General FAQs
Yara supply our solid fertilisers and micronutrients through a network of local suppliers Use our interactive map to locate your nearest suppliers.
Please follow the link below to find more information on the CO2 footprint of Yara fertilisers.
When we calculate the carbon footprint of our products, we include all emissions with global warming potential related to their production; from production of raw materials and energy use to final product and storage at the production site. We apply industry standard methodology developed by Fertilizers Europe to calculate the footprint of each product at individual sites.
We also work with the Cool Farm Alliance to enable growers globally to make more informed on-farm decisions that reduce their environmental impact. The alliance provides the Cool Farm Tool, which helps farmers to optimize their farming operations to reduce GHG emissions.
Yara have introduced an online service to help farmers get fertiliser offers direct from chosen suppliers.
To use ths service:
- Go to the request an offer site
- Choose your fertiliser grade
- Complete your contact details
- Select your prefered supplier
Then sit back and relax, you will be contacted by phone the next working day.
FACTS CPD points have been awarded by BASIS for the following publications
| Nutrition of Arable Crops | PN/126494/2324/g |
| Nutrition of Forage Crops | PN/126495/2324/g |
| Nutrition of Grassland | PN/126496/2324/g |
| Nutrition of Potatoes | PN/126498/2324/g |
| Nutrition of Winter Cereals | PN/126499/2324/g |
| Nutrition of Oilseed Rape | PN/126497/2324/g |
| The Yara N-Sensor | APN/126491/2324/g |
| The Yara Guide to the Safe Use of Fertilisers on Farm | PN/126528/2324/g |
| The Yara Guide to Mineral Fertilisers | PN/126527/2324/g |
| Yara Fertigation Manual | PN/130124/2324/g |
| Yara crop nutrition for soil-grown horticultural crops | PN/130126/2324/g |
| Yara Agronomy Advice subscription | PN/126537/2324/g |
To claim these points please visit the BASIS website.
There are also points available for listening to our agronomy webinars. These codes are provided during the webinars themselves.
Our agronomy team send out regular updates of the latest advice on crop nutrition and agronomy. If you would like to receive this advice please just follow this link to the subscription form to complete your details, indicate your main interests and we will send you the latest advice.
Solid fertiliser FAQs
The main advantage of a compound fertiliser is that all the nutrients are contained in each granule or prill. This means that there is no risk of segregation of the different nutrients during handling or loading as can often occur with blends. Each prill or granule has a uniform size, shape and density which means they can be easily spread uniformly across the whole bout width, unlike blends where there is inevitably a compromise when it come to spreader settings. The advantage of this a much more uniform and even distribution of all the nutrients across the field avoiding under or over fertilisation leading to increases in both crop yield and quality.
Fertiliser spreaders should be checked and calibrated prior to each application season. A separate calibration should be performed for each different grade of fertiliser. Fertiliser spreader manufacturers may supply spreader settings for different grades however these should always be checked with a tray test calibration.
It is advised to keep cattle, horses and ponies or other livestock out of fields and paddocks until granules or prills have fully dissolved and are no longer visible. If sufficient moisture is present fertiliser granules or prills will typically dissolve in 3-4 days, often much sooner, but under dry conditions relying on soil moisture and dew this can take longer. Any spillages especially near gateways or where refilling the spreader could represent a particular risk and should always be cleared up to avoid direct ingestion.
General information on the best practice for the storage of fertilisers can be found on the Storage of fertilisers webpage and on the Safe use of fertilisers webpage.
Specific information on the legislative requirements when storing ammonium nitrate can be found on the NAMOS regulations webpage.
The AIC have recently published a booklet on The Storage, Handling and Transportation of Ammonium Nitrate-Based Fertilisers which can be downloaded from the AIC website.
All Yara fertilisers are manufactured to high quality standards and most are capable of being spread over 36m however this depends on the spreader being correctly set up and calibrated according to the spreader manufacturers instructions.
Before spreading any fertiliser a tray test must be conducted especially over wider spread widths.
Selenium is not required by plants however it is a vital nutrient for human and animal health. Selenium deficiency in livestock is linked to a number of conditions including reduced fertility, increased mastitis and white muscle disease.
When selenium is included in grassland fertilisers it is taken up by the plant and incorporated into leaf tissues which can then be ingested as either grazed or conserved forage. An advantage of ingesting the selenium in forage is that it is absorbed by the animal more readily than selenium from mineral supplements or boluses which tends to be readily excreted.
Here are the results of several grassland trials and studies showing the effectiveness of increasing selenium levels in forage with selenium containing fertilisers.
The Booster range of grassland fertilisers all contain appropriate rates of selenium with grades available for most situations.
Micronutrient fertiliser FAQs
It is often hard to diagnose a micronutrient deficiency in the field as often a crop may be struggling with a deficiency before symptoms are visible.
If you suspect a micronutrient deficiency the Yara CheckIT app or the deficiency webpages within each crop section on this site can be used to compare any symptoms with libraries of deficiency photographs.
The only certain way to diagnose or confirm a micronutrient deficiency is to send a tissue sample for laboratory analysis. Yara Analytical Services offer a full range of soil, leaf, petiole fruit and water analyses and if needed can also offer a 24 hour service for tissue analysis.
YaraVita micronutrients can be tank mixed with a wide range of crop protection products. Full details of all compatible tank mixes can be found using the Yara TankmixIT app and at www.tankmix.com.
If a specific tank mix test is needed this can be requested online and if the test products are in stock can usually be conducted within 24h.
Toolbox FAQs
YaraIrix is a new smartphone app that superceded Yara ImageIT and now incorporates Yara N-Tester. YaraIrix allows you to measure the nitrogen demands of your crops at a different growth stages and will give vareity specific nitrogen recomendations. It combines the image analysis of the ImageIT app with the leaf measurement of the Yara N-Tester.
For more information see YaraIrix
Yes, The N-Tester can be used in conjunction with Atfarm to give you variety-specific nitrogen recommendations in the field. Yara recommends using the N-Tester on winter cereals at GS 37-39 to help fine-tune the final nitrogen application.
Simply take the measurements in the field using the N-Tester then use Atfarm to get the nitrogen recommendation.
The N-Tester measures the leaf chlorophyll content and uses this to determine the nitrogen content. This is different from 'free nitrate' which is nitrogen that has been taken up by the plant and stored in the leaf but not yet incorporated into protein.
The most reliable method to determine free nitrate content is to conduct a leaf tissue analysis.
The original version of the N-Tester is no longer available.
The new model N-Tester BT is available FREE of charge when you create an Atfarm account. Just make sure when you choose your plan you select an option that includes the N-Tester.
If you already have an Atfarm account you can upgrade your account to a plan that includes the N-Tester.
There are only a limited number of N-Tester BT devices available so if you are interested, make sure you are quick.
The N-Tester variety recommendations are updated every year to include newer varieties as more calibration data becomes available.
Following the introduction of YaraIrix app the simplest way to obtain a variety specific nitrogen recommendation is to use the N-Tester inconjunction with the YaraIrix app.
All you need to do is to download the basic free version of YaraIrix app, then register the N-Tester within the app to let it know which model you have then you are good to go. Just take the N-Tester readings as normal and use the YaraIrix to convert the 'three digit reading' into a variety and growth stage specific nitrogen recomendation.
For more information see YaraIrix
Alternatively, if you would still like to download the varieties directly into your N-Tester (2013-2018 version only) then please download the N-Tester loader programme and use this update the new variety calibrations into the N-Tester.
There is no link between the N-Tester reading and the level of nitrogen to apply for protein. The N-Tester is aimed at providing a recommendation for final nitrogen applications to achieve optimum yield.
What the N-Tester will do with continued monitoring is tell you how much nitrogen the crop is able to pick up and will help identify what is happening in the plant. The most important starting point for achieving milling protein spec is to get the nitrogen right for yield. Wheat crops remobilise nitrogen from the leaves to the grain during flowering, but this does not start until mid-flowering, therefore if, through weekly N-Tester reading, you identify levels of nitrogen in the plant falling prior to this time, it can help to identify shortages in nitrogen which will need to be rectified prior to applying the late-season nitrogen for protein. As this is likely to be beyond the GS45 cutoff, the absolute recommendation will not be relevant, however, something would be beneficial to ensure the crop is optimally fed.
If the nitrogen levels continue to increase or remain flat, then you can be more confident of optimal nitrogen rates, and therefore just go with the late nitrogen application at the standard timing.
The N-Tester has only been calibrated in the UK for use on winter cereals - winter wheat and winter barley as well as winter oats and winter rye - On these crops can be used to determine the nitrogen status of the plant and from this a variety specific nitrogen recommendation can be calculated.
In theory N-Tester could be used on any plant to measure the chlorophyll content of the leaf and as such could be a useful management tool, however, no other crop calibrations exist so these would need to be developed locally by the user and any recommendations would need to be confirmed by locally conducted trials.
Atfarm FAQs
Atfarm is a free online service to help farmers manage crop nitrogen and monitor crop biomass using Yara digital tools together with satellite imagery.
Atfarm helps you to plan your field trips more efficiently by checking the fields from your computer before you go there:
- Which field seems to grow slower and need a check?
- Which areas in the field need a closer inspection?
- If I need to take a sample in the field, where is the best place?
- Atfarm will not solve crop problems but helps you to find out quicker. When you know where they are, you can try to fix them. Some can be fixed this season, but others possibly only for next season or never. This depends on the cause.
Atfarm photo analysis is a tool available within the Atfarm app which estimates the amount of nitrogen taken up by a crop based on photographs taken using the phone camera.
Atfarm photo analysis is only available for oilseed rape, winter wheat and winter barley. In oilseed rape it will give a full nitrogen recommendation but in cereals it will only give an estimate of nitrogen uptake.
Like in Google Maps, this detailed map is made from images taken from an airplane. This is expensive and usually paid by local governments. Therefore these maps can be 1 to 10 years old.
Atfarm and the N-Sensor complement each other. With the N-Sensor, the accuracy of the biomass measurement is better thanks to the sensors in the field and with Atfarm, you quickly have biomass maps updated several times a week.
In order to create an application map, first, choose the crop type that is planted on your field. Input all information and click on create application map. The application map is being created automatically for you based on Yara's N-Sensor algorithm.
A satellite can not see through clouds. Atfarm automatically filters out these images. Sometimes a small cloud is visible. This image can not be used. Luckily images are taken every 2-4 days, so the cloud problem is smaller than with earlier satellites.
In very rare situations, there can be images with a few clouds. In that case, please send an email to hello@at.farm .
The app offers most of the functions of the website version. So feel free to try it. It allows you to use Atfarm on your smartphone when you are outside. The app also enables VRA through manual actions as variable driving speed, so you can test VRA also with older equipment.
VRA or variable rate application is central to Atfarm and is the most efficient (and economic) way to apply nitrogen. Variable rate application is most easy to execute with a modern spreader fitted with GPS. Atfarm can create the application maps to export into most tractor and spreader rate controlers to do it.
Biomass is the amount of green crop growing in your field. This is calculated from different information (wave lengths) from the satellite images.
Atfarm is now completely free to use for both variable rate applications and crop biomass monitoring.
As part of our continuous efforts to help the farming industry increase yield, reduce emissions and get the most out of applied nitrogen, we have decided to offer our digital platform, Atfarm, for free. This move will help support you in optimising nitrogen use efficiency and ultimately, productivity on farms.
As a bonus, If you sign up to the complete package, you will also receive the N-Tester BT device for FREE. There are only a limited number of N-Tester BT devices available so if you are interested, make sure you sign up quickly.
For more information visit Atfarm website
Atfarm is free to use for biomass monitoring. After if you want to use Atfarm for VRA this you need to buy an annual subscription.
The cost of a subscription is currently (November 2021) €195 per year. however if you sign up before 31st December VRA is free for 1 year
For more information visit Atfarm website
If you need to get in touch with the Atfarm team directly:
Phone: +44 1484 509725 (office hours only or voicemail)
Email: hello@at.farm
Fertiliser quality and environment FAQs
Please follow the link below to find more information on the CO2 footprint of Yara fertilisers.
When we calculate the carbon footprint of our products, we include all emissions with global warming potential related to their production; from production of raw materials and energy use to final product and storage at the production site. We apply industry standard methodology developed by Fertilizers Europe to calculate the footprint of each product at individual sites.
We also work with the Cool Farm Alliance to enable growers globally to make more informed on-farm decisions that reduce their environmental impact. The alliance provides the Cool Farm Tool, which helps farmers to optimize their farming operations to reduce GHG emissions.
Over the years Yara has conducted a number of surveys investigating the quality of blended fertilizer products available to farmers in the UK. Results continue to show a significant percentage of analysis failing to meet statutory declared levels and that bags are underweight.
Yara has always set the standard for quality with Yara’s bags of granular and prilled complex compounds branded with the YaraMila™ logo, the quality mark guaranteeing the product is a ‘true uniform compound’.
To quote a phrase we have used for many years to describe Yara products:
“What’s on the bag is in the bag!”
This is the third time Yara have undertaken this survey and unfortunately the results haven’t changed. Our results show a significant cause for concern with the quality of blended fertilisers.
How was the research undertaken?
We bought several tonnes of 23 different blended fertilisers. Bags were selected at random. Each product was sampled, weighed and its packaging audited by an independent expert. Yara’s blended fertiliser was included in the tests and bags were similarly selected at random. Everything was tested and analysed by an independent auditor to secure accurate results.
What was tested?
Nutrient analysis – all bags of fertiliser carry a declaration of its contents. We were testing to see if what was stated on the bag, was actually in the bag.
Weight – you buy a quantity of fertiliser and trust that that is what you receive, so we wanted to check the weight of the bags.
Packaging – the durability of the bags was tested to see how rugged they were.
Traceability – can your fertiliser be traced back to the raw material source?
What were the results?
64% of bags didn’t contain the nutrients stated on the bag
36% bags tested were underweight
46% bags had inappropriate packaging
59% bags couldn’t be traced to source
What does this mean for you?
We all want a good deal and you no doubt shop around to make your money go further. But the best deal is not always the cheapest. Unfortunately, our results show that you may be buying a blended fertiliser that under-delivers in the following ways:
- You rely on the nutrient declaration stated on the bag. What if that’s incorrect and you’re applying the wrong nutrients to your crops? You could be sacrificing crop quality and yield.
- You may be overpaying for your fertiliser because you’re being short-changed on the quantity of fertiliser actually in the bag.
- If the packaging isn’t thick enough, you may end up losing fertiliser through bags ripping too easily or water getting in. High quality packaging protects your investment.
- Traceable fertiliser keeps us all safe, and increases the quality of fertiliser. If you know what’s going in to making it, you know what you’re putting on your field.
A cheap fertiliser, can end up being quite expensive. With Yara, quality is guaranteed:
- We produce our own fertiliser so everything is traceable to source and we know exactly what we’re putting into our bags
- We’ve heavily invested in technology to monitor how much we’re putting into our bags, removing dust and debris and blending the right quantity of nutrients.
- Our bags are highly durable to protect your fertiliser so you suffer no wastage.
Further information on the latest survey can be found on the blended fertiliser quality webpage.
