When talking with WinField United team members many reference the future entailing data-driven decisions and making data work for them.
One example is taking the 26 years of applied research through the WinField United network and using the data to inform product placement, recommendations and timings.
“Every agronomic decision has to make sense financially,” says Greg Culp, with Mercer Landmark. “Sometimes you can make mistakes and make money, but not when corn is below $4. At the same time you aren’t going to save your way to prosperity. It’s about more bushels but reducing the cost per bushel.”
Joe Rickard, crop protection product manager of eastern corn belt for WinField United, agrees saying his focus this past year is to make sure growers feel confident in product decisions and saying while some cuts are to be made and expected, it is important to not cut the wrong ones. For example, he points to fungicides.
“We’ve been able to advise on fungicide timing based on our Answer Plot data on hybrid specific response to scores. It’s not if we have a disease, but when we’ll have a disease. And not all diseases are everywhere, so having this as a base is a tool.”
Glenda Gehl, vice president of R&D for WinField United, shares the nitrogen scores as being a tool WinField United can share with growers.
“In previous downturns, we’ve been able to talk though tradeoffs farmers were considering and make sure they weren’t sacrificing too much of their ROI,” she says.
The depth of the Answer Plot data equates to millions of data points on product performance and the combination of products in how they perform. This helps build confidence in the selling process says Culp.
“If the sales team doesn’t have confidence, they won’t sell it. When we know the product works, that’s where it starts. Along with training, it adds confidence from the seller’s perspective and helps make sure our growers are profitable.”
He points out how the Answer Plot data is local data, but it’s not just one field trial with an anecdotal response.
“Ag retailer sellers aren’t different from farmers in how they can be resistant to change at times,” he says. “But we need to be looking forward, at the next best thing and having data helps.”
Another physical asset WinField United uses to bring better data behind products is its Innovation Center, of which a corner piece is its wind tunnel. As an example, MAX-IN Ultra ZMB Plus micronutrient went through more than 200 tank mix tests in the laboratory before it went out for field tests.
“Connecting the data and the insights is our differentiator,” Gehl says. “We have the tools to help our system pull that through the applied research and onto farmer’s fields.”
Gehl says two areas for enhanced research right now are water management—how to help a crop respond to drought or rebound faster when it gets water again, and product uptake—how to ensure optimum nutrient uptake.
“Our most recent investment in the phenospex machine in the greenhouse gives us data that is quickly analyzed and for some products will eliminate two or three cycles in the Answer Plots and get these products to market faster,” Gehl says.
The wind tunnels at WinField United’s campus are eyed as powerful assets in demonstrating adjuvant efficacy especially as EPA looks at setback requirements.
“What we are most proud of is being able to use these tools and stay ahead of where customers are to get the best outcomes,” Gehl says.
