nd-crops

NEWS RELEASE                                             Ag Chemical Usage
                                                              May 19, 2005

               North Dakota Fertilizer and Chemical Usage

North Dakota farm operators applied nitrogen to 98 percent of the other
spring wheat acres in 2004, according to USDA's North Dakota Agricultural
Statistics Service. Phosphate was applied to 86 percent of the other spring
wheat acres and potash to 27 percent. Comparison data for other spring
wheat fertilizer usage came from 2002. During 2002, nitrogen was applied to
97 percent of other spring wheat acreage, phosphate 83 percent and potash
19 percent.

During 2004, nitrogen was applied to 95 percent of the durum wheat acres.
Phosphate was applied to 70 percent, while potash applications covered 6
percent. The most recent comparison data for durum wheat was from 2002.
During 2002, nitrogen was applied to 88 percent of the durum wheat acreage,
phosphate 58 percent and potash 5 percent.

Nitrogen was applied to 64 percent of the soybean planted acreage in 2004.
Phosphate was applied to 63 percent and potash to 11 percent. The most
recent comparison data for soybeans was from 2002. That year, nitrogen was
applied to 64 percent of soybean acreage, phosphate 59 percent and potash
11 percent.

MCPA was the most commonly applied herbicide in other spring wheat in 2004,
with 60 percent of the acreage covered. Other herbicides used for other
spring wheat include Fenoxaprop, Bromoxynil octanoate and Bromoxynil
applied to 49 percent, 25 percent and 20 percent of the acreage,
respectively. During 2002, MPCA was applied to 62 percent of other spring
wheat, Fenoxaprop 42 percent, Bromoxynil 30 percent and 2,4-D 26 percent.

The most popular herbicide applied to durum wheat in North Dakota during
2004 was Fenoxaprop, used on 55 percent of the acreage. Other commonly used
herbicides for durum wheat include MPCA, Glyphosate and 2,4-D applied to 50
percent, 45 percent and 39 percent of the acreage, respectively. In 2002,
2,4-D was applied to 55 percent of durum wheat acreage and MPCA to 36
percent.

In soybeans, Glyphosphate was the most commonly applied herbicide, covering
88 percent of the 2004 acreage. Other herbicides used were Imazamox and
Imazethapyr at 5 percent each. In 2002, Glyphosphate was applied to 50
percent of soybeans, Sethoxydim 25 percent and Bentazon 24 percent.

The agricultural chemical use estimates in this report refer to on-farm use
of commercial fertilizers and pesticides on targeted crops for the 2004
crop year. The farmers operating the sampled fields were personally
interviewed late in the growing season or after the farm operator had
indicated that planned fertilizing and pesticide applications were
completed.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
  David Knopf, Director
  North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service
  NDSU, IACC Bldg., Room 448
  P.O. Box 3166
  Fargo, ND 58108-3166
  Telephone: (701) 239-5306
  E-Mail: nass-nd@nass.usda.gov
  Internet: http://www.nass.usda.gov/nd/