The pH of soil is one of the most important factors when determining the yield potential for most all crops.  Not only does it determine yield potential, but it also has a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of fertilizers added for plant growth.  To either raise soil pH or maintain soil pH, Agricultural Limestone is one of the most reliable additives to achieve the proper soil pH.  There are a number of factors that determine the quality of Agricultural Limestone and this will greatly impact the results farmers will get from this product.

In order to better understand the Ag Limestone industry, a group of agents, specialist and regulators, put together a survey that was sent out to over 70 quarries across the state with questions related to Ag Limestone.  Those questions were related to the cost of production, challenges to achieve a finer grind of lime, focus on the priority of Ag Lime, annual production, variations in carbonate content of the stone, and their interest in upgrading to produce a higher quality product. 

The results of this survey will help to determine what the main challenges are for Ag Lime production, and if there is interest in producing a higher quality product.  From this information, there could be programs such as low interest loans for quarries to upgrade equipment, providing a higher quality product for farmers, which in turn will save money through reduced application needs, improved soil pH results, and better fertilizer utilization.