Loveland Products Sales Manager Encourages Broader Approach to 2026 Fertilizer Programs
Key Takeaways
- •Andrew Tucker of Loveland Products urged farmers preparing 2026 crop nutrition programs to consider secondary nutrients like sulfur and calcium alongside macronutrients.
- •Sulfur deficiencies have become more frequent in some cropping systems due to reduced atmospheric deposition and higher crop yields.
- •Tucker emphasized carbon products as a way to improve nutrient availability and retention in the root zone.
- •He advised in-season fertilizer applications, supported by variable-rate technology, to match nutrient supply with crop uptake throughout the growing cycle.
- •Tucker made his comments at the Farm Progress Show in central Iowa, one of the largest outdoor farm shows in the United States.
As many farmers begin putting together their crop nutrition programs for 2026, one industry representative is urging growers to think beyond the basics of macronutrients.
Andrew Tucker, a sales manager with Loveland Products, says macronutrients will remain an important part of fall and spring fertilizer applications, but he is encouraging farmers to take a wider view of their overall program.
“Looking at phosphorous, potassium, nitrogen applications, but really encouraging guys to look at the rest of the program. What are we doing about sulfur? How is calcium a player in the whole plant nutrition portfolio? And really looking at carbon,” Tucker said.
His comments reflect a broader industry conversation about secondary nutrients and soil health. Sulfur has drawn increased attention in recent years as reduced atmospheric deposition and higher crop yields have contributed to more frequent sulfur deficiencies in some cropping systems, while calcium and soil organic matter are widely discussed factors in nutrient cycling and soil structure.
He made the comments while speaking to Brownfield during the Farm Progress Show in central Iowa on Thursday. The annual event is one of the largest outdoor farm shows in the United States, drawing exhibitors and attendees from across the country.
Tucker said growers should look for innovative ways to approach plant fertility, with a particular focus on the role carbon can play.
“What can the right amount of carbon and the right carbon products do to help with nutrient availability, holding nutrients right in the root zone, and making those nutrients more efficient as they release to the plants,” he said.
In addition to fall and spring applications, Tucker says farmers should also consider applying fertilizer in-season to support crop nutrition throughout the growing cycle. In-season or “spoon-feeding” approaches, often enabled by variable-rate technology and sidedress application equipment, have become more common as growers look to match nutrient supply to crop uptake timing.
Loveland Products is a subsidiary of Nutrien Ag Solutions, which provides crop input products and services to agricultural producers.
