Late spring, early ways to boost yields. Annual meeting tomorrow.

News from Your Federated Agronomists | April 10, 2018

You are invited to

Federated Co-ops' Annual Meeting

tomorrow morning, April 11th.

Please join us.

Burndown for Soybeans to Start Clean, Stay Clean

“Achieving maximum soybean yield is the name of the game,” said Craig Gustafson, Federated’s eastern division agronomy manager, “and one of the game changers can be weeds.” His recommendation is simple: Start weed free. Start clean, stay clean.

Depending on the tillage system in any given field, weed-free fields may be best obtained with a burndown program. Federated Co-ops especially recommends using burndown programs for soybeans when implementing conservation methods, such as one-pass vertical tillage or a no-till system.

“A burndown will knock out those tough overwintering biennials and perennial weeds, such as white cockle and dandelions, plus [it will] add early season residual weed control,” said Gustafson.

Gustafson said that “burndowns are easy” with one of these three recommended herbicides:

Enlite® offers burndown plus residual, at a low use rate of 2.8 oz./ac. plus adjuvant. It has no planting time restrictions (see Enlite fact sheet).

Panther® SC (Valor) liquid formulation, at a low use rate of 2 oz./ac., offers great burndown with residual to control tough weeds (see Panther SC fact sheet), and since it is a liquid formulation, sprayer cleanout is easier.

Tricor® 4F is great tank mix partner for additional pre-emergent control of broad spectrum of broadleaves, with metribuzin as the active ingredient (see Tricor 4F fact sheet).

For further information, contact your nearby Federated Agronomist to design a burndown program to start with clean fields and get a jump on weeds now.

USA 500 Starter Fertilizer Additive Helps Boost Yield

Once spring finally arrives, the pressure will be on to get crops in the ground. The cold and frozen conditions today will likely lend themselves to less-than-perfect soil conditions at planting.

To help guard against the likely cool and moist soils this spring, Federated recommends USA 500® Universal Starter Additive. It’s “an excellent additive to starter fertilizer in furrow or in two-by-two applications,” said Matt Kurtz, location manager at Federated Rush City.

With 5% nitrogen and 6% zinc, USA 500 proves itself by promoting early root growth, helping release phosphates tied up in the soil, and protecting the nutritional components of the starter fertilizer.

“We’ve seen good response in yields and we’re also seeing better emergence and root growth, especially in cooler conditions,” said Kurtz. (See USA 500 fact sheet and label .)

Kurtz noted that USA 500 is easy to use and can be loaded into the tank at any time, with any liquid fertilizer, and it will remain in suspension. “It’s a nice all-in-one product,” said Kurtz, adding it’s “one jug, and there’s no need to mix a little of this and a little of that.”

Talk to your Federated Agronomist about starter fertilizers and USA 500 additive. Get your crops off to a good start – especially in a late spring.

Federated Focus: A Service, A Person

An Agronomist’s Perspective on Custom Application

Managing custom application for Federated’s Rush City service area gives Jake Hansen (pictured) a unique perspective for the other part of his job, being a Federated Agronomist. He uses custom application* as the door through which he helps growers figure out what crop protection chemicals they should use, when to use them, and how to apply them.

*(Custom application covers all the herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides applied by Federated. In Rush City, Matt Kurtz manages fertilizer application.)

While Federated Agronomists spend a good deal of time interacting with growers, Hansen said he gets “one-on-one activity with a lot more growers than I would see [otherwise].” He said he truly enjoys the chance to build relationships and make sure growers get the attention and service they need.

Spring is late but, said Hansen, “it isn’t too late to put together a plan before the spring rush hits.” It really helps, he noted, when growers place their orders and let Federated know ahead of time what custom application services will be needed.

As the season begins, “even just letting us know what crop is going where, and the number of acres that will be in soybeans and corn, helps us know what we need to have on site for chemistry,” he said.

Hansen grew up on an organic farm – “interestingly,” he said – that produced beef, chicken, turkey, and pork. After graduating in Dec. 2015 with a major in ag business and a crop science minor from UW-River Falls, he followed the “path life led me on,” and has been with Federated since March of 2017. Previous to coming on board with Federated, Jake worked full time as a field rep for Seneca Foods in Cumberland, WI.

With the start of his second growing season at the Co-op – the first for his wife of less than a year – he knows what’s coming and he hopes growers will communicate with their agronomists to “help us know what to prepare for and how busy it will be.”

And everyone knows that the later spring gets, the busier the season will be. “The planting windows for corn and soybeans are going to be on top of each other, again,” said Hansen.

Hansen and his wife, a school teacher, know that spring will soon arrive and with it the challenges that agriculture and education offer. But, Hansen has dedicated his career to agriculture with a commitment to helping growers, and he’s ready to get the sprayers in the field.

Contact your Federated Agronomist , including Hansen if you’re in the Rush City service area, to discuss your custom application plans and needs -- soon