Food Grade Fertilizers

Published Feb 13, 1999

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE SUPPORTERS HAVE QUESTIONED THE USE OF ACID, SALT BASE FERTILIZERS. FOOD GRADE FERTILIZERS HAVE LOWER SALT LEVEL AND LESS ACID CONTENT WHICH SHOULD BE LESS HARMFUL TO SOIL LIFE. THE CONCERN ABOUT FOOD GRADE MATERIALS IS THE HIGHER PRICE, WHICH WILL LIMIT THE AMOUNT USED.

WILL THESE SMALL AMOUNTS OF NUTRIENTS MEET THE NEEDS OF CROPS WHERE THE SOILS ARE DEFICIENT? TODD HARTSOCK FOUND NO DIFFERENCE IN CORN YIELDS WITH EITHER TYPE OF FERTILIZER WITH THE SAME FERTILIZER COST, CHART 21. STEVE LEAZER’S TRIALS PRODUCED EQUAL CORN YIELDS, BUT THE FOOD GRADE FERTILIZER WAS $ 2. 36 PER ACRE CHEAPER, CHART 21.