Farmer Survey of Phosphorus Knowledge, Attitude, and Management Practices in Ohio.

An electronic farmer survey was conducted at the 2013 Conservation Tillage Conference in Ada, Ohio. Farmers were asked questions about their attitudes, knowledge, and management of phosphorus fertilizer with 133 usable surveys (some questions were not answered by all farmers).  Over 72% of farmers agreed that phosphorus runoff was an issue in Ohio.  Tri State Fertilizer recommendations developed jointly by Purdue University, Michigan State University and Ohio State University were supported by 47% of farmers but 33% were neutral and 19% felt the phosphorus fertilizer recommendations limited crop yields. Farmer’s knowledge on soil testing was fairly limited with only 12% correctly knowing proper rate to stop apply phosphorus fertilizer however greater than 95% of farmers used and/or took a soil test within the last three years. Based on farm size, the larger the farm, the more intensive they soil tested, with larger farms using more grid soil testing and zone soil testing by soil type (Chi-Square analysis, p<.027) than smaller farms (LT 500 acres).  Grid soil sampling (N=65, 50%) was the most popular soil testing method, followed by zone sampling by soil type (N=28, 22%), and soil testing LT 25 acres (N=21, 16%).  Phosphorus fertilizer was applied primarily in the spring (March to May, N=59, 47%) or fall (September to November, N=52, 42%) with significant differences using Chi-square analysis (p<0.0024). Application method varied but 32% of farmers (N=41) broadcast phosphorus fertilizer with no incorporation. Farmers who broadcast phosphorus fertilizer with no incorporation applied it more often in the winter.