How frequently do farmers soil test?

But why, how, and how often farmers soil test depends on a few factors.

Of all farmers surveyed, about one-third believed in testing soil at least annually, while over half (59%) found it important to test only once every few years. Only 3% of farmers surveyed said they never test their soil, indicating nearly all farmers found soil testing important in some way.

Beginning farmers soil test more frequently

Beginning farmers (One to nine years of farming experience) had the highest responses for soil testing frequency, showing the largest response rate (14%) for soil testing multiple times throughout the year. This suggests that beginning or young farmers may be the most frequent soil testers.

Farmers with slightly more experience (10 to 19 years of farming experience) tended to score the highest percentage in responses over many other age brackets, suggesting that a mixture of being new to farming with some experience made for farmers more likely to consistently test their soil.

Mid-size farmers most likely to test pasture and cropland more frequently

Data suggested mid-size farmers were the most likely to test their soil frequently. Overlapping with years of experience, mid- to large- or mega-sized farmer responses (with at least 5,000 acres of production) suggested they were the group to soil test their cropland the most often.

Smaller crop farmers (less than 1,000 acres) — no doubt due to a lesser need to test different portions of cropland — had the highest percentage response indicating they soil tested the least often.

Farmers with both cropland and pasture were shown to be the most likely to test their soil more frequently. However, large livestock farmers or operations with at least half a century of business experience were the most likely to want to test pastureland over cropland (or not test cropland at all), finding pasture the more important type of soil to test.

Mid-sized livestock farmer responses showed they were the least likely to test their soil, while small livestock farmers (less than 1,000 acres) had the highest response rates of testing multiple times per year.

Regardless of testing crop or pasture, about one-third of all surveyed farmers indicated they tested their fields at least once per year.

Top reasons for testing

The reasons for soil testing, regardless of operation size or experience, were overwhelmingly for the purpose of testing for nutrients. Crop farmers were more likely to test for fertility and best fertility rates, while pasture tests were more for the purpose of determining soil type, data suggested.

How was soil testing most likely to be handled? Across all operation sizes and experience levels, farmers showed they were most likely to contract out the sampling and testing. Only one-fifth to one-third of all surveyed farmers said they sample soil themselves but still have a lab do the actual testing.

About the survey

Ag Access is a research logistics company that conducts analysis on farmer trends. This survey was sent to farmers to determine soil testing frequency. There were 421 total respondents from across the U.S. with the majority of responses coming from the Midwest. Responses to the survey have been anonymized and reported in aggregate.