NCGA Welcomes NRCS’ Energy Estimator for Nitrogen (3-13-06)

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) calls the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Energy Estimator for Nitrogen a helpful tool that identifies potential cost savings associated with nitrogen fertilizer application.

The tool is a Web-based program that estimates use and costs of nitrogen fertilizer applications and to help producers make decisions for their operation. Farmers enter their ZIP Code, the number of acres of commodity crops typically farmed in the area, the form of nitrogen used in pounds or units used per acre, the price and the application practice. The tool then computes the costs associated with nitrogen use and provides a table that compares the different forms of nitrogen.

“This tool can be very helpful for producers to compare costs of various fertilizer applications,” said Bill Chase. “It is nice to have an easy-to-use tool like the nitrogen calculator to get estimates in a quick manner. We encourage our growers to look at the Web site and see if the tool is something valuable for them to use.”

“The Energy Estimator for Nitrogen provides our nation’s producers with another new tool to reduce their energy costs and protect the environment,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Mike Johanns. “Encouraging proper fertilizer management is part of USDA’s comprehensive energy strategy to help farmers and ranchers mitigate the impact of high energy costs.”

More information about USDA's Energy Estimator for Nitrogen can be found at http://nfat.sc.egov.usda.gov/.