The Cost of Baling Straw

We have been working with one of our clients to get a better understanding of how much nutrient is leaving the field when baling wheat straw. There is a wide range of book values, often have a 3-4x range within each nutrient. When trying to budget for straw nutrient removal in the budget for pricing the straw, that left a big question.

One of the often overlooked aspects of soil and tissue testing is using these tools to answer questions, not just to make recommendations. So why not collect some wheat samples and see what the tissue test results look like?

Samples were collected from various regions of the client’s trade area following straw harvest in 2023 and 2024. The dry weather during grain fill reduced nutrient availability and plant uptake in 3 of 4 locations in 2023. Even with this variability the data range was about half that of the book values.

Figure 1. 2023 Straw Tissue Test Results (Utilizing Spring 2024 Fertilizer Prices)

In 2024 there was more available moisture during grain fill, and this is reflected in the data. N, P, and K levels were higher and more consistent in 2024. This data is similar to the 2023 location that did have adequate moisture during grain fill.

Figure 2. 2024 Straw Tissue Test Results (Utilizing Spring 2025 Fertilizer Prices)

The field data, while admittedly a small sample set, it looking to be trending towards to lower end of the crop removal book values for wheat straw.

Figure 3. Book Value Vs. Data Comparison

Whether it is straw or grain, tissue testing can aid in narrowing down actual crop removal levels. Contact your ALGL sales agronomist to learn more.