60 Sprayers & Spreaders | Promotional Supplement November 2024 SPRAYERS & SPREADERS Fertilizer Costs Remain High Reducing Costs and Increasing Efficiency for Ontario’s Corn and Soybean Farmers As the 2025 growing season approaches, Ontario farmers continue to grapple with high input costs, particularly for fertilizers. Nitrogen and other key fertilizers saw significant price increases starting in 2022, driven by global disruptions. While some relief is expected, optimizing fertilizer use remains critical for profitability. High Input Costs and Applicator Maintenance According to the Statistics Canada Farm Input Price Index fertilizer costs in Ontario have risen over 40 percent since 2020. OMAFRA reports that dry urea and phosphorus are major contributors to these increases. Maintaining and calibrating application equipment is essential to ensuring precise nutrient delivery and avoiding costly misapplications. Regular maintenance as well as calibrating equipment with each load to account for variations in fertilizer density, ensures even distribution. Calibration reduces the risk of over- or under-application, both of which can lead to wasted product and poor crop performance. Proper maintenance will also reduce downtime during the busy season so that your equipment is running when it’s needed most. Reducing Labor and Tractor Costs with Wide Swath Applicators Labor and tractor hours are significant operational costs. Applicator swath width plays a key role in reducing these expenses. Often rental applicators have a 40-foot swath, which requires more field passes that increase time and costs. Upgrading to an applicator with and 80 or 90-foot swath reduces field time and fuel consumption by roughly 50%. Salford offers multiple applicators with a 120-foot swath, taking efficiency even further. Covering three times the area of a 40-foot applicator, they can apply up to 147 acres per hour. This reduces both labor and fuel costs while minimizing soil compaction Reduced compaction also improves yields, enhancing the financial return on investment. Versatility and Asset Utilization Maximizing return on investment is critical when purchasing farm equipment. Having implements that can do more than one job increases their utilization, making it more cost-effective. However, producers must select the right equipment based on their needs, as not all fertilizer applicators are designed to do more than one job. Salford offers several spinner spreaders that can apply fertilizer and lime allowing farmers to use the same machine for both tasks. Salford’s air boom applicators excel in applying seed and fertilizers but are not designed for lime application. However, air boom applicators do offer more even distribution on windy days or when crossing uneven terrain, making them able to run in conditions that other machines couldn’t handle. Sustainability and Environmental Considerations Sustainability is a growing concern for Ontario farmers, especially with stricter regulations on fertilizer use. Reducing nutrient runoff is essential for protecting waterways, and precision equipment with section control and variable rate application helps minimize environmental impact. Salford has multiple applicators capable of variable rate application, and two of Salford’s spinner spreaders are capable of 12 section control across a 120-foot swath. Salford air boom applicators come is working widths up to 90 feet and are capable of left/right section control. These technologies align with the 4R Nutrient Stewardship principles, ensuring that the right product is applied at the right rate, time, and place. In the upcoming crop production season growers will need to continue their focus on managing input costs while maintaining efficiency and sustainability. Well-maintained, calibrated, equipment with the right capabilities will allow growers to achieve precise, cost-effective fertilizer application, to help maximize returns. To see more progressive solutions for fertilizer application and tillage, go to salfordgroup.com. Salford SS400+ spreads fertilizer up to 120-feet and lime up to 70-feet Salford 90-foot AB640 Air Boom Applicator with 640 cubic feet capacity. Salford BBI Sniper spreader can apply up to 120-feet with 12 section control
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