Harvest Time in the American South: Cover Crop and Soil Sampling Insights, with Clara Millsaps

Another growing season is winding down, and harvest time is upon us in the American South. And so, in this episode, we'll talk with Nutrien Ag Solutions South Region Agronomist Clara Millsaps to get an update on how the harvest is expected to progress in her area, what sorts of conditions and yields farmers can anticipate this year, and why now is the time to make plans for cover cropping and soil sampling. It's certainly been a year of extremes in North America, and Clara will tell us how that's impacted the growers she talks to on a regular basis. Plus, we'll look ahead to how growers can incorporate other sustainable practices into their operations next year, detail the sorts of ROI they can expect, and discuss the regional differences that make some practices better than others for growers in the South. Clara will offer her insights about which cover crops work best in this unique region, and Tom and Sally will detail how soil sampling can be a game-changer for your sustainability strategy.

Episode Transcript

Clara Millsaps:

I wouldn't be a soil scientist if I didn't tell folks that I hope soil sampling rigs are behind the combines. The first thing we want to address is, make sure our pH is within the adequate ranges and looking at P&K fertility. And then, of course, what we'll be talking about today is thinking through their cover crop selection, and what type of species and management and termination timing that folks will be thinking through and need to be planning for for 2023.

Dusty Weis:

Welcome to the Future. Faster. A Sustainable Agriculture podcast by Nutrien Ag Solutions with our very own Tom Daniel, Director North America, Retail and Grower Sustainable Ag, and Dr. Sally Flis, Senior Manager North America, Sustainable Ag and Carbon. This is your opportunity to learn about the next horizon in sustainable agriculture for growers, for partners, for the planet. To us, it's not about changing what's always worked. It's about continuing to do the little things that make a big impact.

Dusty Weis:

On this week's episode, we're joined by Clara Millsaps, South Region Agronomist at Nutrien Ag Solutions, for an update on how the harvest is expected to progress in the American South, what sorts of conditions and yields farmers can anticipate this year, and why now is the time to make plans for a more sustainable operation in 2023. But if you haven't yet, make sure you're subscribed to this podcast in your favorite app. Also, make sure you follow Nutrien Ag Solutions on Facebook and Instagram.

Dusty Weis:

I'm Dusty Weis. And it's time once again to introduce Tom Daniel and Sally Flis. Tom and Sally, people hear "fall" in the agriculture world and they start thinking about harvest season. We have that discussion to look forward to coming up in a minute or so here. But it's also an important time of year to make a plan and carry out soil sampling to better inform your decision making. I've got a little bit of acreage now in Southwest Wisconsin, but I've never done soil sampling out there before. People keep telling me, "Okay. You've got to make a plan. Get your soil sampling done." What do I need to consider here, Sally?

Sally Flis:

The first thing to consider Dusty is, "What do you have growing out there right now?" Because that's going to impact when we can soil sample. If you've got a hay crop out there, we can pretty much go out and pull a soil sample anytime we want. If it's a corn crop or a bean crop, whoever's renting that or growing that crop is not going to be real happy if we drive some equipment through there to pull soil samples out.

Sally Flis:

But we want to make sure we get that soil sample in time, so that we can make some of the adjustments that need to be made in the fall. Like applying lime, so that we can have a pH adjust in the soil before the next crop. We're going to want to consider what the next crop is that's going out there before we make those changes.

Sally Flis:

Tom, as you look at and talk to growers about soil sampling ... How many growers that you're interacting with or crop consultants in the field that you've talked to over the summer are using more of a precision approach to taking soil samples? Versus a traditional, "Take all your soil colors. Put them in a bucket. Mix them together and send in one sample per field."

Tom Daniel:

We've really seen a change in that, Sally. As precision agriculture has become more and more of a practice that's being implemented by our growers, they're doing more soil testing that's relatable to management zones within the field. Where they put like-minded soils together, and then soil sample to those. Because as the soils change, the chemistries within the soils change. And the ability for the soil to hold nutrition changes based upon clay content, silt content, and other issues within the soil.

Tom Daniel:

We're starting to see a lot more growers taking more precision soil samples than we have in the past. Soil samples, for the most part, your standard soil samples are not that expensive anymore either. They are a good investment for growers, and they give a grower a trend line to determine whether or not he's going in the right direction with his overall nutrition. Sally, one of the things that I always get asked around soil sampling is, "How deep do I need to sample?" And, "What time of year do I need to count on to do my soil sampling?" What's your thoughts on that?

Sally Flis:

I think the biggest thing there, Tom, is to be consistent. If we're going to start building this library of soil samples that we want to see our progress, you mentioned, over time ... Are we really changing pH? Are we impacting the phosphorus and the potassium or other micronutrients in the soil that we need to make adjustments to? It's really to be consistent.

Sally Flis:

If you take six-inch soil samples one year, and then you take eight-inch soil samples the next year, and one year you take them in the Spring, and the next year you take them in the Fall ... Those soil samples don't always mean the same thing. While some of these things do take a long time to see changes in measurement in a soil sample, you're just adding to the amount of variability of that soil sample that we already know is in the field.

Sally Flis:

We've done some work on the soil samples we've taken for the carbon pilots and found that really to get a statistically good level of variability, they're recommending to us from some of the science team to take one sample every half-acre. And so, the more different types of variability you add in there, the less accurate that sample's going to be, and the less accurate recommendation you're going to be able to make to the next management practice you need to put on that field.

Sally Flis:

Tom, in one of my previous roles, I worked for a soils lab here in New York State. I would always get asked, "Does it matter what soils lab I send my samples to each year?" And, "Why are the soil sample results from your soil lab not the same as the soil sample results from the lab I used last year?" What are your recommendations on selecting a soils lab? Should we be sticking with the same one? How do the extraction methods impact what we're going to see for results?

Tom Daniel:

Well, it goes back to your previous statement around consistency. If you start changing up labs that you're sending testing to every year ... Look, I've got farmer friends that do that. They'll look at where they can get the best deal and the lowest cost for a soil test. They'll choose to send a soil test to another lab just for 50 cents or a dollar a sample difference. But what you'll find out is each one of these labs have different extraction methods for phosphorus and other nutrients in the soil.

Tom Daniel:

And if you're not using the same extraction method, then you'll get different results when it's all said and done. You'll see some higher levels of P on one test. I know that I actually changed a soils lab I was using on our farm a few years ago. I got a 25% difference in my potassium levels when they did the test. I couldn't figure out why, but it goes down to extraction processes, it’s what they do. Remember, a soil test is not an exact science, Sally.

Tom Daniel:

It's not intended to give you exact numbers for that acre. It gives you a number for that test, but you have to use your soil test more for a trend line. To see, "Are you getting to the place you want to on fertility? Do you have enough available fertility to provide what the crop needs that year for yield?" Soil labs are important. Look, I'm going to give a plug to our soils lab today, Waypoint. Nutrien has the largest tissue and soil testing lab in North America. We just have very good availability for growers to get samples to them and get a good consistent test over time. I'm all about, "If you pick a lab, stay with them." Because over the long run, you're going to get your best results that way.

Sally Flis:

Tom, you mentioned in your comment there that you've got farmer friends that will choose a different lab over a little bit of a different cost in that soil sample analysis. I know one of the things that soils labs do is they'll price different packages. You can get maybe two things done. Or you can get everything that lab might be able to do.

Sally Flis:

When you're picking a soil test package to do ... What are the three, maybe five things you feel like you really have to have on that soil test to be able to make those management decisions for the next part of your planning for your field?

Tom Daniel:

Sally, if you go back in history, back when my dad would pull a soil sample. Most of the time, he pulled an aggregated soil sample over the whole field. He took one sample from an entire field. We know that's not a good way to do it. What was the main thing he always tested for? It was really around pH and N, P, and K. That's what he tested for. Because in most cases, back in his time, it was about lime recommendations. Do I need lime? Do I not need lime?

Tom Daniel:

Today, though, we have the availability of multiple different tests that we can look at. We can even look at soil health components through the Haney Test and different other tests that are available to us today. But if I'm looking at soil fertility, in general, I'm going to focus on obviously the macronutrients, the N, P, and K. But I'm also going to look at my micronutrients and my other nutrients of sulfur, boron, multiple other components.

Tom Daniel:

Sally, it's really around ... Not looking just to see if I've got enough nitrogen to grow a corn crop, but do I have the right balance? I'm going to ask you a question back, because you're my soil scientist on the group. What importance do you see in the balance of nutrition that comes out of that soil test?

Sally Flis:

It's a big factor in it, Tom. Because you're going to end up with ... The plant will replace nutrient uptake, one for another, based on elemental charge if it doesn't have the right nutrient there. Potassium is a great example of that. A plant will take up another element with that same two plus charge, because they need that charge difference across the cell wall to take water up if the potassium's not there. But they also need potassium for a whole bunch of other functions within the plant.

Sally Flis:

And so, if they're replacing potassium with another two plus charge element just to be able to bring water in, then you're going to have a potassium deficiency. And if you don't have potassium, your plant is not going to grow. It's about balancing across the whole spectrum. One of the ones that has really gotten to be important in the eastern half of the country ... Especially, the northeast.

Sally Flis:

You mentioned testing for sulfur. Probably, when your dad was pulling soil samples, nobody thought about testing for sulfur. But because of the air quality changes and regulations around emissions on power plants, we really need to pay attention to sulfur. And if you're not testing for it, you might mistake that crop response for a different nutrient deficiency. You're going to get a yellowing with a sulfur deficiency.

Sally Flis:

And if you put more nitrogen on, because you think it's nitrogen, because it's yellow ... You're still not going to get a response, because nitrogen is maybe not your real problem. Testing for that whole suite of nutrients is really important to make sure, when you're addressing problems in the field, you're addressing the right problem. Not spending money on the wrong input and not getting a response.

Dusty Weis:

Well, Tom and Sally, all of these great things to consider as we make our plans for the fall here. Certainly, with harvest season bearing down. Especially, in the American South right now. Soil sampling. Definitely at the top of people's lists, but so as well are cover crops. What they should consider and how possibly they can make cover crops work in the American South. Not typically an area that tends to favor cover crops.

Dusty Weis:

We're going to find out a whole lot more about both of those topics here in a minute with Clara Millsaps, the South Region Agronomist from Nutrien Ag Solutions. Plus, discuss some expectations that she has for the harvest. That's coming up in a moment here on The Future. Faster.

Dusty Weis:

This is The Future. Faster. A sustainable agriculture podcast by Nutrien Ag Solutions. I'm Dusty Weis, along with Tom Daniel and Sally Flis. We're joined now by Clara Millsaps, South Region Agronomist Nutrien Ag Solutions. Clara, thank you for joining us.

Clara Millsaps:

Thanks, Dusty, for the opportunity to speak with you guys this afternoon.

Dusty Weis:

Clara, to kick off our conversation a little bit, can you give us some background on the emphasis of your PhD, your experience in the field, and the current role and responsibilities that you have as Nutrien Ag Solutions’ South Region Agronomist?

Clara Millsaps:

Sure thing. I received my undergrad from the University of Mount Olive in Eastern North Carolina. I took one soil science class, and that changed my life forever. I went on from there and was lucky enough to chase down a PhD in Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences from Virginia Tech. During that program, I had the opportunity to work across vegetable production, row crop production, and all facets of soil fertility.

Clara Millsaps:

Very blessed in that experience. And then, I transitioned to working for Nutrien about two years ago as the region agronomist in the Carolinas. And so, in that role, it's very similar to what I'm doing now as the South Region Agronomist. Education, training, and troubleshooting through trials is a simple way to put it. Very blessed in the position that I hold for sure.

Tom Daniel:

Clara, congratulations by the way. I know this is a whole new group that's been put together within Nutrien Ag Solutions today with the regional agronomist. Congratulations on that position. But I would ask you this question. I know that, in the South right now, you guys have already started in harvest in ... I know probably corn.

Tom Daniel:

I don't know if there's any other things that are being harvested, but I know the southern corn crop is coming in right now. What are some of the issues that you've seen in the South right now? I know you range all the way over from Texas, New Mexico, all the way over to the Carolinas. What are you seeing right now in some of the crops that are coming out of the field?

Clara Millsaps:

Yes. Right now. Probably, what a lot of folks would say, at least in the deep south is ... We're needing some dry weather and some sun to finish out this cotton crop and to be able to get in the field. Corn for the most part is in with average yields across the board. There are some areas that were not under pivots that are probably a little troublesome area. But for the most part, the corn crop looks great.

Clara Millsaps:

As far as soybeans goes, those early planted beans in the deep south has really been hit pretty hard by some of the rains they've been receiving. From what I've heard and gathered, it's anywhere from 15% to 18% damage. Fingers crossed that those late season beans can still hold that yield potential and come out. But for the most part, cotton and soybeans and peanuts will be rolling in here shortly. Excited to see how well we do this '22 season. For sure.

Tom Daniel:

I know that the cotton crop is really going to vary. Because as you go out West, if it's not under pivot, it's probably in insurance right now. As you come this way, we've got so much rain in some areas that you're starting to worry a little bit about quality issues.

Clara Millsaps:

We will see how 2022 shakes out. That's for sure. What is worthy of mentioning is, in the mid-South, rice yields have been average to above. Anywhere from 170 to 220. It's worthy of mentioning our Dyna-Gro 263 is doing very well in that area as well.

Tom Daniel:

Clara, we've got a really nice project running in the mid-South division right now on the traceability on the rice piece - 263 has been a phenomenal variety in that project.

Sally Flis:

Clara, it sounds like there's a lot going on across that region for variability and crop harvest, which I think we'd probably see across all of our regions that we have as ag retail with Nutrien. What are some of the things that you are out talking with growers or crop consultants right now about what happened in 2022? How that's going to impact what they were planning this spring for 2023? How does that change product selection, seed selection, all the things that go into that whole acre solution for the year?

Clara Millsaps:

Right. Probably, what I would say that I would start planning for '23 is ... I wouldn't be a soil scientist if I didn't tell folks that I hope soil sampling rigs are behind the combines. Getting those soil samples into the labs and getting that turned around. And so, the first thing we want to address is make sure our pH is within the adequate ranges and looking at P&K fertility. Something that I don't think is always mentioned, as we think through planning for '23, is those folks who have access to manure.

Clara Millsaps:

Staging those manure applications and making sure that our phosphorus, zinc, and copper levels are not over threshold too. That's not mentioned a lot, but worthy of mentioning just because we don't want to overload our soils and be beyond those threshold levels. And then, of course, planning for '23. What we'll be talking about today is thinking through their cover crop selection, and what type of species and management and termination timing that folks will be thinking through and need to be planning for. For 2023.

Tom Daniel:

We think about cover crops really focused in the Corn Belt area, the Midwest, and in the East. I don't think about them as much as in the South. You think about cotton and some of those issues. There's not as much emphasis on the cover crops. Where do you see cover crops having a fit? What geographies in the South do you see them being implemented right now?

Clara Millsaps:

If there can be a fit for a cover crop, I would definitely recommend doing so. I know timing a lot of times is the major issue of getting that cover crop in. Anywhere, I would say, that there is soil, which is most of everything that we deal with, would be beneficial for a cover crop application.

Clara Millsaps:

Now, finetuning what that cover crop program looks like ... Whether it's a kitchen sink mix of several different species or if it's just a plain cereal rye. Finetuning your program and how it fits in your production practices is probably what I would recommend. I guess my answer to that question probably would be, "If you can put in a cover crop and make it fit, I would definitely choose to do so."

Tom Daniel:

Clara, you're a believer then that a green and growing root needs to be on that acre as many days of the years we can make it?

Clara Millsaps:

Yes. Absolutely. For sure.

Sally Flis:

What are some of the things, Clara, that growers and crop consultants should be considering as they pick that right cover crop fit for their field?

Clara Millsaps:

First, I would say go ahead and ask yourself, "What are you trying to address? What's the functionality that you're wanting that cover crop to serve?" Or the mode of action, rather. Are you dealing with compaction? Are you dealing with troublesome weeds? Or rather, are you just trying to build your overall soil productivity through soil health? Once you identify what function you need to address, it's straight tied to what species you need, or what species in a mix that you would like to try to address.

Clara Millsaps:

And then, sourcing your seed. It's quite easy if you're purchasing from a wholesaler or retailer. But for those folks out there that are sourcing their cereal grains from bins, bin-run wheat or barley or cereal rye ... Please throw caution to the wind of what type of weeds, if there were any present, when that cover crop seed was harvested.

Clara Millsaps:

If that's bin-run wheat from your own farm ... The troublesome weed that we faced throughout the South that has resistance to almost all the post-emergent herbicides that we have is Italian ryegrass. If you have Italian ryegrass pressure, please ask those questions. Or ask yourself those questions if you have any type of weed pressure from bin-run wheat or anything like that.

Clara Millsaps:

And then, thinking through your planting windows. I think this is a little intuitive, but this is worthy of mentioning as well. Those fields that you're wanting to plant first in the spring need to be planted first this fall. To maximize the biomass of that cover crop before we terminate it.

Tom Daniel:

Clara, a follow-up question to what Sally was talking about. You mentioned it earlier that, whether it be just a straight cereal ryegrass mix or multiple variety of mixes ... What do you see as being some of the functionalities of the cover crop that you're trying to address in the South right now? What are the variety mixes that you prefer?

Clara Millsaps:

Well, I'm a simple person, so I like the cereal rye or wheat. Sometimes when we get in those kitchen sink mixes, it can be a little bit troublesome to manage. My constant study would probably be a cereal rye just for the biomass produced. But what I will say is, you do have to figure out what works best for your operation.

Clara Millsaps:

Some folks don't like cereal rye, because it's a mess to plant through. Depending on if it's terminated or rolled or you're planting green. But what I would recommend is talk to your neighbors and do some finetuning yourself. Make sure that the cover crop you choose is most beneficial for you. From a management standpoint, as well as what it's benefiting for you and your soil.

Tom Daniel:

How do you prefer? I know a lot of this comes down to the ability of the grower to manage things. What's your preference? Do you prefer planting green? Or do you prefer that earlier termination for a cover crop?

Clara Millsaps:

I break it down in two scenarios. Early-planted corn, I'd rather go ahead and have it burnt down before we plant. Later seeded into beans or later corn, you can plant green, and then burn down after you've already planted. It depends on the scenario, for me, thinking through when you want to terminate. Whether it's early or later in the season. I really don't have any preference either way, but the capability of the grower is their preference.

Sally Flis:

Clara, you're hitting on a lot of the themes that we hit on. Probably, on every podcast, Tom, of selecting the right thing that meets the resource concern of that grower and tying together this whole system. I was just sent some questions to help respond to the other day for another sustainability team member. We keep getting these questions of, "Why won't growers just do cover crops?"

Sally Flis:

I think you've done an excellent job today hitting on all of the things that go into making that decision. It's not just a, "Go out, see a grower, and ask them to do a cover crop and they do a cover crop." What are some of the ways that you have found working with crop consultants and growers to spread that message? To educate, to get these practices implemented in the field?

Clara Millsaps:

I think it takes a lot of listening first. I feel like listening and troubleshooting is what I do most in my job. And then, running down the answers. There isn't a cookie cutter answer for folks that like cover crops or don't like cover crops. Or someone who's an early adapter or a new adapter. You have to listen first quite a bit before you provide that recommendation. What's the obstacle that's preventing them from adapting this? That's what I would say first.

Clara Millsaps:

We do a lot of listening before recommending it. To some growers, it's just a timing issue. Simply getting in that cover crop and having the capability to burn it down. Or the season. If it's too wet to burn down that cover crop to get our cash crop in effectively. What I would say is a lot of listening and troubleshooting to try to find how it fits. Because it is beneficial, wherever you go in the United States. If it fits in your cropping situation, it is beneficial.

Clara Millsaps:

But finding those niche opportunities where a cover crop can fit takes a lot of listening. Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes it takes a little bit more persuading. But the second thing I would add to that besides listening is, "How can we run a trial?" Or a proof of concept to a grower that, "Hey. This is beneficial." Whether that's helping him try a cover crop and taking yield and other parameters off of that to provide a proof of concept in his field, in his area, that this is beneficial. Kind of twofold. A lot of listening. And then, hopefully, trying to troubleshoot and provide solutions in their local area.

Tom Daniel:

Clara, when we're thinking about cover crops, I usually think about soil health and those avenues. Of course, we also think about erosion control and keeping our soil in the field. Not showing up in the rivers and streams. What are some other ROIs that we can talk about when we talk about cover crops? Are they short-term wins? Or are we looking more for a long-term win when we talk about cover crops?

Clara Millsaps:

Definitely, Tom, you're correct in talking about short and long-term return on investment from cover crops. And it really does need to be branched out into those two categories. Everything that we know about soil is that it takes time to impact our soil. That short-term return on investment from a cover crop is difficult. Especially, if we're just looking at trying to build our soil from a productivity standpoint.

Clara Millsaps:

Short-term return on investment ... There are certain situations where I think you could probably see a positive return just in one year of adapting cover crop. That's if you're addressing a weed suppression issue. Or if you've got a droughty year and that cover crop residue is able to retain a little bit of moisture. You may see your return on investment in those types of situations. But where cover crops benefit and where we see the largest return on investment is from that five to ten year period.

Clara Millsaps:

We know that it takes a lot of time to impact our soil's productivity from a soil health perspective. The main benefits that you're going to see from an ROI standpoint is in that five to ten year range. After we've been able to build that soil back. I would go a little bit further to say, growers and agronomists alike, sharpen your pencils. See how fast we can see your return on investment, and what we can tweak in our management systems to tighten down that five to ten year period. For sure.

Tom Daniel:

A question that Sally and I hear quite a bit, especially, in areas where moisture is an issue. "Are we using up our moisture in the soil by using a cover crop? Should we save it for the main cash crop instead of using up moisture for a cover crop?"

Clara Millsaps:

That's a difficult question. Because intuitively, the answer is yes. That cover crop is using that moisture. In dryer areas of the United States, that's a difficult question to skirt around. But what I will say back to the long-term impacts of cover crops ... Yes, that initial first cover crop may use that soil moisture. It's not going to deplete the whole moisture that's in that soil.

Clara Millsaps:

But over time, the cover crop will improve the water infiltration as well as the soil moisture holding capacity. Although the short-term may be difficult to skirt around that answer, the long-term benefits of soil moisture retention far outweigh just that one short season look.

Sally Flis:

Clara, we've talked a lot about some of the positive outcomes of implementing cover crops. Those short-term and long-term benefits. What are some of the challenges that growers are going to see in the field as they try to implement these things? You mentioned weed pressure. Depending on your seed selections. What are some of the other challenges you see out there as growers start these new cover crop practices?

Clara Millsaps:

First, I'll say, is timing. Timing. Getting the cover crop species in. And then, terminating in a timely manner. If we have a wet winter or a wet spring, sometimes that can be the first and last time a grower will try a cover crop. But I would encourage everyone to give it at least two to three years of time to learn how to manage effectively a cover crop.

Clara Millsaps:

The second thing. Probably, the biggest challenge that I would see is the control and management. Controlling it from a herbicide standpoint, and then also from a fertility standpoint. The call I get every spring from a cereal cover crop is, "Why is my corn yellow? Why is it firing down the mid rib?" That cover crop does take up nutrients.

Clara Millsaps:

When we terminate it and allow it to go back to the soil, there is some nutrient tie-up. For a short period, that does happen. But eventually, those nutrients will become back available for that crop. Understanding the fertility changes due to a cover crop is one of the challenges I see that's not always addressed properly or had enough forethought before putting that cover crop in.

Tom Daniel:

When we see cover crops, a lot of growers in the South, especially, in my geography in Kentucky ... They don't particularly like a cover crop in front of a corn crop. They don't mind in front of soybeans, but corn is the issue. They get that yellowing as you're talking about. Is there a way to solve some of that? Do we put a little bit more nitrogen on the upfront side for the crop? Or what do you see as some solutions to that?

Clara Millsaps:

There's a couple solutions to that. First and foremost, termination timing could be a solution. If you're growing a cereal grain and you wait till full heading to terminate, or if you go in the milk stage, or if you go before heading even occurs ... That changes the carbon and nitrogen ratio in that plant. One is termination timing. The recommendations to manage that nitrogen tie-up boils down to that carbon and nitrogen ratio between the plant and the microbes needs in the soil.

Clara Millsaps:

All we're trying to do in that situation is balance that nitrogen back up. Whether that's additional nitrogen application. Whether that's including a legume species in that mix to balance out that carbon nitrogen ratio. Or whether that's looking at a manure application to help balance things out. But yes, there are several different management opportunities to help make sure that we don't tie-up any nitrogen.

Clara Millsaps:

It just needs to be a part of that management plan before we get there. Because once that nitrogen is tied up, and that crop is yellow, there's no going back. I would say, most definitely, when you're planning and you're planning a huge biomass crop ... Maybe a cereal rye. Think through how you're going to manage that nitrogen just a little ahead of time to make sure we don't have any tie-up.

Sally Flis:

Are there any technology tools you're using in the field as you get in these new practice cover crops? You're mentioning the changes in that nitrogen status of the plant. Are you guys using any in-season tools to evaluate that nitrogen status and see how you can make the correction? Or reflectance imagery? Or drones? That kind of stuff to help manage these challenges in the field.

Clara Millsaps:

Yep. Sure thing. First, out of the gate, it's not a new technology, but tissue testing is going to be able to provide us a heads up on what's actively going on in that plan. Hopefully, we're able to tissue test and catch that nitrogen deficiency or fertility issue before the symptomology is present.

Clara Millsaps:

Aerial imagery is utilized. There are some folks that are running NDVI. Looking at the green reflectance and that can give you a heads up of what spots of the fields you need to go ahead and check. Lead you down the path to make sure that you're ahead of these fertility issues before they show up on the plant. Those would be the main two that we're using in the South to be ahead of some of these nutrient deficiencies.

Tom Daniel:

Clara, do you ever see where technologies like in-furrow fertility and those type of things become beneficial where we're going into cover crops and those type of things?

Clara Millsaps:

Absolutely. Anytime that we can place that fertility in a concentrated area, you're going to have impacts in or outside of cover crops. Thinking through the issue of tying up nitrogen. Making sure that we have that little adjust of nitrogen there in the furrow or in a 2X2 band can definitely help mitigate any of those issues as well. Yes. Absolutely.

Dusty Weis:

Well, Clara, we've certainly learned a lot from you here getting to talk to you. We appreciate your taking time out of a busy schedule to share these insights with us here. We'll wish you at this point a happy harvest, because I know that's coming up for you guys in the South here.

Dusty Weis:

Thank you again so much, Clara Millsaps from Nutrien Ag Solutions, for joining us on this episode of The Future. Faster. That is going to conclude this edition of The Future. Faster. The Pursuit of Sustainable Success by Nutrien Ag Solutions.

Dusty Weis:

New episodes arrive every other week, so make sure you subscribe in your favorite app and join us again soon. Visit futurefaster.com to learn more. The Future. Faster. Podcast is brought to you by Nutrien Ag Solutions with executive producer Connor Erwin and editing by Larry Kilgore III. And it's produced by Podcamp Media. Branded podcast production for businesses. Podcampmedia.com. For Nutrien Ag Solutions, thanks for listening. I'm Dusty Weis.