NOVEMBER 4 AGRONOMY UPDATE

Your Local Weekly Ag Partners Agronomic Update.
The one-stop-shop to hearing everything you need to know this week about what is happening in your fields.

 

This week’s featured agronomists are:

 

Easton Schuch- Le Sueur
Joe Dee – Morristown
Justice Keefauver – Lewiston
Eric Soley – Ellsworth

Scroll down to hear from your local agronomist.


West 
Belle Plaine – LeCenter – LeSueur

Easton Schuch

As dry fertilizer is coming to an end, anhydrous is in full swing. A lot of us are trying to take advantage of the nice weather this week and crank out some acres.  I want to remind people to please take time and be safe while out on this final push. As we start to finish up harvest, don’t forget to go through this past years hybrid/variety report card.  Which hybrids were you happy with and which would you like to pass on for next year?

As you discuss with your agronomist, they can also share some overall insight on hybrid performance. Right now is the best timeframe  to take advantage of the best seed discounts and financing offers. Take time to sit with your agronomist and go over different options on what seed fits on each acre- taking into consideration performance, agronomics, and traits. We are in an exciting time, especially as we look at all the different options on soybeans traits. It is important to start the conversation now and to decide what will be best for YOUR farm. Lets have a great end of the season to a bin busting year!


Central 
Wanamingo – Kenyon – Morristown – Owatonna

Joe Dee

Corn harvest is moving along much smoother this week compared to last week thanks to some much-needed sunshine and warmer temps. With harvest nearing the end, the fall fertilizer season continues to push on with the nice weather- contributing to some decent progress on P, K, and anhydrous ammonia applications.

As we begin to analyze yields and the number of bushels being removed from the field, it’s important to think about what needs to be replenished to produce a good soybean crop like we did this past year. There is still time left this fall to get your fields grid sampled, to give us an idea where your pH and fertility levels stand after the great growing season we’ve had. With that information we can variable rate your P and K, putting it where your crop pulls the most nutrients.  This in combination with an elemental sulfur and Wolftrax zinc application. Now is the time to make adjustments like these to get ahead for the 2021 growing season. Talk to your agronomist about getting your fields grid sampled this fall.


South 
Lewiston

Justice Keefauver

Harvest is going strong this week! Locally, I would say 100% of soybeans are combined and some growers are 100% done with corn, which looks a little different than last year at this time. Its has been incredible weather this week for combining, field work, and manure hauling! The consistent high yields are showing where the “system’s approach” was used. I have noticed these key things are driving high yield:

 

Factors We Can Control:

  • Crop rotation (corn after soybeans/alfalfa, beans after continuous corn)
  • Hybrid placement
  • Hybrid population management
  • Protected nitrogen vs Non protected
  • Fungicide at R1 on corn
  • Fungicide at R3 on soybeans
  • Previous Fall P and K
  • Fall and spring elemental sulfur
  • Planting date

Factors We CANNOT Control:

  • Rainfall (the farms that caught August rain are at an advantage)

As you can see above, many of these yield drivers, we as operators can control each year! I encourage everyone who may not be “controlling the controllable factors” to think about what 2021 could look like on the farm. Talk with your Ag Partners team to understand what practices are working in your area to help keep reaching new yield potential on your farm! It is fun to see the systems approach work!


WWAS
Ellsworth

Eric Soley

Last week the EPA approved the registration of dicamba for over-the-top use in soybeans for another five years. This is great news for farmers, keeping another valuable tool in the toolbox for combating tough to kill weeds.

 

For the 2021 growing season farmers will have multiple herbicide tolerant platforms to choose from, each herbicide program having pros and cons. Specific regulations must be followed per each, so please talk with your agronomist before deciding which herbicide platform to go with.  Often producers have purchased soybeans assuming they can spray the labeled herbicide, without realizing what kind of restrictions go along with the label. For example, here in Pierce County, WI, we are home to an endangered species that are found in woods/tree lines. Any field with a woods next to it, we have to leave a 60’ omnidirectional buffer next to the woods when spraying dicamba. If the woods are downwind that buffer then turns into a 310’ buffer. Please use careful consideration and caution when deciding which soybean trait platform to plant in 2021.