There is a multitude of good research that has been conducted on starter fertilizer source and placement. Some data swings toward the value of starter fertilizer, other data finds no significant value. To correctly examine the true benefits of starter fertilizer, a fair amount of importance should be placed on the type of soil that crop is being planted into and the date of planting. This would afford someone the ability to a more accurately assist with conclusions as to the value of starter fertilizer. There are many producers who will concur that at least some starter fertilizer is valuable when planting under cool early season conditions, however, as producers have increased their acreage and increased the size of their equipment in an effort to cover more acres per day, they have often done so at the expense of starter fertilizer attachments (partly due to reducing the cost of that equipment and partly due to reducing the time needed to get planter rolling in the field).