Author: marrison.2

2025 First Quarter Fertilizer Prices Across Ohio

By: Amanda Bennett, Eric Richer, Clint Schroeder, OSU Extension

Click here for PDF version of this article

The first quarter results from a survey of Ohio retail fertilizer prices showed prices were varied when compared to the national averages reported by Progressive Farmer – DTN (Quinn, 2025). The survey was completed by 16 retailers, representing 13 counties, who do business in the state of Ohio. Respondents were asked to quote spot prices as of the first day of the quarter (January 1st) based on sale type indicated. This is part of a larger study conducted by OSU Extension to better understand local fertilizer prices, which began in December 2023.

The survey found the average price of fertilizers was lower in Ohio compared to the national prices for four fertilizers, UAN, MAP, APP and potash. However, only two were significantly lower, defined as more than 5% lower than the national average. UAN and potash were both significantly lower than the national average at 10.4% lower per ton and 6.5% lower per ton, respectively.

When compared to prices from the last quarter’s survey, two fertilizers were up significantly (more than 5%): UAN, up to $292/ton from $271/ton and DAP at $743/ton from $704/ton.

The chart below (Table 1.) is the summary of the survey responses. The responses (n) are the number of survey responses for each product. The minimum and maximum values reflect the minimum and maximum values reported in the survey. The average is the simple average of all survey responses for each product rounded to the nearest dollar. We recognize that many factors influence a company’s spot price for fertilizer including but not limited to availability, geography, volume, cost of freight, competition, regulation, etc.

Table 1. First Quarter 2025 Ohio Fertilizer Prices

Product Responses

(n)

 Sale Type Min

$/ton

 Max

$/ton

 Avg

$/ton
NH3 8 FOB Plant 720 780 752
UAN 28-0-0 13 Direct to Farm 271 323 292
Urea 46-0-0 12 FOB Plant 440 510 491
MAP 11-52-0 11 FOB Plant 740 835 800
DAP18-46-0 6 FOB Plant 705 765 743
APP 10-34-0 10 Direct to Farm 590 635 613
Potash 0-0-60 13 FOB Plant 350 445 415
Ammonium Sulfate 21-0-0-24 10 FOB Plant 325 562 460
Thio-Sulfate 12-0-0-26 10 FOB Plant 325 458 358

Due to low responses, poultry litter and diesel prices was not included in Quarter 1 survey results. If you are a retailer interested in participating in this study, please contact Amanda Bennett at bennett.709@osu.edu.

References

Quinn, R. 2025. DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends. DTN Progressive Farmer. Accessed online January 8, 2025 at https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/crops/article/2025/01/02/retail-fertilizer-prices-mixed-end

Bennett, A., Richer, E., & Schroeder, C, (2024). 2024 Fourth Quarter Fertilizer Prices Across Ohio. Farm Office Blog. https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-management/quarterly-fertilizer-price-summary

Farm Office Live Webinar to be held on January 17 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

OSU Extension will be offering a Farm Office Live webinar on Friday, January 17 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Farm Office Live is a monthly webinar of updates and outlooks on legal, economic, and farm management issues that affect Ohio agriculture. Topics which will be addressed during the January webinar include:

  • Legislative Round-Up
  • Farm Bill and American Relief Act of 2025
  • Farm Business Analysis Program Update
  • Long Term Care Update
  • Quarterly Fertilizer Update
  • Crop Input Outlook
  • Livestock Outlook
  • 1099 Reminders
  • Winter Program Update

Featured speakers include Peggy Hall, David Marrison, Robert Moore, Eric Richer, Garth Ruff, Clint Schroeder and Barry Ward.

Register for this and future Farm Office Live webinars through this link on farmoffice.osu.edu.

Past recordings and additional information about the Farm Office Live Webinars can be accessed at:

https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farmofficelive

 

Quarterly Grain Conversation Slated for 2025

OSU Extension invites grain producers and industry personnel to save the dates for the quarterly grain market conversations with Dr. Seungki Lee, Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics (AEDE). This quarterly zooms will be held on February 14, May 16, August 15, and November 14.  Each zoom will be held from 7:30 – 8:00 a.m.

During these Zoom webinars, Dr. Lee will provide his insights on the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) crop report. “These early morning webinars will be a great way for Ohio farmers to learn more about the factors impacting the corn, soybean, and wheat markets” said David Marrison, Interim Director for OSU Extension’s Farm Financial Management and Policy Institute.  Producers are encouraged to bring their questions to this early morning conversation.

CoffeewithSeungkiLee2025-final

There is no fee to attend this quarterly webinar session. Pre-registration can be made at go.osu.edu/coffeewithDrLee

These webinars are sponsored by: OSU Extension, Farm Financial Management & Policy Institute (FFMPI), and Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics (AEDE).

 

OSU Extension Assist Farm Families with Farm Transition and Estate Planning

If you and your family are grappling with the critical issue of how to transition the farm operation and farm assets to the next generation, OSU Extension is here to help.  Attend one of our “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” workshops this winter to learn about the communication and legal strategies that provide solutions for dealing with farm transition needs and decision making.  We’ve scheduled both a webinar version and several in-person options for the workshop.

This workshop challenges farm families to actively plan for the future of the farm business.  Learn how to have crucial conversations about the future of your farm and gain a better understanding of the strategies and tools that can help you transfer your farm’s ownership, management, and assets to the next generation. We encourage parents, children, and grandchildren to attend together to develop a plan for the future of the family and farm.

Teaching faculty for the workshop are David Marrison, OSU Extension Farm Management Field Specialist, and Robert Moore, Attorney with the OSU Agricultural & Resource Law Program. Topics which will be covered in the workshop include:

  • Developing goals for estate and transition planning
  • Planning for the transition of control
  • Planning for the unexpected
  • Communication and conflict management during farm transfer
  • Federal estate tax challenges
  • Tools for transferring assets
  • Tools for avoiding probate
  • The role of wills and trusts
  • Using LLCs
  • Strategies for on-farm and off-farm heirs
  • Strategies for protecting the farmland
  • Developing your team
  • Getting your affairs in order
  • Selecting an attorney

Webinar version.  You and your family members can attend the workshop individually from the comfort of your homes.  The four-part webinar series will be February 3, 10, 17, and 24, 2025 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. via Zoom. Pre-registration is required so that a packet of program materials can be mailed in advance to participating families. Electronic copies of the course materials will also be available to all participants. The registration fee is $99 per farm family.  Register by January 22, 2025 in order to receive course materials in time. Click here to register or go.osu.edu/successionregistration

In-person workshops.  Our local Extension Educators are hosting in-person workshops at five regional locations across Ohio during the upcoming winter.  Registration costs vary by. The in-person workshops will be held on

Registration is required.  Find registration information for all workshops at go.osu.edu/farmsuccession

Thank you! OSU Extension would like to thank Ohio Corn and Wheat for their generous sponsorship of these programs.

We hope you’ll join us to move forward on planning for the future of your farm!  For questions about the workshop, please contact David Marrison at marrison.2@osu.edu or 740-722-6073.

 

IRS Sets Mileage Rates for 2025

Source: Internal Revenue Service

The Internal Revenue Service announced on December 19 that the optional standard mileage rate for automobiles driven for business will increase by 3 cents in 2025, while the mileage rates for vehicles used for other purposes will remain unchanged from 2024.

Optional standard milage rates are used to calculate the deductible costs of operating vehicles for business, charitable and medical purposes, as well as for active-duty members of the Armed Forces who are moving.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck will be:

  • 70 cents per mile driven for business use, up 3 cents from 2024.
  • 21 cents per mile driven for medical purposes, the same as in 2024.
  • 21 cents per mile driven for moving purposes for qualified active-duty members of the Armed Forces, unchanged from last year.
  • 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations, equal to the rate in 2024.

The rates apply to fully-electric and hybrid automobiles, as well as gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles.

While the mileage rate for charitable use is set by statute, the mileage rate for business use is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. The rate for medical and moving purposes, meanwhile, is based on only the variable costs from the annual study.

Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, taxpayers cannot claim a miscellaneous itemized deduction for unreimbursed employee travel expenses. And only taxpayers who are members of the military on active duty may claim a deduction for moving expenses incurred while relocating under orders to a permanent change of station.

Use of the standard mileage rates is optional. Taxpayers may instead choose to calculate the actual costs of using their vehicle.

Taxpayers using the standard mileage rate for a vehicle they own and use for business must choose to use the rate in the first year the automobile is available for business use. Then, in later years, they can choose to use the standard mileage rate or actual expenses.

For a leased vehicle, taxpayers using the standard mileage rate must employ that method for the entire lease period, including renewals.

Notice 2025-5 contains the optional 2025 standard mileage rates, as well as the maximum automobile cost used to calculate mileage reimbursement allowances under a fixed-and variable rate (FAVR) plan. The notice also provides the maximum fair market value of employer-provided automobiles first made available to employees for personal use in 2025 for which employers may calculate mileage allowances using a cents-per-mile valuation rule or the fleet-average-valuation rule.

More details can be accessed at: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-25-05.pdf

 

Ohio Treasurer to Offer Enhanced Ag-LINK Savings for Farmers Impacted by 2024 Drought

Source: https://tos.ohio.gov/newsroom/article/ohio-treasurer-to-offer-enhanced-ag-link-savings-for-farmers-impacted-by-2024-drought/

COLUMBUS – As farmers plan for the upcoming growing season, many are facing hardships and financial strain caused by this year’s drought. In an effort to lessen the burdens caused by these conditions, the Ohio Treasurer’s office will be offering an enhanced Ag-LINK application window for counties most affected by the drought.

“This year’s drought has impacted farmers in many Ohio counties and placed a strain on the agricultural community,” said Treasurer Sprague. “We’re proud to offer an enhanced Ag-LINK window as a way to help farmers, agribusinesses, and co-ops in the communities most impacted by the drought.”

Through Ag-LINK, farmers, agribusinesses, and co-ops can receive an interest rate reduction on new or existing operating loans. For nearly 40 years, the program has helped Ohio’s agriculture community to finance the upfront costs for feed, seed, fertilizer, fuel, equipment, and other expenses.

Starting in January 2025, the Treasurer’s office will offer an application window with enhanced Ag-LINK loan conditions for our agricultural partners in the counties most affected by the drought conditions.

During the enhanced savings window, qualified farmers will benefit from the following program conditions:

  • An increased loan cap of up to $750,000
  • An enhanced interest rate reduction
  • An extended loan period of up to two years

“The recent drought impacted the operations of many of Ohio’s farmers, so I applaud Treasurer Sprague’s efforts to provide extended accommodations and support through the Ag-LINK program,” said Dr. Cathann A. Kress, Vice President of Agricultural Administration and Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University. “Ohio State University Extension and the college, in alignment with our land-grant mission, look forward to supporting the Treasurer’s efforts to reach farmers where they’re at as they prepare for next year’s growing season.”

The standard Ag-LINK program will remain available for farmers across Ohio in counties not designated as eligible for the enhanced window. Information regarding standard program loan caps and interest rate reductions for 2025 will be available in the coming weeks.

“The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) appreciates the announcement by the Ohio Treasurer’s office of new Ag-LINK opportunities to better assist cattle families battling through this year’s historic drought,” said OCA President Mark Goecke of Allen County. “Cattle families in Southern and Eastern Ohio are continuing to struggle with managing their cow herds and preparing for winter hay shortages. These changes to the Ag-LINK program show an understanding of Ohio’s beef industry and will make the program more helpful to those cattle producers who have experienced the greatest losses.”

For more details on the Ag-LINK program and instructions on how to get started, visit www.tos.ohio.gov/ag-link/.

Overview of Ag Outlook and Policy Meeting Offered in 2025

To start off the new year Ohio State University Extension will be offering Regional Agricultural Outlook and Policy Meetings across the state. There will be six meetings held from January through February, which will address topics of interest on state and national levels.

Economists from the Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics (AEDE), Extension specialists, and invited guests will present on their expertise. Programs will include presentations covering topics like inputs outlook, weather outlook, grain marketing, dairy and beef outlook, farm business analysis, and energy outlook. The agenda will differ for each meeting so be sure to check with the county on what topics they will be covering.

The outlook meetings are hosted by Wayne County, Defiance County, Allen County, Mercer County, Pickaway County, and a joint meeting is hosted by Union, Madison, and Champaign Counties.

Jan. 7, Wayne County: Secrest Welcome and Education Center 1680 Madison Ave. Wooster, Ohio from 9 am – 3 pm. Registration: RSVP by January 3rd. Call the Wayne County office at 330-264-8722. Click here to access program flyer.

Jan. 21, Defiance County: Jewell Community Center 7900 Independence Road Defiance, Ohio from 5:30-8:30 pm. Registration: RSVP by January 10th. Visit go.osu.edu/25defianceoutlook or call the Defiance County office at 419-782-4771.

Feb. 11, Allen County: Youth Activities Building on the Allen County Fairgrounds. 2750 Harding Hwy, Lima, Ohio from 9 am – 3 pm. Registration: Call the Allen County office at 419-879-9108.

Feb. 21, Union, Madison, and Champaign Counties: Champaign County Community Center Auditorium, 1512 South US Hwy 68, Urbana, OH 43078 from 8:30 am- 12:00 pm. Registration: Visit go.osu.edu/TriCountyOutlook.

Feb. 28, Mercer County: Mercer County Agricultural Center 4978 Mud Pike Road Celina, Ohio 45822 from 9 am – 1 pm. Registration: Visit go.osu.edu/merceragoutlook.

Feb. 28, Pickaway County: Rhoadhouse 56, 1051 SR 56E Circleville Ohio 43113 from 5:30 pm- 9:00 pm. Registration: Call the Pickaway County office at 740-474-7534.

 

Ohio State University Grain Marketing Update on Friday, December 13

OSU Extension invites Ohio grain producers to grab a cup of coffee and join a grain marketing conversation with Dr. Seungki Lee, Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics (AEDE) from 7:30 to 8:00 a.m. on December 13, 2024.

During this webinar held via Zoom, Dr. Lee will provide his insight on the December 10th World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) crop report and the current state of the Ohio grain market. “This early morning webinar will be a great way for Ohio farmers to learn more about the factors impacting the corn, soybean, and wheat markets” said David Marrison, Interim Director for OSU Extension’s Farm Financial Management and Policy Institute.

There is no fee to attend this webinar. Pre-registration can be made at go.osu.edu/coffeeandgrain.

Click here for program flyer

This webinar is sponsored by: OSU Extension, Farm Financial Management & Policy Institute (FFMPI), and the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics (AEDE) all located in The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). More information can be found at: http://farmoffice.osu.edu

2025 Agriculture Commodity Outlook Program to be held in Wayne County on January 7, 2025

Wayne County will host their 2025 Agriculture Commodity Outlook program on January 7th, 2025.  The program will feature a broad scope of topics relevant to all Northeast Ohio agriculture producers.  Speakers from Ohio State University, Cornell University, and Certified Angus Beef will provide outlook presentations on production input costs, 2025 weather outlook, feed grain supply and demand, the new federal milk marketing orders, and the seasonality of the retail beef market.

Click here for program flyer

The detailed agenda includes:

9:00 AM-  Inputs Outlook (Barry Ward, OSU Extension)

10:00 AM- Weather Outlook (Aaron Wilson, OSU Extension Climate/Weather Specialist)

11:00 AM – Federal Milk Marketing Order (Chris Wolf, Cornell University)

12:00 noon – Lunch

1:00 PM- Grain Market Outlook (Dr. Seungki Lee, OSU AEDE)

2:00 PM- Beef Market Seasonality (Clint Walenciak, VP Product Services – Certified Angus Beef)

The program will be held at the OSU Secrest Arboretum Welcome and Education Center from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  Registration is at 8:30 AM.  The cost of the program is $20 and lunch and refreshments will be provided.  For more information, or to register, please call the OSU Extension office – Wayne County at 330-264-8722.

OSU’s Farm On: Financial Management Course to be Offered in Winter and Summer Sessions Beginning in 2025

By Eric Richer, Field Specialist- Farm Management

Click here for information about the course

The Farm On Financial Management Course has been available to Ohio farmers for the last 18 months in a convenient, self-paced and continuously on-demand platform. Beginning in 2025, the course will be re-structured to a winter and summer session format. The Winter 2025 session will run from January 1 through March 31st, with a December 1, 2024-January 15, 2025 enrollment period. The Summer 2025 session will run from July 1-September 30, with a June 1-July 15, 2025 enrollment period. Each session will last approximately 90 calendar days.

The new format will allow for several improvements to the course including time to update content, a cohort-style learning environment and optional Zoom sessions with the lead instructor. Consistent with the previous format, the enrollees will navigate the course at their own pace and on their own schedule within the 90-day session. Estimated time for completion of the course remains 20-24 hours.

Completion of the Farm On Financial Management Course meets the requirements of the Ohio Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program and the Borrower Training Requirements of the USDA Farm Service Agency’s Direct Farm Loan Programs. To date, over 110 Ohio farmers have enrolled in the course.

The Farm On Financial Management Course was created by Ohio State University Extension professionals and is offered through OSU Extension’s new Farm Financial Management and Policy Institute (FFMPI). Housed within OSU Extension, the goal of FFMPI is for the integration, translation, and communication of CFAES’ farm management and ag policy presence that addresses critical farm management and policy issues affecting Ohioans.

For more information on the course and to enroll, visit  https://go.osu.edu/farmon. Questions about the course can be directed to lead instructor Eric Richer, Associate Professor and Field Specialist in Farm Management at richer.5@osu.edu