Prepare Your Planter

Trent Kubik (DSM, Region 1 – South Dakota)

Well, the calendar has finally switched over from 2012 to 2013, leaving us with some moments that we would like to forget.  However, now we can focus on the growing season ahead of us in 2013.  Before I get too far, I should take a moment to introduce myself.  My name is Trent Kubik, and I am the newest member of the South Dakota Team for Producers Hybrids.  I will be fulfilling the needs of growers in South Central and South Eastern South Dakota.  I am the 4^th generation on our farm in South Central SD, and am enjoying being able to return to my home turf to help farmers succeed and grow.

Now, on to the good stuff.  Unless you’re like many of my customers, and myself, with cattle or hogs to feed and water to keep us busy over the winter months, you are probably itching for the snow to melt and the temperature to warm up so you can get in the fields.   However, now is the time to take action to make sure you’re ready when the time comes.  Winter is a great time to pull the planter into the shop and get it ready, a step many farmers may overlook. Working to get your planter in tip top shape now could pay big dividends come harvest.  No matter what make, model, or style of planter you have, they all need lots of maintenance to make sure the seed gets placed right.  After all, that is where the growing season starts, and if there is a problem at the start, you can guarantee there will be a problem at the end.

First, start with a walk around inspection.  Make sure there are no cracks in the frame, tongue, rims, boxes, etc.   Be sure that if a tire is low or flat to start out with, it doesn’t just simply need to be pumped up.  If there appears to be something that could cause your tire to blow in the field, now is the time to take it off and get it fixed or replaced.  Then, move into all the moving parts of the planter.  Inspect all chains, sprockets, bearings, clutches, idlers and all that goes into the metering process.  A small investment you can make is getting a mechanized spinner similar to one that is used to calibrate dry insecticide.  Hook it up to the drive shaft of the planter, first with the boxes on to check for any unusual noises or worn parts.  Then do this with the boxes off.  Be sure and check the seed tubes as well to make sure they are free from dirt and dust entering them.   From there, move into row cleaners, gauge wheels, disk openers, and packing wheels.  Make sure there is good contact between the gauge wheel and disk openers, but enough so the gauge wheel can still move freely and do its job.  If it has been a while since new rubber has been on your gauge wheels, this is an opportune time to take them off and replace them.  It is worth your time and investment to replace any of these parts that you feel may start to be wearing out.  For example, if a 15-inch disk blade is worn just 1/2”, it is time to replace it.  If one of them isn’t right, the whole row could be costing you big money in terms of seed placement.  Also, now is also a great time to look into possibly retrofitting your planter with precision placement parts.  Take a look at this previous blog post by Minnesota DSM Justin Krell for some great information on the benefits of going precision.

Once all of your inspections and replacements are done, make sure to properly and thoroughly lube all moving parts of the planter.  You’re now ready to move to the field once conditions allow! But, the preparation doesn’t end there.  Before planting starts, make sure your planter is suited for the conditions you are in.  If there is heavy residue, make sure the openers are getting the trash away without making a trench.  Having a clean row will increase your emergence dramatically.  Also, if you are in dry soil, make sure the pressure of the closing wheels is higher to ensure good seed-to-soil contact.  If it is wet, reduce the pressure.  Also, always make sure the tongue is parallel to the ground.  If this is off, it will change how your packing wheels operate.

Now, start off by planting a few yards, then stopping and digging up seeds to ensure everything is perfect.  Your seed should be planted at a depth of 1 ¾ inches to 2 inches with good seed-to-soil contact.  If not, adjust before continuing.  Also remember to keep your speed down.  No faster than 5 mph is recommended to get within 1,000 plants of your target population.  As soon as you’re satisfied with your results, you’re ready to start the new growing year.  Keep digging seeds often throughout planting to ensure everything is going smoothly, and take notes if you start to recognize a problem that needs to be fixed before next year.

If you have any questions about planter prep, feel free to contact your Producers Hybrids DSM or Agronomist, or an equipment dealer that services your color of choice.  A well prepped planter tailored with Producers Hybrids genetics could set you up for a very successful 2013.  Have a safe and successful planting season and be READY FOR MORE in 2013!

Puerto Rico

Recently, a group of Producers Hybrids dealers and employees traveled to Puerto Rico to tour one of the AgReliant Genetics Winter Research Stations.

Strong Foundation

Hello! My name is Miles Smith and I am the new District Sales Manager for Northwest Missouri.  I was born in Fairfax, MO and raised on my family’s 400-acre farm southeast of Fairfax where we grow corn, soybeans and hay.  I am a graduate of Fairfax High School (2003) and Northwest Missouri State University (2007) with a B.S. Degree in Agronomy. GO BEARCATS!

I want to tell you a little story…

As you drive along US Highway 59 through Missouri, you may come to my little hometown of Fairfax.  Fairfax, at one time, was a thriving highway town with tourists passing through on vacations and road trips and frequenting the store fronts and businesses. You could bet that every single one was full of locals getting supplies, groceries or telling stories (probably the same ones over and over). Like all across the country, the interstate highway system eventually bypassed Fairfax and other thriving towns along Highway 59, carrying traffic away from them.  Businesses, one-by-one like the motorists, started disappearing.

You may or may not have remembered the town on your travels but you probably remembered a bridge that crossed the highway atop the hill at the high school. The bridge was built in 1948 for students to safely cross the busy road from the main building to the football field and classrooms.  Today, Fairfax is a quiet, farm town with the finest people you will ever meet.  The streets aren’t as busy as they once were, but the high school students, like the many before them, still walk across the bridge to class looking down through the cracks at that same old highway. The bridge may not look like much to the average person passing through, but to me it is an icon of strength, quality and time-tested endurance.

Like that bridge, Producers Hybrids has strong foundation in agronomics, quality products and a proven track record that you can count on.  From the bag to the bin, we are here to provide you with the best genetics, products and service.

ARE YOU READY 4 MORE?

Utilize Precision Farming in 2013

Justin Krell (DSM, Region 2 – Minnesota)

With high commodity prices, farmers are looking to maximize their return per acre more than ever.  One of the highest returns that can be achieved is using planters with precision equipment for improved plant stands.   Using precision farming doesn’t necessarily require the latest and greatest planter you can buy from any local dealer who carries them.  It is just as effective by retrofitting existing planters.  For some, precision farming can be overwhelming since there are many different systems and types out there.  I’m not a salesman for any of these systems, but I do want to touch on what types are available for planters today.

The simplest way to use precision agriculture is by adding row shutoffs onto your existing planter or purchasing a planter with it installed.  For instance, if you have a square 80 acre parcel of land that you plant with a 12 row planter and you overlap eight feet on every planter pass, over 0.5 acres of that field will be double the population of the rest of field.  You might be thinking, “eight feet is too much.”  Well, if you’re going 5.5 mph that means your covering eight feet per second, only giving you one second to lift your planter when you get to your headlands.  Therefore, instead of planting 32,000 plants per acre you’re planting 64,000 plants per acre.  This could cause a yield reduction of up to 50% of expected yield in the overlapped areas due to plant competition.  If you figure a corn price of $6.00 and a yield of 200 bushels, then you will harvest 50 bushel less on that field costing you $3.75 per acre for decreased yield.

Now, calculate the seed you will save.  You will save about 0.25 bags on 80 acres.  Not a big deal right?  Well, if you plant 600 acres of corn per year you will need 240 bags of seed corn.  With row shutoffs, this could allow you to return 3 bags of seed corn.  With SmartStax corn costing $365 per bag and your yield decrease in overlapped areas, it will save you $3,400 per year that can be used to put towards the cost of having row shutoffs.  Remember, not every field is square and the smaller the field the larger the percent overlap will be.

Another effective way of using precision agriculture for planting is the use of variable rate drives to change populations for different yield potential areas of a field.  This is becoming extremely popular and can be retrofitted on to most existing planters.  This technology uses the speed and location of a GPS receiver mounted on the tractor to vary the planting population based on a prescription read from the planter’s monitor.  The monitor tells the planter what rate to plant depending on its location in the field.  The prescription can vary based on yield history of the field, soil type or organic matter.  This can help to optimize yield in both high and low productivity areas in the field, saving and optimizing your seed cost per acre.  This is very effective on variable soil types and soils with less water holding capacity.  Talk with your Producers Hybrids Agronomist or District Sales Manager for recommendations on prescriptive planting.

This is just a brief overview of the basics of precision farming systems that are available.  Precision farming can be as simple or complex as one wants to make it, but it does offer high returns for farmers who are adapting to this concept.  We are still about three months from the start of corn planting, which gives you time to make changes on your corn planter before spring.  If you have questions about getting started or are looking to learn more, feel free to contact your local Producers Hybrids District Sales Manager or Agronomist for more details on making your farming operation more profitable this year.

On behalf of all of us at Producers Hybrids, please make it a safe, successful and prosperous 2013 growing season.

2013: A Year of Uncertainty

Brenton Schwab (DSM, Region 5 – Iowa)

As we prepare for 2013, there are quite a few factors and decisions each person needs to look at.  At Producers Hybrids, we are committed to providing the latest and best products to fit your needs for your operation.  I cover North Central Iowa where our biggest challenge in 2012 was the moisture, or lack of it.  We saw corn yields from over 200 bushels/acre to as low as 50 bushels/acre.  Soybean yields were all over the board from 20 bushels/acre to over 65 bushels/acre. The one thing that really showed up at harvest was soil type and lack of rainfall.

As we enter into 2013, we need to have our best foot forward with the highest yielding genetics and the best protection available on our mind.  No one has the slightest idea what this season will hold for us and any limiting factor could be costly.  With the new AgReliant Genetics research station in Ames, IA along with a new production facility going up down the road here in Iowa, we are committed to providing that stable foundation for your operation.  With a strong demand for Smart Stax hybrids, we have two brand new early day maturities to fill that niche.  We also have two new hybrids in a 104 and 106 day with superior genetics behind them that really fill a need for us in North Central Iowa.

And last but not least is our soybean lineup.  We have varieties from a 1.9 to 2.5 maturity that have shown up extremely well in our 2012 yield trials.  These varieties coupled with our new corn hybrids bring a portfolio that will fit in nicely to your operation.

Yes, we had many challenges in 2012 and who knows what 2013 will bring, but we are here to help you through these. If you have any questions about our products, your local Producers Hybrids District Sales Manager will be glad to help!

Preparing for Planting 2013

Aaron Reimers (Region 4 – Eastern Nebraska)

Happy 2013! As you prepare for planting this spring, I know you are thinking about the many factors that go into planting corn, soybeans and alfalfa.  We at Producers Hybrids are ready and excited to help you prepare your cropping plans and have many top performing hybrids available for usage on your farm.

I cover Northeast Nebraska, near Laurel and Wayne, where my customers grow their crops in both irrigated and dryland environments.  Producers Hybrids has many corn hybrids available that excel in both of these environments.  7224VT3PRIB, 7013VT2PRIB and 7014VT3PRIB have all been top corn performers in my area in recent years and are available to you for 2013.

We also have many high yielding soybean hybrids that have proven themselves in my area.  There are three varieties available that range in maturity from group 2.4 to 3.1.  And, last but not least, do not forget about Producers Hybrids alfalfa.  We have three varieties available for 2013 that have fast regrowth, excellent winter hardiness and can fit your needs for producing high quality alfalfa and great tonnage.  Along with our great products, you can still get cash discounts on your seed purchases between now and March 30, 2013.

Although 2013 may bring some challenges, we at Producers Hybrids are fully prepared to learn and help you work through these challenges.  Be sure to get your final seed orders in soon and get prepared for spring 2013 planting!

Truly Ready For More

Kurt Eischeid (DSM, Region 5 – Iowa)

As we head into 2013, Producers Hybrids is truly “Ready For More”.  Although the 2012 growing season and the challenges that came with it are behind us, we will not soon forget what the year brought.  In my territory, which covers west-central Iowa, grower’s corn yields ranged from complete loss to 230+ bushels/acre.  Soybean yields ranged from 30 to 60 bushels per acre.  However, most of the growers I’ve visited with were surprised at the quality and amount of grain they harvested compared to what they expected.

As we look to 2013, Producers Hybrids is poised to fulfill its corporate tag line of “Ready For More”.  Here at Producers Hybrids we have access to top notch genetics and research which enables us to meet today’s growing demands.  With the backing of AgReliant Genetics, the world’s largest independent seed business, Producers Hybrids has continued to expand its footprint in the USA.  This is a testament to our commitment to the values that we were founded on.  These values (respect for people, integrity in business and fairness to the farmer) have allowed us to create and continue valuable relationships with some of the greatest growers in the nation.  With the continued expansion of the company, which includes a new research station in Ames, IA and a new state-of-the-art production facility near Ogden, IA, we will look to our past values to continue to reach new growers with the hope of being a vital contributor to your success.

To us “Ready For More” is much more than a cooperate tagline.  I believe I can speak for our entire team that when we say that we are “Ready For More” we are looking to improve the yields, profit, and success of our current and future customers.  Contact your local District Sales Manager for access to superior genetics that will help you reach your 2013 goals!

Thank you all for your current and future business.  From our family to yours I wish you a happy and successful 2013!