Corn Grower Workshops Wrap Up,
Plans Ramp Up for Soybean Grower Workshops
Corn Grower Workshops successfully wrapped up last week (photo: Keith Steiner discussing financing options).
Thank you
to the growers who brought questions and insight to the corn-related discussions.
Watch for invitations in the mail and more info in the next
Agronomy Update
on this year’s Soybean Grower Workshops. These March meetings will focus on the following topics.
Soybean Pre-Emerge Choices for 2018 and Beyond
Post Emerge Soybean Herbicide Choices
Soybean Trait Update
2017 Discovery Plot Results for Soybeans
Options for Managing White Mold
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Choices, Choices, Choices in Sulfur Products
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Sulfur (S) may not be among the “big 3” nutrients – N, P, and K – but that doesn’t mean sulfur shouldn’t get prime consideration. Choosing the right sulfur for 2018 fields comes down to five five options from Federated, according to Bob Marquette, agronomist at the Albertville location.
- Ammonium sulfate (AMS). This choice offers 24% S as well as 21% N. “It is a more quick release and quickly available form of sulfur,” said Marquette.
- Elemental sulfur. This option is 90% S and is slow release. Because sulfur leaches out of the soil profile quickly, it needs to be replace quite often – twice per season in corn, once a planting and once again at tasseling.
- Gypsoil. For growers who want a choice that offers calcium too, Gypsoil provides 16% S as well as 22% Ca. “Calcium, in the right quantities, helps with soil amendments,” said Marquette.
- K-Mag® is a fourth choice that supplies 22% S and 22% K (potash), as well as 11% magnesium. Most growers who choose K-MAG, according to Marquette, are looking for the K in this sulfur product.
- MESZ (MicroEssentials® SZ™) is recommended by Federated for growers who want season-long nutrient availability in one product. MESZ supplies N, P, S, and Zn.
Sulfur can also be added to liquid fertilizers for those growers who prefer liquid over dry fertilizer. The only issue, Marquette said, “is that it is hard to get a lot of sulfur into liquid.” If a grower is willing to do the frequent refills on the planter, it’s possible to get enough liquid starter on the crop, “but there won’t be enough P and K, so that will need to be broadcast dry,” he added.
Federated Agronomists
are ready to help growers make the sulfur choice that fits best. Give your local agronomist a call soon and get your 2018 choices nailed down.
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Federated Focus: A Service, A Person
Agronomy and Petroleum. An Unwitting Pair.
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Wearing two hats to work every day is just part of the job for Rob Reinking (pictured). In addition to working with growers on Federated’s ag side as a sales agronomist (at the Albertville location), Reinking also handles oil and lubricant sales across all Federated locations and service areas.
Reinking enjoys being able to provide both agronomic and petroleum information to Federated patrons. He said, “People know they will see the same face for multiple products and services” when they call him.
Reinking, a Minnesota boy who grew up just outside of Albertville, worked on a dairy farm throughout middle and high school before he went on to earn his B.S. in agronomy and crop management from Southwest Minnesota State University. He is no stranger to the many challenges growers face when it comes to managing their farms.
Applying his science and technology training to the fuel side of the business, Reinking said that premium diesels can make a big difference on the farm. Federated carries Roadmaster KL® and Ruby Fieldmaster® diesels, along with other petroleum products for farms.
Roadmaster XL is a premium highway diesel fuel, and Ruby Fieldmaster is a premium off-road diesel fuel, both soy-enhanced premium diesel, and both Cenex ® products. Premium diesel offers:
- an injection stabilizer, which prevents internal diesel injector deposits (IDID) and saves on repairs;
- detergents that clean the fuel system and improve fuel efficiency (up to 5%) and power (by 4.5%), as compared to typical #2 diesels;
- cetane improver for better cold weather starts and to reduce strain on engines and electrical systems, which reduces down time;
- lubricity improver – friction-reducing agents; (10-15% better than typical #2 diesels);
- demulsifiers, which force water to the bottom of the tank;
- corrosion inhibitors, which prevent rust on metal parts;
- storage stabilizers, which extend storage life by 3-6 months by improving the fuel’s ability to tolerate temperature extremes.
As Reinking wears his two hats on the farm, he helps growers get smoother running engines and cleaner fuel systems, which translates into farm equipment that’s set for crop production, not repair jobs.
Reinking recommends Ruby Fieldmaster, a bio-diesel, because it supports the soybean industry; it mixes better compared to other bio sources because of its soybean base.
While Federated makes custom diesel blends for wintertime, talk to Reinking about
spring
diesel needs before the rush hits: “You will see me anywhere from fuel to fertilizer to driving a truck, or doing application. I’m a utility man,” he said.
Contact him
or your local
Federated Agronomist
with petroleum product questions.
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Integrated Pest Management
and Crop Production Update March 6
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The University of Minnesota Extension is pleased to announce the Integrated Pest Management and Crop Production Update for area crop producers will be held on Tues., March 6, at the Rock Creek City Center, 7080 State Highway 70, Pine City, MN. The use of Integrated Pest Management represents the balanced use of cultural, biological, and chemical procedures that are environmentally compatible and economically feasible. Farmers and other agricultural professional are invited to learn the latest corn and soybean management strategies from experts in the field.
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