UAF deciding fertilizer recommendations

Researchers from UAF’s School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and outreach specialists and agents from the Cooperative Extension Service met in Anchorage Dec. 22 to determine unified fertilizer recommendations for farmers. The scientists will review current recommendations, bring them up to date, and publish any new results, once they are determined.

The university representatives seek to assist Alaska growers who face challenges due in part to the depletion of the state’s sole supply of urea and a 300 to 400 percent increase in fertilizer prices. The problem surfaced when Agrium Inc. closed its urea plant in Nikiski a year ago. Urea, a white crystalline solid containing 46 percent nitrogen, is widely used in the agricultural industry as fertilizer. A dwindling supply of the product remains but Alaska farmers are beginning to order fertilizer from out of state and will have to pay associated shipping costs. There are nitrogen fertilizer sources within the state, but world economic factors have resulted price increases in most fertilizer components. These price increases and the new price volatility have increased risk for commercial agricultural producers.

Associate Director of the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Milan Shipka said committees with specific areas of expertise were formed. “We are going to review what publications we have now and get a handle on what’s out there,” he said. The participants will come up with recommendations for specific crops and identify what research needs to be conducted. Hay crops, turf grass, grains, and vegetables will be included in the recommendations. When farmers have the best information it helps them plan better and run their businesses more efficiently, Shipka explained.

Tying together the work of the agriculture school and experiment station with CES was another outcome of the session. “We are working at greater collaboration to better benefit Alaskans,” Shipka said.

Publications featuring past fertilizer research:
•Agroborealis Vol. 28, No. 1, Spring 1996, p. 12, "Agronomist discusses nitrogen biological nitrogen fixation" by Stephen D. Sparrow
•Agroborealis Vol. 16, No. 1, January 1984, p. 9, "What Happens to Fertilizer Nitrogen?" by Stephen D. Sparrow, Charles W. Knight, Larry D. Hinzman; p. 43, "Do Slow-Release Nitrogen Fertilizers Have an Advantage for Lawn Fertilization in Southcentral Alaska?" by W.M. Laughlin
•Agroborealis Vol 15, January 1983, p. 15, "Planting and Fertilizing Options in Barley Production" by Charles Knight
•Agroborealis Vol. 14, January 1982, p. 69, "Nitrogen: Transformations and Availability in Alaskan Soils" by George A. Mitchell, Joseph R. Offner

Further reading:
•"Alaska farmers face fertilizer shortage," Fairbanks Daily News-Miner article, Jan. 4, 2009, by Rena Delbridge
•"Factors to Consider in Selecting a Soil Testing Laboratory" CES Publication FGV-00045, October 2006, by Peter Bierman, Tom Jahns (PDF)
•"Small Farms Series: Animal Manure as Fertilizer" CES Publication LPM-00340, August 2005 (PDF)
•"Fish waste enriches Alaska soil" Sept. 17, 2008 blogpost by Nancy Tarnai
•Fertilizer price follow, Anchorage Daily News blog "Talk Dirt to Me," Jan. 14, 2009, by Fran Durner

(updated January 5, 2009)