Press Releases/Interviews

The following are podcast/interviews and short single-page articles on seasonal soil fertility topics. These were originally MSU Press Releases and/or published in state and regional agriculture news outlets and association newsletters. You are welcome to re-print or post these for public readership.

Please check with Clain Jones beforehand to ensure content is still current, and credit Clain Jones, MSU Extension Soil Fertility Specialist.

2026

Press Releases:

• MSU Extension soil and farm specialists suggest ways to manage rising fertilizer costs (MSU News Release, April 2026)

• Montana State University Extension specialist discusses soil fertilization after warm, dry winter (MSU News Release, March 2026)

MSU Extension Podcast:

• Excess Lime In Soil (Ag PhD Daily) (July 16, 2026)
• Effects of Fertilizer Management on Agricultural Profitability (Profitability in Agriculture Podcasts) March 2026
  This episode of the MSU Extension Profitability in Montana Agriculture podcast focuses on how soil health and soil fertility directly influence farm profitability across Montana.  This podcast explains the importance of soil testing, nutrient management, sulfur and phosphorus decisions, and how local research from MSU Extension and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station guides producers’ real‑world choices. The conversation highlights the Four R's of fertilizer management, the economics of nitrogen use, and practical strategies to avoid soil acidification, leaching, and unnecessary input costs.

2025

Press Releases:

• Montana State University Extension expert: More compost might not be what garden soil needs (MSU News Release, May 2025)

• Optimal nitrogen and sulfur rates for annual forage grasses (MSU News Release, April 2025)

• Pulse grains in wheat rotations can increase profits for farmers (MSU News Release, January 2025)

Interviews:

• MSU AgAlert:  Physiological and Fungal Spots on Winter Wheat--They are Back Again! (May 2025)
• Northern Ag Network interview with Clain (May 2025)

2024

Press Releases:

• Montana State University Extension recommends nitrogen applications for wheat protein following wet spring weather (MSU News Release, June 2024)

• Montana State University Extension specialist offers phosphorus fertilizer recommendations (MSU News Release, February 2024)

• Including sulfur in soil fertility programs can benefit crops, according to Montana State Extension specialist (MSU News Release, January 2024)
  
  

Interviews:

• AGPH.D Radio Show: Chloride and molybdenum for crops (December 2024)
• Growing Pulse Crops: Fertility for yield and Nitrogen Fixation (August 2024)
• Understanding and Combatting Soil Acidification Yara podcast with Clain and Dr. Manbir Rakkar

2023

Press Releases:

• Montana State University Extension shares weather-based spring fertilizer adjustments (MSU News Release, March 2023)

• Lentil fertilizer study results from MSU available online (MSU News Release, February 2023)

2022  

Press Releases:

• MSU Extension shares considerations for fertilizing winter wheat (MSU News Release, August 2022)

• MSU Extension specialist discusses fertilizing mid-season if yield goals increase (MSU News Release, June 2022)

• New MSU Extension publications on cover crops in dryland cropping (MSU News Release, March 2022)

2020

Popular Press Short:

• Zinc biofortification of wheat grain (Popular Press Short, October 2020) 
• Soil acidification of MT croplands  (Popular Press Short, July 2020)
• Olsen P and soil pH testing  (Popular Press Short, April 2020)

2019

Press Releases:

• MSU soil expert says not all soil test kits provide accurate results (MSU News Release, May 2019)
• MSU soil expert says spring is a good time to soil sample (MSU News Release, May 2019)

Popular Press Short:

• Consider pop-up phosphorus and potassium this cool, late spring  (Popular Press Short, March 2019)
• Spring N, S, and CI fertilizer adjustments for wet and cold  (Popular Press Short, March 2019)

2018

Press Release:

• MSU Faculy see troubling soil acidity levels in Montana agricultural lands ( MSU News Release, July 2018)

Interviews:

• Soil acidification in Montana  (Northern Ag Network interview June 2018)

2017

Press Releases:

• MSU Extension offers soil nutrient guidelines for seeding winter wheat (MSU News Release, August 2017)
• MSU professor recommends methods to boost wheat grain production mid-season  (MSU News Release, June 2017) 
• MSU Extension specialist offers fertilizer management information  (MSU News Release, May 2017) 
• MSU Extension specialist explains nitrogen fertilizer management to minimize loss  (MSU News Release, May 2017) 
• MSU Extension offers pulse crop ferlization information for small grains  (MSU News Release, April 2017)

2016

Press Releases:

• MSU Extension offers information on selecting fertilizer nitrogen rates  (MSU News Release, October 2016)
• MSU Extension announces new soil fertility publication  (MSU News Release, April 2016)

2015

Press Releases:

• MSU Extension upgrades online small grain nitrogen fertilizer calculator  (MSU News Release, Sept 2015)
• Yellow stunted grain plants likely due to drought stress  (MSU News Release, May 2015)
• Consider testing garden soil before fertilizing  (MSU News Release, May 2015)