How soil water storage, temperature, and the nitrogen cycle help MN farmers make key decisions

University of Minnesota Extension’s two-day field School for Ag Professionals is coming up July 29 and July 30, 2026. If you’re an agronomist, a retailer, dealer or consultant, if you’re a summer field scout - we encourage you to attend these small-group, hands-on sessions led in the field by experienced instructors. 12 Certified Crop Advisor CEUs credits are available! For all the details, including info on lodging, visit z.umn.edu/AgFieldSchool2026In the 5th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart series, we’re talking about the ways the soil stores water, and how nitrogen transforms in that soil under different climate conditions. We’ll discuss field saturation and the water budget, heat units and how to track them, and how these trends have changed throughout MN over the last 60 years.Guests:Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul)Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato)Additional ResourcesNitrogen BMPs, MN Dept of AgricultureEcological and Water Resources Mesonet, MN Dept of AgricultureNational Weather Service Temperature and Precipitation Map---For the latest nutrient management information, subscribe to the Nutrient Management Podcast. And don't forget to subscribe to the Minnesota Crop News daily or weekly email newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube channel, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and visit our website.If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected] Nitrogen Smart is proud to be supported by the farm families of Minnesota and their corn check-off investment through Minnesota Corn.