As Patrick Shivers talked with his banker in preparation for his 2024 corn crop, the conversation about potential return on investment was sobering.
“He said if I make 200-bu. corn, I’d only lose a little money,” says Shivers, a fourth-generation farmer from southwest Georgia.
He resolved to learn how to at least break even this year. “You’ve either got to make a higher yield, farm more acres or spend less,” Shivers says.
He decided to double down on input costs and try a conventional corn hybrid planted side-by-side with a traited (GMO) hybrid on 110 acres.
Given current commodity prices, he doesn’t expect either hybrid to be profitable. Rather, this is a learning opportunity for the future.
“I did the math, and I’ve got to make 18 more bushels per acre with the traited corn than with the conventional hybrid to break even,” Shivers says.
He is sharing his experiences from planting through harvesting both hybrids via YouTube.
Making Plans For Next Season
Like Shivers, Joe Budreau is seeing other farmers try conventional corn because of poor commodity prices.
“I’m not saying non-GMO is going to take over every acre in the country, but a lot more farmers are interested in it because of input costs, and they want to know how to manage it successfully,” says Budreau, a certified crop adviser for Spectrum Non-GMO Seed.
The percentage of farmers planting conventional corn hybrids this year is a challenge to determine. USDA reports 90% of corn planted in the U.S. in 2024 was from genetically engineered seed and, specifically, is herbicide tolerant. In addition, 86% of U.S. corn acres planted this year contained an insect-resistant Bt trait.
Start With ROI
The 2025 seed-buying process is already ramping up in many parts of the country. Melissa Bell, AgReliant Genetics’ national agronomy leader, says farmers aren’t simply buying the cheapest seed available.
“Farmers want value, but they’re still looking at what products best fit their needs on their acres, whether conventional or traited, and that’s truly no different than any other year,” Bell says.
Ken Ferrie says to start the seed selection process by determining your return on investment for each hybrid.
“On one hand, the decrease in seed costs can be substantial – you can save $30 to $70 upfront going with a conventional hybrid,” says Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist. “But you take a lot of great tools out of the equation with non-GMO seed.”
Consider Weed Control
Keep in mind products containing glyphosate and glufosinate cannot be used in conventional cornfields.
“The question I get most often from farmers is, ‘How do I control weeds,’” Budreau says. “I tell everyone a good pre-emergent herbicide with good residual activity on your specific weed issues is a must with non-GMO corn.”
Ferrie adds that everyone on your team needs to be on the same page.
“Say you’ve got 10 Liberty cornfields and three conventional cornfields and the three conventional ones get sprayed with Liberty. You’re going to have a problem,” he says.
Also consider if your conventional herbicide program will take out resistant weeds, or you might risk adding herbicide-resistant weed seeds to your weed seedbank.
“That might not necessarily hurt corn yields this year, but it’s going to make weed control a headache for you two or three years down the road,” Ferrie says.
Evaluate Insect Pressure
If you don’t have heavy European corn borer or corn rootworm pressure, you might be able to forgo the use of a soil insecticide. That’s potentially a $30-plus savings per acre.
Budreau says farmers can get good cost-effective control of corn borer if it’s caught early, but that’s not the case for any of the corn rootworm species. If you don’t know if you have corn rootworm actively feeding on corn, Ferrie advises digging up some plants, washing the roots and evaluating them now.
“If there’s been a lot of feeding, that’s an indicator you’ll likely need to apply a soil insecticide if you plant conventional hybrids next spring,” he says.
Corn rootworm and corn borer numbers tend to rebound in fields planted to conventional corn after about three years, Ferrie adds, if they’ve been prevalent in your area before.
Make sure you work out your plan in advance of needing to address pests. “What product are you going to use? What’s the cost, who will be able to apply it and will they be timely?” he asks. “Your contingency plan needs to be thought through now, not when you need to implement it.”
Market Opportunities
Along with potential seed savings, herbicide and insecticide costs, some farmers have access to markets that will pay a premium for non-GMO corn, usually near 30¢ to 60¢ per bushel.
Ferrie cautions if you get a contract for non-GMO corn, you have to deliver a product that, usually, is about 98% pure. You also will likely have some segregation and handling requirements.
To address the purity issue, Ferrie says some farmers will harvest the first 24 rows of their conventional hybrids and have the elevator test them. If you opt to not test upfront, he says it’s still important to hold onto a sample of the seed corn you planted so you can run tests later, if needed.
If you haven’t used a conventional hybrid before, Budreau says now is the time to ask your sales rep questions.
“Talk soil types, tillage practices, populations, soil topography and yield goals,” he advises. “Look at test plot data. Go see the hybrids in the field, if you can. Ask a lot of pointed questions. A good seedsman will help you get the right hybrid on the right acre.
Your Next Read: How To Plan For Next Year’s Crop With Extreme Weather In Mind
