Your profit potential starts each year with the seed you choose. Even if you do everything else right, from spraying through marketing, you lose yield and profit if you plant a hybrid or variety that isn’t the right fit for your farm. Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie and Erich Eller, owner of ForeFront Ag Solutions, provide advice, so you don’t misstep with your selections. -By Sara Schafer & Darrell Smith
1. Prioritize price over performance.
“Don’t spend more time looking for the best price than for the best hybrids,” Ferrie advises. “Smart growers talk about what a hybrid did for them, not how cheap the seed was.”
2. Learn from test plots.
The purpose of test plots is to help guide your seed choices for next year. But you must know the right way to use the information. “First, understand the difference between show plots and test plots,” Ferrie advises. “Show plots have value in demonstrating higher-end genetics. But they are planted next to a road to show off hybrids in ideal conditions.” Study actual test plots that were planted with soil, climate and management practices similar to your own. Although test plots are valuable, it’s possible to rely on them too much, he cautions. “Look at regional plot data over a period of years. It will tell you if a hybrid is not suited for your conditions,” he says.
3. Find the balance of proven versus new options.
Years ago, if you fell in love with a hybrid or variety, you could count on a seven- or eight-year commitment of beautiful fields and top yields. Now, the turnover can be just three years, Eller says. So, you must be constantly trying new options, without sacrificing yields. His advice: Plant 80% of your acres to proven hybrids or varieties and test new ones on the remaining 20%
4. Evaluate a hybrid or variety from planting.
“By the time the combine rolls through a field, you should know if you like a hybrid or you’re kicking it out of your lineup,” Eller says. “From the minute you plant a seed, evaluate how it planted, its emergence, its disease tolerance, etc. This is a season-long process.” If a hybrid or variety passes the test, go ahead and book early to capture discounts, he suggests.
5. Take delivery early.
Eller says the last two years showcase how easily supply chains can become backlogged or simply snap. “This fall and winter, if you have the opportunity to source inputs you know you’ll need, get them in your shed,” he says. “If your dealer calls and wants to deliver something, don’t put it off. Get it in your shed.”
6. Maximize your best seed resource.
“Many farmers don’t use their seedsman enough,” Ferrie says. “Most seedsmen have seen all of their hybrids under many conditions and management styles; have him or her help you draw up a battle plan. Discuss your situation and your management techniques, such as your rotation, tillage and fertility program. Explain your harvest schedule.” Listen to their suggestions. “A good seedsman can make up for a lot of difference in price, compared with shopping on the Internet or purchasing through a buyers’ club,” Ferrie says.
Learn how to use a systems approach to seed selection.
