In this episode of the Acres U.S.A. Podcast, Taylor Henry sits down with Neal Kinsey, author of Hands-On Agronomy and one of the most respected voices in soil fertility and the Albrecht approach to soil management.

Neal shares the story of how he became a student of Dr. William Albrecht and how Albrecht’s approach to soil testing and nutrient balance shaped his career. They discuss why pH alone can provide an incomplete picture of soil fertility, how calcium, magnesium, potassium and other nutrients interact, and why farmers should focus on measuring what their soils actually need rather than simply following standard fertilizer programs.

Neal also explains how farmers can prioritize fertility investments within an existing fertilizer budget, avoid slowly mining nutrients from their soils, and use soil testing to identify where inputs will have the greatest return. He shares decades of real-world examples, including dramatic improvements in crop yields and cases where farmers were able to reduce fertilizer expenses while maintaining or improving production.

Neal will also be returning to the 2026 Eco-Ag Conference in Iowa City for a full-day workshop on soil fertility and the Albrecht approach.

As Neal puts it: “You can't manage what you can't measure.”

Thank you to our Sponsors of Today’s Episode:

Azure Standard: https://www.azurestandard.com/

American Farmland Trust: https://farmland.org/

Important Links from Today’s Episode:

Members site: https://members.acresusa.com

Acres U.S.A. Memberships: https://eco-farming.com/

Eco-Ag 2026 Tickets: https://www.conference.acresusa.com/

Eco-Ag 2026 Exhibitor Information: https://conference.eco-ag.com/booth-selection-page-page

Hands on Agronomy: https://bookstore.acresusa.com/products/hands-on-agronomy

Kinsey Ag Website: https://kinseyag.com/