The Dirt: an eKonomics podKast

Ever wondered how the potash fertilizer you apply is actually made? There's more to the process than you might think.
 
In this episode, Lyle Cowell is joined by Courtney Rohachuk, manager of Nutrien's Pilot Plant, to explore how mined potash ore becomes finished fertilizer. Courtney walks us through the process, explaining how potassium chloride is separated from other salts, how granules are sized for blending and application and how Nutrien helps protect product quality during shipping and handling.
 
Go behind the scenes of potash production, hear how Nutrien's Pilot Plant supports improvements across its six Saskatchewan potash sites and discover the teamwork it takes to produce the fertilizer that reaches your farm.
 
Looking for the latest in crop nutrition research? Visit nutrien-ekonomics.com
 
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With so much new technology entering the market, how do we figure out what's actually helpful?
 
This week, we're coming to you from Nutrien Ag Solutions' Innovation Farm in Champaign, Illinois. Dr. Karl Wyant joins Thaddeus Bates, senior manager of the Innovation Farm Network, to explore how the farms put new equipment, products and practices to the test.
 
Hear how grower needs shape their work, why taking research from small plots to commercial acres matters and what research at the speed of farming looks like in practice. At the heart of their approach is building on what growers already do well and finding practical changes that fit their farms, make better use of their time and offer opportunities to improve return on investment.
 
Looking for the latest in crop nutrition research? Visit nutrien-ekonomics.com
 
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NutrieneKonomics

Soil research is most valuable when it reflects the real challenges growers are seeing and helps them make better management decisions.
 
In this episode, host Lyle Cowell is joined by Dr. Chantel Chizen, Assistant Professor in the Department of Soil Science at the University of Saskatchewan, to discuss how conversations with farmers have helped shape priorities for her new research group. Chantel explores her current research into low-yielding and marginal areas of fields, prairie wetlands, soil carbon, soil health and soil variability across Saskatchewan.
 
They also discuss how tools such as satellite and drone imagery and digital soil mapping are changing the way soils are studied, efforts to build a new provincial soil data hub and interpretation guide and why continued engagement with farmers and agronomists is essential to keeping soil research connected to the field.
 
Looking for the latest in crop nutrition research? Visit nutrien-ekonomics.com
 
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NutrieneKonomics

What should you consider when choosing a potassium source?
 
In this episode, host Dr. Alan Blaylock is joined by David Holden, owner of Holden Research and Consulting, to explore how crop needs, soil properties, water source and the nutrients supplied alongside potassium can affect how well a particular source fits into a system. They compare potassium chloride (MOP) and potassium sulfate (SOP), discuss why chloride can create challenges for certain crops and explain what growers should think about when evaluating each source.
 
They also explore how potassium rate, timing and placement can align with crop demand, why potassium availability matters as crops develop and how irrigation can influence the source you select. The conversation offers practical considerations for selecting and evaluating potassium sources, including potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, potassium thiosulfate and potassium nitrate.
 
Looking for the latest in crop nutrition research? Visit nutrien-ekonomics.com
 
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Soil fertility isn't always the yield-limiting factor. Compaction, salinity, soil acidity and water management can all affect how well crops grow and how effectively they access nutrients.
 
In this episode, Lyle Cowell is joined by Marla Riekman, Soil Fertility Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, to explore some of the other factors that can hold back crop performance and productivity. They discuss how salinity and compaction are connected to water management, how soil acidity can affect crop growth and what growers and agronomists can look for when diagnosing underperforming areas of a field.
 
They also explore practical approaches to managing and minimizing the impacts of soil salinity and compaction, along with how growers can think about soil health, field variability and the factors they can influence to support crop growth.
 
Looking for the latest in crop nutrition research? Visit nutrien-ekonomics.com
 
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NutrieneKonomics