We are starting a new series today for BASF Crop Protection called “Great Growers” where we will be following the progress of four farmers throughout the growing season from pre-plant to harvest.

Our first interview is with one of the most famous farmers in the country – Kip Cullers of Purdy, Missouri. To call Kip a “great grower” is an understatement, considering he holds the title of World Champion Soybean Grower with a record 160.6 bushels per acre set in 2010. Even with last year’s “horrible” season, Kip still managed to break 100 bushels an acre. So, what about this year?

Kip says he is already planting away down in southwest Missouri and some of his corn has already started emerging. “We planted for 12 straight days and never shut the planters off,” he said. “It’s just been unbelievable.”

While Kip was very disappointed with his 2011 crop, he says it has not had much of an impact on his plans for this season. “I haven’t seen a year like that since 1980 so we’re just on track to do everything like normal,” he said. Winter in Kip’s part of the country was the same as pretty much every where else. “It’s just crazy how warm it was,” Kip said. “Mildest winter I’ve ever seen in my life.”

As pleasant as it was, the mild winter combined with a warmer than normal March has led to increased weed pressure. “The weeds are absolutely horrible,” Kip says. “We’ve got crabgrass that normally doesn’t come out until May” along with henbit and chickweed. “But we used the Kixor technology along with some Roundup and that just burns it down within seven days. Then we come back over the top later on.”

Kip says he is planning to plant more corn and soybean acres this year and he is really pleased right now with his barley crop on which he used Headline at the flag leaf stage. “It’s the best barley I’ve ever raised,” he says.

Listen to or download my interview with Kip below and watch for more Great Grower interviews coming up soon!