Focusing on inputs.
Taylor Hintch, the field crops education manager with Practical Farmers of Iowa, says the organization is seeing tremendous interest from producers looking to reduce their input costs.
“One of the big things is nitrogen for 2026.” She says, “Reducing nitrogen, reducing inputs overall, saving money, and just kind of making everything work financially when you’re also trying to do regenerative agriculture practices like cover crops.”
She tells Brownfield that cost share programs aimed at helping farmers lower nitrogen rates have been gaining popularity.
“We have a nitrogen rate risk protection program that kind of cushions the blow if you have a yield loss, but you also get paid for participating in the program.” She says, “It just takes that risk down a notch. You’re trying something on a scale that is comfortable to you, and we’re helping guide you through the process.”
Brownfield spoke with Hintch at the Midwest Covers & Grains Conference in Washington, Illinois.
