Assessing Crop Health & Making Decisions: Protecting Profitability in a Challenging Growing Season
In most of the Corn Belt, the growing season has been contentious to say the least. Some areas were able to plant early (prior to April 20), where cooler ambient and soil temperatures slowed emergence and early growth. Following that, and for many who planted after April 20, dry soil conditions and some days of […]
From Agronomics to Economics: 5 Key Differentiators When Navigating Farmland Investment Conversations
In a competitive farming landscape, having a sustainable growth strategy is crucial. However, it can be difficult to navigate tight farming community relationships while seeking that growth. Competing with family and friends is unfortunately a reality of the market. By focusing on factors such as agronomic expertise, precision technology, nutrient management, and effective communication, farmers […]
Bout With Drought – Part 2
Nitrogen Application Opportunities in Water-Limited Environments In our previous article, we discussed the importance of moisture early in the growing season in getting the crop off to a fast start. Across much of the Corn Belt, we know water has been a limited resource and each year, getting either too much or too little rainfall […]
The Bout with Drought
Finding ways to support the crop through dry conditions Across the Corn Belt today, a measurable rain has been hard to come by and conditions are very dry. While the resulting plant stress is causing a great deal of personal stress for growers, it’s important to remember that, historically, this water-limitation occurs on roughly 30% […]
Go Or No Go? 3 Considerations For Planting Decisions And Emergence Watchouts
When variable weather across the corn belt strikes, the pressure to know when planting conditions are right for your operation weighs heavy. Do you go or do you wait? What do you really need to be accounting for as you weigh the factors to make that decision? Precision Agronomist Erika Parker shares three considerations for […]
Does Organic Matter, Matter? Four Keys to Unlock Potential With Nitrogen Management.
As growers, we can often find ourselves in conversations bragging about how much — or lamenting about how little — organic matter we have based on our soil testing reports. While the importance of organic matter is generally understood, we continue to struggle as an industry to put that knowledge into action. So, how do […]
Getting to the Point of Soil Sampling – What is Standard Sampling Missing That Could Be Costing You?
Historically, the precision ag industry has not done a great job articulating the value of site-specific soil testing. The utility of the process has never been well defined. Grid sampling, most commonly done in 2.5 acre grids, was introduced in the mid 1990s. This was before the advent of yield monitors and with the goal […]
Six Keys to Writing A Winning Corn Recommendation
A winning football team understands its strengths and weaknesses and also scouts their opponent to understand their tendencies, strengths and weaknesses. Winning coaches put their players in a position to succeed by building a game plan to take advantage of their talents and address their shortcomings. It’s no different when it comes to achieving high […]
Running To The Recommendation
Why jumping straight into prescription writing without proper analysis and understanding of outcome can be costly As you reflect on the growing season, how do you measure success? Is it measuring overall yield improvement over last year or perhaps the year that was most similar in terms of rainfall and average temperature? What about individual […]
Spatial Critical Fertilizer – A Dynamic Approach to Phosphorus & Potassium
For several decades, Midwest agronomists and farmers alike have used a standard rule for managing nutrient concentration levels in their soils. This rule of management has primarily been influenced by utilizing various state or university guidelines. These guidelines have been widely adopted across much of the United States to manage soil fertility on a field-by-field […]