Nutrient ROI Calculator: Benefits & Use
eKonomics’ nutrient Return On Investment (ROI) calculator is the industry’s first ROI calculator to cover major crops across most of North America. The ROI calculator is based upon published university phosphorus and potassium crop response models, and the most recent ROI calculator incorporates spatial variation when calculating economic return.
Use the Nutrient ROI Calculator Tool
Benefits of Using the ROI Calculator Tool
eKonomics is an online agricultural resource dedicated to helping farmers maximize their yields and profits. To continue achieving this goal, eKonomics has released an updated version of the ROI calculator. The latest calculator model incorporates spatial variability, giving farmers a more accurate reflection of an expected nutrient response in production-sized agriculture. As a result, farmers are able to make accurate nutrient application plans, maximize the benefits of crop inputs and increase their profitability.
How to Use The ROI Calculator Tool
The calculator is optimized for regions that are some of the country’s largest crop producers, allowing farmers to hone into state-specific conditions in more than 20 different states. The calculator allows users to identify and analyze input data for a number of crops, including corn, soybean, cotton, spring wheat, winter wheat and rice.
1) Crop selector: To get started, choose your crop.
2) Nutrient selector: To see how much more net return you could earn by an investment in phosphorus, pick P. For potassium, pick K.
3) State/region selector: Then choose your state or province. If it is not listed, select the geographic location or regional “hybrid” nearest you.
4) Soil test level selector: Choose your soil test level. Refer to your most recent soil test to determine phosphorus (P) or potassium (K) levels. If you don’t have that info, contact your local retailer agronomist, consultant, or extension agent.
5) Acreage: Enter the acreage of your farm.
6) Yield potential: To get this number, take the highest yield you’ve ever had and add 10 percent.
7) Nutrient analysis: Enter the specifications for your nutrient. This can be a single or multi-nutrient fertilizer. The calculator will determine the ROI of the phosphorus (P) or potassium (K) in your nutrient.
8) Current nutrient price: Enter the current nutrient price for your area. If you don’t know it, consult your local retailer agronomist.
9) Crop price: For crop prices, please consult our commodity futures price ticker.
10) Desired fertilizer rate: You can use the university recommended rate (this rate is a default fertilizer rate for each state as recommended by a leading agronomy university within that state) or you can enter a rate of your own.
General Rules of Thumb
- For every 20 pounds of phosphorus (P) added above crop removal, soil test level will increase by 1 ppm.
- Similarly, for every 20 pounds of phosphorus (P) removed without fertilization, soil test level will decrease by 1 ppm.
- For every 6 pounds of potassium (K) added above crop removal, soil test level will increase by 1 ppm.
- Similarly, for every 6 pounds of potassium (K) removed without fertilization soil test level will decrease by 1 ppm.
Going Beyond the Basics
Download the ROI calculator tool tutorial PDF for two different advanced scenarios to demonstrate how you can use the calculator:
- The first scenario will be a demonstration of how to use this tool to determine the profitability of fertilizing a corn/soybean rotation.
- The second scenario will be a demonstration of how to use this tool to determine the profitability of building up a soil test.
Go to the Nutrient ROI Calculator Tool
