Rick Haney interview(2013)

DocHolladay

Well-Known Member
This is a really good interview about soil and his soil test. He takes a different approach to testing soils and giving the landowner/farmer recommendations. Most test give recommendations based on what you are planting for yield. His tests take into consideration what is left in the soil from the previous crop. Ex.- If brassicas call for 200# of urea per your county soil test, his test might see that you have 80# of nitrogen left from your last crop and only recommend 120# of urea. I haven't looked to see if his tests are still $50 each, but if I was a farmer it would be the cheapest part of planting. I am posting 6 videos, 1 per window to save on complications.

 
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Our agronomist includes carryover N on all our soil tests/recomendations. But hes also an independant, doesnt work for a COOP or fertilizer company.
 
Don't all soil tests take into consideration what is left in the ground from the previous crop? I mean, that's what a soil test is, to see what you've got left over, and to tell you what to add to get to the right amount needed to grow crops.
 
Not with nitrogen......You basically get a generic amount based on a projected yield. I don't even pay the N recommendations any attention anymore. I've kinda got my own thing going using my eyeballs.
 
Yes in theory but you can tell the lab not to include it.

And when you sell N why would you tell people there's any left over? You wouldn't sell as much, which is why we have an independent agronomist.

Also, that N is not always available to the plant, so to make sure you don't run short we always fudge a bit

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The test they came up with tells you what N is available and will be used and they make a recommendation based on that. Most soil testing is done using harsh chemicals that don't replicate what is going on in nature and Dr. Haney and a his associates have figured out how to do some/if not most of the tests using water..... like nature does. If you look him up on youtube, he has newer videos explaining it more and shows some tests with different nitrogen applications and yield results. You can also look up the Haney Soil Test and see examples. If you listen in one of the videos, he talks about OM and how it isn't as grand of a number as most think. He developed the test to try and help the farmers save money by not having to apply as much fertilizer to get the same results. Just from watching his videos and looking at what it shows, I think it is a better test than what is given by Extension Offices and most companies that test. I think it gives a truer answer to what is in the soil. It just costs more money. Now, he explains that it cost more than a standard test, but if you can save $1000's of dollars in fertilizer cost(for farmers), it turns out cheaper.
 
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