Nearly all farm expenses are projected to be up over last year. “The question is will they come down in 2023 and I would say fertilizer may, but the other costs are not likely to,” said Gary Schnitkey, economist, University of Illinois. “Don’t expect fertilizer to come down this year.” Schnitkey, who spoke at the Nutrient Management Conference in Mankato, shared fertilizer data from east central Illinois. “On average, pre-plant and side dress had the highest operating return and also had the lowest nitrogen cost.”
