Soil Sampling: A Little Investment for a Lot of Information

One of the most powerful tools a farmer has isn’t actually a tool at all. It’s the data gained from soil testing. The vast amount of information soil tests provide allows farmers to see the true potential of their fields.

“When I soil test, I am really looking at a roadmap, and it’s a roadmap from where I have been to where I want to go,” says Illinois farmer Robert Hunter.

Not sampling could cost farmers tremendous yield and limits the quality of fertility recommendations. Yet, according to a 2015 best management practices survey conducted by the soy checkoff, only 45 percent of soybean farmers say that they soil test a majority of their acres.

In this video, farmers and soil specialists explain the true – and affordable – value of regular soil testing.