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News Archive 01.11.08 How To Raise 300 Bushel Corn Part 3 of a 4 Part Series Welcome back...we hope you enjoyed the first two articles on preparing to raise your corn yield averages to 300 bushels per acre or more. This is the third, in our four part series, if followed will both increase your yields and change how you farm. Every grower knows profitability in farming starts with producing the highest yields. Many veteran producers still believe that there is only so much they can do to maximize yields; they think the rest is out of their control. In reality, farmers can do a whole lot more to increase their yields to new heights. In fact, the things we are “teaching“ growers to blow past yield barriers have been available for decades. It’s just those key principles have not been taught or deemed important until now.. Let’s start here. The first question most farmers ask is…“where do I start?“ Let’s start with a short review of key principles we have already covered in previous articles. First, you can’t produce record-breaking yields we’re talking about unless you believe you can. Success with this program starts with an unwavering belief that producing 300-bushel corn can and will be done. Second, once you believe, you have to start thinking like a 300-bushel corn producer. If you don’t think like one, you will never make the changes you will be asked to make. Last but not least, you have to develop a five-year plan for achieving 300-bushel yields and stick to it. Increasing your corn yields, to levels you never thought you could, is not going to be realized in one or two years. We plan for you to achieve exceptional corn yield averages on your farm in five years. Sound exciting? You bet it does. The next step is to review where you are right now with your past five-year corn yield history. Locate your corn yield histories, by farm, for the past five years and chart those numbers on a sheet of paper. Then connect the numbers with a line to show the yield trends. When you look at the yield trends, what do you see? First, you see that not every year gave you a continued upward trend in yield did it? Due to many different factors, yields may have dropped in any single year. Second, you probably see that even when yields went up, they did not increase the same number of bushels every year did they? Your yields probably jumped more in one year than they did in other years, simply because weather factors and other conditions may have been more favorable. We don’t expect those trends to change, just because you’re now embarking on a 300-bushel per acre program for your farm. Those ups, downs, and inconsistencies will still exist. In fact, the fluctuations could actually be even greater with the suggested changes we will be implementing for your program. However, the overall general trend will be upward and hopefully in a more consistent and significant manner than you have had in the past. The third thing we want you to observe about the graph you have just drawn is the number of years it took to raise those yield averages just 10 or 20 bushels per acre. We are going to ask you for that same amount of time, 3-5 years or more if needed, depending upon the condition of your soils and so on. During this time, you will make significant yield increases each year. Next, take another piece of paper and plot your yield goals for each of the next 5 years, starting with last year’s actual average yield. These are simply goals that you have in your mind as you work your way to that 300-bushel average. It will be fun and educational to chart your progress each year as you march toward your 300-bushel average yield goal. One More Exercise Let’s do one more quick exercise to be sure you are ready to become a 300-bushel corn producer. Take a clean sheet of paper and divide it into two columns. Label the first column, “Things I Currently Know About Raising Corn.“ Give yourself enough space to write as many things as you can about what you “believe“ you know about raising corn. Label the other column, “Things I Need To Do Different“ before I can even think about raising 300 bushels of corn per acre. Have fun with this exercise, and see what you can come up with. After all, if you are the one writing these down instead of us telling you what to write, you must believe those things to be factual. Information Is The Key So far we’ve devoted a series of three articles to getting you to “think“ more about how exceptionally high corn yields are achieved. One thing you WON’T hear us talk much about is the cost of production inputs. We know from past experience that when commodity prices are low cost of production CAN have a greater impact on profitability if significant yield increases are not achieved. However, in any year, regardless of commodity prices, significant yield increases always outweigh input costs. Now, when prices are high, it is even MORE essential to get top yields because we can achieve exponential growth in profits by combining more bushels with those higher prices. What a concept! The 4th article in this series will be sent directly to you instead of being published in the Delta Farm Press because there is so much more individual information that it will not fit on one page. If you would like to receive a copy of our final Part IV, which goes into much more detail, please call us directly at our AgVenture office. You will really enjoy the next in this series and we look forward to sending it to you. Scott Flowers, Clarksdale, MS “We have been steadily increasing yields through varieties, better management and land improvements so I think 300 bushel corn is possible“ 01.04.08 Enhance Both Crops in a Cotton ⁄ Corn Rotation Tommy Swindoll, Hernando, MS “It was the best corn we had“ Crop rotations are working so well in parts of the United States that many growers no longer even consider putting the same crop on the same field two years in a row… except for cotton growers, that is. Some farmers have planted cotton on the same fields for decades without a single rotational crop in between. Until recently, there has been little scientific evidence supporting the insertion of other crops, such as corn, into a rotation with cotton. However, thanks to the introduction of new technology integrated corn varieties tailored for the south, that thinking is changing rapidly. Today, modern corn varieties planted on the right soil types and managed properly in rotation with cotton are creating a synergy that eclipses the results of monoculture cropping. We are now able to match the right varieties to the right soils and produce much higher corn yields. The result is scores of cotton farmers joining the ranks of “corn cotton rotators.“ “Even though yield is the main factor growers look for in crop rotations,“ says Terry Dulaney, President of AgVenture Seed in Clarksdale, Mississippi, “there are many other reasons why cotton growers need to rotate with corn. In the last couple of years, AgVenture has shown more and more cotton farmers how to improve their cotton programs by inserting corn into their rotations, but they have also done a lot more. They have helped their customers see the even greater, but less visible benefits of rotating cotton acres. Improvements in soil structure, fertility, combating weed problems, reducing soil erosion, discouraging the build-up of pests, and decreasing reliance on agricultural chemicals are just some of the major benefits from alternating crops. “All of those benefits add up to more yield AND more profits to our customers,“ comments Terry. According to Terry and his staff, the real secret that few farmers know is you cannot have a successful crop rotation program of any kind unless both crops in rotation perform to their maximum potential. For example, if a field traditionally planted with cotton is rotated with corn and produces only an average yield, there will be fewer positive effects on the cotton crop that follows, and the reason are pretty simple. “When a corn variety has the opportunity to yield to its potential, each corn plant in that field produces a large root system that churns up the soil and changes its structure throughout the life of that crop. Very high yielding cornfields are full of healthy plants that fully activate soil organisms. “It’s almost as if a field wakes up“ says Terry. The following year’s cotton crop will greatly benefit from this crop management tool. “We can’t fully emphasize the value of corn in a rotation with cotton,“ says Terry Dulaney. There are many reasons why farmers should be making corn a permanent part of their rotation program. The price of corn is high and most expect it to going even go higher. “This is a huge opportunity,“ says Terry, “to take advantage of a great market while correcting problems in the field. Cotton producers have a great opportunity to introduce a profitable management tool while not sacrificing profits. 12.07 The Seedsman You Really Cannot Beat This Deal AgVenture Mid-South is committed to continually bring solutions to our customers that provide value. In that pursuit AgVenture now offers a financing program, developed jointly by AgVenture Mid-South and Rabo Agrifinance, that affords our customers convenient access to capital for seed purchases. Did you know Rabobank is one of the oldest, strongest, and most secure agricultural lenders in the world? Many of our customers have already been pre-approved for a QuickLink CreditÒ line of up to $75,000 through Rabo Agrifinance. Others have filled out a simple application and been approved in as little as a week. Growers have the option to request up to $250,000. You really cannot beat this deal. There are so many avenues this program opens up for our customers that are too numerous to list here. It can change a farm’s whole financial structure. You can plant your crop and not have to worry about paying for your seed until after the crop is in. We offer three interest rates, governed by when you purchase your seed; 0%, prime minus 3%, and prime minus 1%. If you received a pre-approval letter from Rabo AgriFinance, simply complete and return the Account Agreement to Rabo AgriFinance. If not or you want more information; please contact your AgVenture sales representative today. Terry’s Corner AgVenture is the number one seed company in the Mid-South. AgVenture is focused on growth of our company and the growth of our relationships with our customers. To facilitate that growth AgVenture is steadily adding more and more human capital. AgVenture is proud to announce the addition of another Professional Crop Planner to our accomplished veteran team of Seed Specialists. Stephen Lary brings ten years of agricultural experience with him to AgVenture. Stephen was born in Greenwood, MS. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Mississippi. After college, Stephen spent eight years at Pennington Seed where he managed 3000 unique product⁄germplasm lines. Also, Stephen has two years of experience working for PCS Fertilizer. Stephen currently lives in Madison County with his wife, Heather, and their two sons, Luke and Wade. 11.16.07 Want to Produce 300 Bushel Corn Part 2 of a 4 Part Series on How It’s Done Welcome back...we hope you enjoyed last month’s article as our first in a 4-part series on producing 300 bushels of corn per acre here in the Mid-South. The previous article was intended to “wet your appetite“ and get you thinking about how to raise your corn yields far above your current expectations. We know that producing 300 bushels of corn per acre is not easy, but we also know that it CAN be done because it is already being done in many parts of the country. However, farmers are learning that producing those kinds of yields, consistently, requires changing how they think about growing corn. It is not as difficult as you may think. Best of all, when you figure the extra profits that can be made, with current corn prices, “on your way“ to getting those kinds of yields, it becomes a lot easier to change your thinking. So that is exactly where we are going begin article No. 2 of this series, how you “think.“ We know what you really want, a “list“ of all of the changes you need to make to significantly increase your yields. Things like upping populations, planting earlier, or putting on more fertilizer are just a few of the things that come to your mind right now. Right? Unfortunately, it is not that easy. Even though factors like those are key elements to getting top yields, they have been tried before and without much success. That’s why we’re going to begin where every corn grower needs to begin, at the beginning, with a plan that creates a whole new state of mind. What Are YOU Thinking About Right Now? Most of our readers are convinced they cannot raise 300-bushel corn consistently, unless they have done so already. If you farm in an area where you do not receive adequate rainfall and you don’t irrigate, 300 bushels per acre may not be your goal, but doubling your current yield average may become your goal instead. It is all relative to what you believe is possible. If you don’t believe you can increase your yields substantially, you really don’t need to read any further. But if you are willing to change your mindset about producing corn, you will be successful working toward that new goal. The first step towards producing top yields is to get you to stop “laughing“ and start believing. When you do not fully believe in something you are actually laughing about it on the inside, it’s called the “laugh test“ and here is how it works. Below is a list of some of things you will need to do in order to consistently raise 300 bushels of corn per acre on your farm. With no explanation of why or how you will do any of these things you will probably find yourself laughing to yourself. You probably think that you would never do some of these things or that they are silly practices. Begin taking the “laugh test“ and see which ones may cause you to chuckle on the inside. Put a check mark next to the ones you are “laughing“ at. To consistently raise 300 bushels of corn per acre on your farm you will need to:
All of the things we presented may not fit your operation exactly, but NONE of them should surprise or scare you. In our program, you will be asked to commit yourself to doing things differently. Remember, we aren’t asking you to do this on your entire farm the first year. However, we are asking you try our system on at least 1⁄3 of your acres so you will succeed over the next 3-5 years. Each year you will see the progress, and you will want to add more acres to the program. What would an extra 20, 30, or 50 bushels per acre mean each year to you? Whenever you feel yourself wanting to start “laughing“, step back, take a breath, and remind yourself of the opportunity. 10.07 The Seedsman Where Do High Yields Come From Often when farmers get extremely high yields, they don’t consider the many elements that went into making all of those bushels. They simply tie bonus yields to cooperative weather patterns such as rainfall at the right time or favorable air temperatures. Although those ARE important factors that impact yields, other changes can be made to take those yields ever higher when the environment is favorable. This year we will be planting our corn at three different populations on the Dulaney farm, 34,000, 40,000, and 46,000 plants per acre. Our plan is to keep increasing populations, as we are able to adjust the other elements of our corn management program. We believe that it takes several years to significantly increase yields because so many factors have to change. When we adjust one factor, we must re-evaluate and adjust every other factor. Everyone of those adjustments must be done purposefully. For example, we will not only be applying more fertilizer to support the extra plants we are putting out there, but we will also be applying it at different times throughout the season. The basis for this timing will be an aggressive “tissue-testing program. Ask our AgVenture Crop Planners how you can use our tissue-testing program to help monitor your fields next season. It’s easy, simple and one of the best investments you can make to know what nutrition your crop needs and when. Follow us, and we will help you take your corn yields to brand new levels. Terry’s Corner We’ve already developed the Cropping Plan for the 2008 corn crop on our own farm. The plan includes changes that will help us work toward our goal of averaging 300 bushels on every acre. Since we’ve broken the 289 bu.⁄ac. mark already, we’re going to make even more dramatic moves that will take us closer and closer to that goal. In this issue you will find a few of those proposed changes. Remember, getting significant yield increases doesn’t come over night. We believe it will take us three to five years to achieve 300 bu.⁄ac. averages. However, this quest has reminded us raising yields this significantly on any crop requires a change in attitude. You must first believe it can be done if it’s really going to happen. At AgVenture, everyone believes all of our customers have the ability to achieve 300 bu.⁄ac. averages. Agronomy Corner, Grain Aeration During grain aeration, fan operation time depends solely on the airflow rate within a storage bin or pile. An aeration fan is usually sized for about 1⁄10 cfm⁄bu, while an in-bin drying fan is usually sized for 1 cfm⁄bu. It is very important to recognize the difference in order to operate the fans long enough to move the cooling front completely through the bulk. Depending upon the amount of grain and storage facility utilized, a 1⁄10 cfm⁄bu fan may need up to 200 hours to get the cooling front all the way through the grain, temperatures should be checked about 1 foot into the upper surface in several locations to confirm that the cooing front has moved completely through before the fan is shut off. If air is pulled through the grain, the air temperature should be measured in the duct before it is exhausted by the fan. 10.05.07 Raising 300 Bushel Corn Is An “Attitude“ First in a 4 Part Series! Many corn growers have never dreamed of raising 300 bushels of corn per acre on their farms, let alone averaging that level year after year. That is exactly why they have never done it. Even though some farmers here in the Mid-South had record corn yields this fall, many would attribute those high yields to favorable factors, such as weather, rather than things they did intentionally as a farming practice. After all, corn yields have been increasing at an annual rate of 2-4% over the past 30 years. So, growers may think that’s the best they can do, but that certainly isn’t the case anymore. According to Rod Osthus, former corn researcher and 35-year veteran of the seed industry, “Raising 300 or more bushels of corn per acre starts with dreaming AND believing you can do it.“ Osthus says it’s mostly about learning to think like a 300+ bushel corn grower thinks. “Corn yields have already been recorded in excess of 400 bushels per acre in the US,“he continues. “When you consider that every bag of corn seed planted has the potential to produce 600 bushels or more per acre, farmers should be consistently achieving at least half of that potential. Corn growers need to stop laughing at the idea and start changing how they THINK about raising corn. Once a corn grower starts thinking differently and believes he can raise 300 bushel corn, he will take the necessary actions to make that belief a reality.“ Are you laughing? The folks at AgVenture Mid-South are not laughing. After all, they are the ones helping growers think bigger than ever when it comes to producing corn yields that are far above their expectations. “We don’t expect every acre to produce 300 bushel corn,“ says David Walker, Director of Crop Planning and Corn Specialist for AgVenture, Inverness, Mississippi. “We do believe, however, that every one of our corn customers has the potential to increase their yield averages far above their current levels. And… you don’t have to have irrigation to do it. Dry land farmers can significantly increase their yields, too.“ It Starts With Believing. “I agree with Rod Osthus,“ says Terry Dulaney, President of AgVenture Seed in Clarksdale, MS. “To work toward yield goals that high, like any goal, it starts with believing your goal can be achieved. We’re not talking about a simple act of faith.“ According to Terry, “You can’t think like a 150 bushel per acre corn producer if you want to produce yields twice that high. You have to start thinking like a 300-bushel per acre corn producer by challenging conventional wisdom and implementing production changes accordingly. That’s what our customers are doing,“ concludes Terry. It Takes Time. For years farmers have been stuck at 4-5 bushel annual increases in corn yields. Is that bad? No, but it is a long way from the 300 bushels farmers should be making. “If it has taken a grower 20 years to raise average corn yields by 50 bushels per acre, one can not expect their averages to jump another 50 bushels per acre in just one or two years,“ says Lead Agronomist Wayne Dulaney, “It won’t happen, but we are going to help our customers make substantial and progressive yield advances over the next five years to reach the 300 bushel per acre mark. That is pretty significant, especially when you consider the added profits they will be getting every year along the way.“ Forget What You Thought You Knew. David Walker says that most of the changes corn growers have been making, while attempting to increase average yields, have occurred above the ground. They consistently adjust plant populations, planting depths, row spacings and even buy new planters as methods to produce higher yields. According to Walker, perfect stands with ideal distribution are essential, but they are not the only deciding factors in attaining higher yields. There are so many “other factors“ that contribute to top yields that cannot be controlled with a few above ground adjustments. Unfortunately, most growers don’t know what the “other factors“ are.“ “We help farmers with those “other factors“ that few companies understand or tell their customers about,“ says David. “Managing all of these essential elements together correctly will dramatically increase a grower’s chance of achieving significantly higher yields year in and year out. “In these days of high commodity prices, corn growers will be presented with opportunities they have not seen before,“ says Terry. “AgVenture is a company that delivers value, something farmers need more than cheap product or free technology. Much of that value comes in the form of information, the information that farmers have needed for a long time. Currently, most growers probably have no idea how important the correct in-depth information is to reaching these yield levels. Either no one else has this information or they are not willing to share it.“ “Producing top corn yields requires a lot right information,“ continues Terry. “We do have the information, we will share it, and we will show our customers how to use it to compliment their current management system. Much of the information will be new things growers have never seen or heard before. But all of the information will give our customers a much better understanding of how to produce a top crop. As a result, it gives them much more control and help them better project their future.“ 09.07 The Seedsman Corn Yields Increase Dramatically AgVenture corn customers have been working on their PhD’s in high yield corn production over the past 3 years. Our Agronomists and Crop Planning Specialists have helped growers change their past views about growing corn by doing things differently. Each year more and more AgVenture customers prove to themselves they CAN break former yield barriers and produce yields far above their expectations. “We have so many customers reporting whole farm averages in excess of 200 bushels per acre and many more fields averaging from 240-250 bushels per acre,“ says David Walker, Director of Crop Planning for AgVenture Seed, Inverness, Mississippi. “We are really proud of the way our customers followed our recommendations. Many of our guidelines seem so basic, but producing top yields is about doing small things right. For example, two of the most basic recommendations we stress to our customers are correct planting depth and speed. Those little things can be what get that extra 20-30 bushels per acre. Every grower who followed our recommendations had a significantly better crop than those who didn’t. We’ve shown our customers that they can produce some of the best corn in the country, and we intend to help them take it to an even higher level each year,“ says David. “Our goal is to get these guys averaging 300 bushels per acre.“ We’ve got the varieties, the growing season, and the know how. We just need to put it all together.“ “I believe that the small things are important to yield as well,“ says Wayne Dulaney, Lead Agronomist for AgVenture. “I scout more than 50,000 acres each season. I find that more than half of fields I scouted never yield to their potential. They didn’t yield to their potential because of problems that could have been solved at planting time. We work collaboratively with growers sharing knowledge, making recommendations, and developing Cropping plans to prevent these types of problems. That’s why growers appreciate and trust our expertise when it comes to helping them produce high yields, especially with corn that is a relatively new crop to many farmers.“ Terry’s Corner What an exciting harvest season it has been. Corn yields among our growers are much higher than they have ever seen before. Just 3 short years ago, farmers didn’t know who AgVenture Seed was, and now we are considered by many to be the corn experts of the Mid-South. Why? Because our message is simple. We start every corn grower with a plan. We call it the Cropping Plan. It is a unique method to help every customer make the right decisions for his own farm. After all, there is no secret to getting the kinds of high corn yields we are harvesting this year. Yields like that are achieved by doing the right things, and those right things are spelled out in the Cropping Plan. We develop Cropping Plans far in advance of the next season so we have plenty of time to get everything in place. The earlier you plan, the higher your yields will be. I hope all of you are getting your Cropping Plans in place right now. Have a save harvest season. Did You Know? Researchers believe they can double the number of gallons of ethanol produced from an acre of corn by including the corncob to produce cellulosic ethanol. A 25 million gallon cellulosic ethanol plant is planned for construction next door to the existing ethanol plant at Emmetsburg, IA. It will process corncobs. The plant will be named, Project Liberty. Agronomy Corner, Storing Grain Covered grain piles are always preferred. Rain does not run off an uncovered grain pile. Free water will progressively wet corn to about 30% moisture as it moves down within a pile. So an uncovered grain pile that received rain will always have a layer of moldy corn on top. An inch of rain will change the top 6-8 inches of grain from 15% to 30% moisture. It’s essential to physically inspect grain in storage at least every two weeks. A portable thermometer on a long rod can be used if the bin or pile sis not equipped with automated temperature monitoring. Increases in temperature from one inspection to the next with no fan operation during the period are warning signs of possible spoilage. Once stored grain has experienced condition problems, further problems are very likely. This should be the first grain moved. Also, if you have aeration in your bin or pile, use it. 09.14.07 Add $40⁄Acre To Your Corn Profits In Just 2 Hours! Farmers in the Mid-South are continuing to learn a lot about producing corn. For a crop that seemed to have little importance a few years ago, corn has been elevated to the No.2 and often No.1 status on many southern farms. Growers are using corn, not only as an important part of their soybean, cotton and wheat rotations, but they are also looking at corn as a key to their future in farming. “We are food and fuel producers today,“ says Terry Dulaney, President of AgVenture Seed in Clarksdale, Mississippi. There are currently more than 3500 different products sold in grocery stores that are made from corn and that number is growing fast. New innovations are putting farmers into the food and fuel production business faster than they realize. That is truly our future.“ But regardless of whether a farmer is producing food or fuel, the goal is to maximize profit from every acre. Believe it or not, the number one factor for getting those top profits takes place a full 6 months prior to planting, and it takes only 2 hours to achieve. It’s called developing a Cropping Plan and AgVenture Seed is the first and ONLY seed company in the Mid-South to offer this kind of plan to corn growers. The Cropping Plan is the one essential tool corn growers must use to get top yields and top profits. “Every seed company is happy to write your seed order,“ says Terry, “but few take the time to validate those seed buying decisions. According to Dulaney, 75% of all corn varieties farmers plant today never produce to their potential because they are planted on the wrong piece of ground. “You need to know the genetics of that hybrid, how it responds to different soil types, how it reacts to low or high pH, and many other variables,“ says Terry. “If everyone had “ice cream ground,“ it would be a different story,“ he jokes, “but few farmers do. Many corn sales reps don’t know enough about a variety’s parentage to make the field-by-field match-ups growers need. It does take more time to develop a Cropping Plan, but the time spent is nothing compared to the rewards a grower can receive. We know if a farmer develops his Cropping Plan with our Crop Planning Specialists by October 15, he can add a minimum of $40 per acre to his profits just from planning ahead.“ There are 4 basic reasons Dulaney gives for growers increasing profits when developing their Cropping Plans early. First, with an early Cropping Plan, a grower can begin planning other important aspects of his farming operation around it, such as fertility, pesticide, and irrigation plans as well as a sequential planting schedule. Second, inputs can be ordered earlier, which almost always means saving money and adding more profit. Third, the grower can begin to develop his marketing program for that crop and take advantage of upward market swings. The fourth and most important reason why growers can add $40 per acre profit to their corn production is matching the right varieties to the right fields. By developing cropping plans this early, it allows our Crop Planning Specialists the time they need to do their homework and strategically place the correct varieties in the fields where they will perform to their full potential. “This takes more time than most growers think,“ says Dulaney. “And since we know how important it really is, we encourage our growers to let us get started as early as possible. In today’s marketplace, farmers cannot continue to delay deciding which varieties they will plant until late in the season. Deciding which varieties to plant is the most important input decision a farmer will make all season. Many of today’s farmers are trying to achieve profitable corn yields but are simply “guessing“ at too many of the decisions. And even these “guesses“ are being made too late and without adequate help. “Things are changing so fast that farmers don’t have the information they need to make the best decisions, when they decide which varieties to plant in each field,“ says Wayne Dulaney, Lead Agronomist for AgVenture Seed. “Farmers need to rely on their Cropping Plan Specialist to help them make the right decisions, but they need to start the planning process NOW!“ Every grower needs a well thought out Cropping Plan, it is the business plan for his farming operation. The Cropping Plan allows farmers to think through their options far in advance and know what they’re going to plant, where they’re going to plant it and how it needs to be managed. “The best part of the whole thing,“ says Wayne, “We do most of the work, and that makes it simple for the grower. Our customers that utilize Cropping Plans will never go back to the old way of doing things. It pays them extra profits and reduces their stress level dramatically. In farming today, that is worth a lot.“ 07.07 The Seedsman What Can You Expect This Fall? Harvest is always a mystery until you get into it, right? However, it shouldn’t be. At AgVenture Seed our motto is “There should be no surprises.“ That is, we want our customers to know what to expect before they harvest. The key is knowing what to look for when walking fields. Too many growers simply look at the stand ear size or pod number and try to guess the yield. While that is fun to do, we use other important parameters to check for crop progress that you may want to consider when surveying your crop. First, stop looking for yield. Yield was determined very early, now you must manage plant health if you are to achieve those pre-determined yields. Look for field health. Field health dictates every other aspect of the field including time of harvest, harvestability, harvest moisture, grain quality, and ultimately yield. Second, if possible, fly over the field. This will allow you to check for uniformity, which cannot be seen when walking through it. If you can’t fly over it, view it from all sides. Get as close to the field as possible and take position as high as possible so you can look over the field. Standing in the bed of your pickup truck is usually a good vantage point. Make notes on the differences you see from side to side. Third, take ear, pod or head samples from all sides of the field. Again, we are not surveying yield. Keep your eye on plant health. These fruit samples indicate the stage of maturity and how long you will need to keep applying water and other nutrients. Remember, with corn, you NEVER stop watering until the kernel shows black layer. Fourth, perform autopsies. Take your AgVenture scouting tool and split stalks vertically so you can look inside the entire length of the stalk. Look for discolorations, pale appearance or indications of insect or disease feeding. Don’t do this on the ones that are already showing the symptoms, do it on the ones that look healthy. These are the plants that cause “surprises“ at harvest time. There need not be any surprises when you harvest your corn and soybean crop this fall. Take your AgVenture Agronomist with you and have him show you how to prevent any surprises that may be waiting to catch you off guard. With some well planned observation, you can have the best crop you have ever raised, despite mother nature’s antics. Terry’s Corner This growing season is going by so fast, and if you don’t believe me just look at the crop. We saw tassels on our farm earlier this summer than ever before. Part of the reason is that we got an earlier start planting, but the other reason is our AgVenture varieties never stop growing. Those of you who have toured our Clarksdale location have witnessed this. If you haven’t had the opportunity to come to our office and facility here at Clarksdale, please take time to visit. You will see new varieties and technologies never before planted in the south. You will have the opportunity to tour our farm and plant facility to see our 300 bushel goal fields as well as how John Belding, our Director of Seed Quality is able to put such high quality seed in the bag. You will also have the opportunity to guess the yield of the varieties in our test plot. This year we’re giving away two new 12 guage shotguns to the two growers who are closest to guessing the highest yields. Did You Know? The first 300-bushel per acre corn in the U.S. was grown in Mississippi in 1952. Agronomy Corner Corn requires approximately 0.25 inches of water per day beginning at the 12 leaf stage. It can go as high as 0.3 inch per day at tasseling. 06.07 The Seedsman The “Boogieman Showed Up“ We had a great start to our corn crop this spring, probably as good as we’ve had in years. Then suddenly the “boogieman“ showed up. That’s right, Ole, Mr. Frost as the boogieman. At AgVenture, we call the Boogieman anything that unexpectedly interferes with our day, our wee, our month, our year, or our life. When you’re in farming and in the seed business like us, the Boogieman is most often the weather. You never know when the weather will turn on you (when the Boogieman might come), you never know how unforgiving the weather will be (how big the Boogieman will be), and you never know what effect the weather will have (how much damage the Boogieman will cause). But I guarantee, when you work in agriculture, a boogieman of some king will show up every year, sooner or later. Even though none of us realized the frost or any kind of inclement weather was coming, we prepared every one of our customers just in case it did. We know from experience that there are certain things a grower can do to minimize the effects of certain weather issues, one being frost. For example, All of our customers know how important it is to plant corn 2 inches deep. Anyone who was in a borderline frost area knows that too. Getting that seed deeper into the soil can mean added protection, as small as it may seem, from cold weather damage. Planting deeper into moisture also meant that the damaged seedling had a better chance of recovery because it was placed where it could access added nourishment. And, planting in proper conditions was so important because it allowed the seed and seedling to be given a blanket of soil around it for added protection. Slower planting speeds insure all seeds are placed at the same depth. This reduces the possibility of damage, as opposed to seed that end up more shallow from the planter bouncing over the field. We can’t keep the Boogieman away, but we can do things to reduce the amount of damage he causes when he comes. Many of the guidelines we at AgVenture give you may sound trivial, but they all have a place in producing a top crop. Terry’s Corner I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our fantastic customers for their patience and cooperation during a very challenging spring. This past spring once again tested our ability to take care of our customers because so many things happened at once. And once the frost hit, we had our staff running in many different directions all at the same time. Thank you all for working with our staff as we took time to locate the right varieties to replant on your frosted fields. Even the fields that weren’t replanted are up and growing and looking like nothing ever happened. I would also like to thank every one of our employees who worked long, difficult hours to make sure that every phone call was handled and every request was taken care of, in a timely manner. I salute our entire staff here at AgVenture Dulaney Seed. Without their dedication we could not provide the kind of support you deserve. They met the incredible, unexpected challenges we faced and they did it with a smile and a great customer service attitude. This was certainly a record year for AgVenture. We are on thousands of new acres for the first time and many more of our current customers are planting ALL of their acres to AgVenture Seed. These 100% buyers know that the best way to make sure you have the best possible genetic diversification on their farms is by buying and planting one brand of seed. It almost guarantees success. Thank you again for planting our seed. We appreciate your business, but most all value your friendship. Did You Know? New VT™ Brand Products provide more consistent insect control and higher yield potential. VT™ is the name of Monsanto’s new, second-generation insect control technology. The first product for our region: AgVenture R9146VBW ⁄ 116 day hybrid. 11.03.06 But the number one consideration as to whether farmers grow corn is yield. Today's growers must have top yields. For the second year in a row, the Dulaneys of Clarksdale, Mississippi have proven that you can have corn yields ranging from 220 to 289 bushels per acre, or higher, if you manage corn the way it needs to be managed under southern conditions. According to Terry and Edwin, co-owners of Dulaney/AgVenture Seed, “As farmers who produced and sold soybean, rice and wheat to farmers for many years, we have focused our seed business on the things that benefit farmers the most; the newest
varieties, the highest quality seed and exceptional field support.” But when we started producing corn in a serious way three years ago, we discovered that to be successful, you need to think like a corn farmer because raising corn is different. "Our plan has worked," says Wayne Dulaney, lead Agronomist for Dulaney/AgVenture. "Our goal is to raise 300 bushel per acre corn consistently here in the south. And we and a number of our customers are already close to achieving that goal. Here are a few of the “secrets” Dulaney/AgVenture Seed offers to growers who want to raise maximum yields in the Mid-South. Change how you think. Think like a corn farmer, not a cotton, soybean, or rice farmer. Corn can be one of the most profitable crops to grow, but you have to adapt your thinking to corn because it's different. First - You MUST Have Exceptional Quality Seed Second - Plant 2 inches deep Third – Develop a Cropping Plan Finally, Understand the Variables If you are considering corn as part of your 2007 crop mix, don’t make a move until you talk with people who can not only help you produce a better crop, but can also help you make more money than you ever thought possible. Knowing you can produce more bushels of corn than you ever thought possible and selling those bushels at high prices is an opportunity NO ONE should miss. Call the AgVenture Team today and ask how they can help you blow the lid off corn yields AND profits in 2007. You’ll be glad you did. DULANEY/AGVENTURE SEED |
© 2006 AgVenture Midsouth • Dulaney Seed Company