As we look back on a low revenue season for 2025 and look ahead to a concerning economic outlook for 2026, some are asking what or where they can cut and still make excellent yields. There is a saying that, “You cannot save your way to profit,” which suggests that you cannot do things that cut your revenue stream to be profitable. I would suggest that making random cuts to your production likely leads to economic losses. The challenge for every farmer in a time like this is to identify what adjustments can be made to expenses without damaging that revenue stream of the farm. 

Getting the fundamentals correct is critical every year, but especially when margins are tight. “Everybody” is convinced that they already have the fundamentals figured out. The ability of farmers to get most of these fundamentals right most of the time is a massive success story that is not understood outside of agriculture. Even though I think farmers are largely successful at managing the fundamentals, in my opinion, getting the fundamentals right on every acre is a challenge. 

For corn in Kentucky, the basics include: 

1. choosing excellent genetics
2. highly functioning corn planters
3. adequate soil fertility such as lime, N, P, K, Zn and probably S
4. scouting and timely in-season adjustments as needed
5. excellent weed control from corn emergence to nearly blacklayer
6. scouting and timely application of fungicides and/or insecticides based on thresholds and forecasts
7. timely harvest, grain drying and on-farm grain storage
8. winter cereal cover crop (wheat, barley or cereal rye) following soybeans

The University of Kentucky conducts corn hybrid trials every year and publishes those results online. Unbiased tests like these can help your odds of selecting the best genetics for your farms. 

Of the grains we grow, corn is probably the most sensitive to a timely and uniform emergence. Highly functioning planters are critical to that success, especially in no-tillage and low-tillage systems. A planter does not have to be brand new to be highly functioning. In fact, most brand-new planters take time in the shop and several acres in the field to get adjusted into highly functioning machines. Older planters, with proper maintenance and updates, can be highly functional. Take time now during the winter to make sure your planters are running in top condition. Replace worn parts. 

Sidewall compaction will reduce corn yields and the revenue stream. One of the greatest challenges for farmers is that sidewall compaction usually occurs by planting a field one day too early. I have made this mistake in my research plots before, and I am supposed to “know better”. Getting on a field one day too early is extremely easy to do, especially in a year when planting is difficult. Frequent rains for the first 2 or 3 weeks after planting could alleviate sidewall compaction. We saw that in 2025. If the sidewall compaction is not alleviated by the rains, yields will be damaged, and expectations on that field should be reduced. Outside of the frequent rains after planting, there are no other strategies that can alleviate sidewall compaction effectively. 

Soil fertility is often a large portion of any corn production costs. Soil pH needs to be adjusted to 6.0 to 7.0, and agricultural lime is the best option to adjust pH. Ag lime is calcium carbonate or magnesium carbonate, and the carbonate portion of the molecule helps raise the soil pH. Avoid using liquid “limes” which may not have any carbonate in them. 

The updated AGR-1 Lime and Fertilizer Guide has a range of nitrogen rates from about 130 to 190 lb N/acre when corn follows soybeans, corn or another grain and depending on soil drainage classification and tillage type. Applying more of the nitrogen after corn emergence can help improve the efficiency of the N fertilizer, especially if following cover crops. 

Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) have thresholds based on soil tests. If soil test P is at 60 lb/acre or above, no additional P fertilizer is needed. If soil test K is at 300 lb/acre or above, no additional K fertilizer is needed. We have conducted trials at soil test values above these thresholds, not applied P or K, and had corn yields at 280 bu/acre and above. Fields (or areas of fields) with high soil tests of P do not need P fertilizer in 2026. Fields (or areas of fields) with high soil test K do not need additional K fertilizers in 2026. 

Weeds should not compete with the corn crop from emergence to nearly blacklayer in the field. We have seen more weed escapes the past 2 or 3 years. The 2025 season was especially difficult because the high rainfall in the spring altered planting dates and prevented timely sprayer passes in fields. Keeping nearly all weeds controlled is critical to protecting the revenue stream. 

Timely scouting of corn for disease and insect threats, and timely application of fungicides and/or insecticides based on those thresholds, improve the chances of a return on that investment. Ideally, a cornfield could be scouted and then sprayed within 48 hours if a threshold is reached. If a scout and applicator can be that timely, they will go a long way to protecting the revenue stream from that field. Applying either of these to a cornfield that does not need them is a wasted expense that does nothing to protect the revenue stream. 

Getting corn harvested timely and before too much weathering occurs also protects the revenue stream. Usually, corn should be harvested a little bit early and dried in bins to maximize grain captured by the combine and to maintain higher grain quality for sale.

Once you get past these fundamentals for 2026, any other inputs or products should require a very sharp pencil to determine if they really can recoup a larger revenue stream than they cost. If you really want to try some new products or techniques, this is a year to start small and include check strips or other comparisons to identify the real return on investment.

Citation: Lee, C., 2025.  Making Profitable Management Decisions in 2026 Corn Fields.  Kentucky Field Crops News, Vol 1, Issue 12. University of Kentucky, December 16, 2025.