, this episode is for you.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• How Scott cut nitrogen rates almost 50% while maintaining yield• Why placement and timing beat adding more fertilizer• How healthier plants stay green longer and grain fill better

Today, let’s finish strong. Zinc may be small, yet it plays a big role in how your crop grows, uses water, and fills grain. When zinc is right, plants stay steady. When zinc runs short, yield quietly slips away.In this episode, we’ll show why early attention keeps crops moving forward all season.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• Why zinc matters from planting to harvest• How zinc drives hormones, enzymes, and seed formation• Why high phosphorus often leads to zinc troubleTest with purpose. Place it early. Protect what the seed already promised. That’s the better way to farm.

Manganese does not get much attention, yet it can make your fertilizer dollars work harder. Get it right and crops run smoother. Miss it and yield slips away without much warning.In this episode, we walk through why manganese matters, how it works with other nutrients, and why small fixes here can protect big yields.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• What manganese does inside the plant• How manganese helps phosphorus, calcium, and nitrogen work better• Why yellow striping often points to manganeseRemember that manganese is small money with big influence. It helps crops use what you already paid for. Tune in now!

Iron may be small, yet it plays a big role in how your crops grow, stay green, and fill the bin. If your plants look pale, weak, or slow early in the season, iron could be the missing link. Today, we’ll hear how strong roots, smart testing, and targeted foliar applications help keep crops dark green, growing strong, and producing sugar when it counts.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• Why iron is key to chlorophyll, photosynthesis, and sugar production• How to spot iron deficiency early before yield slips away• Why high pH soils make iron hard for plants to use

Let’s talk nutrients that do not get much airtime. Chloride and Moly can help a crop or hurt it. It depends on how they are used. In this episode, we’ll break it down so you can make better fertility calls and protect yield.This is not about chasing silver bullets. It’s about knowing what is helping your crop and what might be quietly holding it back.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• When and why chloride can strengthen plants and also cause real trouble• What moly does inside the plant and why it matters for nitrogen• How too much chloride can hurt soybeans and soil life

Let’s take a closer look at copper. It’s a micronutrient needed in very small amounts however, is critical to yield, stalk strength, and nutrient efficiency.In this episode, let’s see where copper fits, how to test for it correctly, and why balancing micronutrients is essential for getting more from every input dollar.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• Why copper keeps getting ignored• When N, P, and K stop working• How to take a clean tissue sampleIf you want your crop to finish strong and your fertilizer program to work as intended, this episode is for you.