Getting 300 bushels an acre out of corn takes careful planning and doesn’t happen by accident. That was the message from Dr. Fred Below of the University of Illinois gave to those attending the Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies event in Vincent, Iowa heard this year. “[Farmers] have to select the best hybrids; they have to feed those hybrids with the …
Corn Growers Heading to Hill With Message
Corn growers are heading to Capitol Hill this week with a message – they want a farm bill NOW! “All of the NCGA corn farmers, 127 delegates are in Washington DC, and we’re going to present our message that we want a farm bill now,” said National Corn Growers Association president Garry Niemeyer of Illinois. “And hopefully we’re going to …
Corn Crop is in Worst Condition Since 1988
Drought conditions in the Midwest are “almost historic” with 38 percent of the nation’s corn crop now rated poor to very poor, according to USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey. “That 38% represents the highest amount of U.S. corn rated poor to very poor since the end of the 1988 growing season,” said Rippey. “We now see in 13 of the 18 …
Wyffels Hybrids Ready for Tale of Two Seasons
If you look at the last two summers in the upper Midwest, you couldn’t find a sharper contrast: plenty of rain, too much of it in many cases last year, and bone dry and hot across much of the corn growing areas this year. That’s part of what the folks at the Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies event in Vincent, Iowa …
Wyffels: Geared for Pro Midwest Corn Growers
Many times we hear about how big a company is or its reach throughout the world. That can be all well and good, but sometimes you want a local company that understands your needs and might be able to be more flexible. That’s where our friends at Wyffels Hybrids come in. During the recent Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies in Vincent, …
Real Farms Show Real Results on Tour
One of the nicest things about trips such as the Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour is the chance to see real farms with real crops growing under real conditions. Chuck stopped at Marcus Maier’s farm in Illinois where they were showing split application of nitrogen on corn. Maier explained they’re trying to display how varying rates of nitrogen in …
Flying High to Provide Good Ground Cover
A dozen years ago, if someone told me they were flying to create good cover for the field, we would have been talking about fighter pilots protecting troops on the ground. Well, it’s not exactly warfare, but after hearing one of Chuck’s interviews with some folks on the Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour, now that phrase means using aerial …
Corn Market Commentary
Corn growers got the world market viewpoint today at the Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies from Bill Tierney, Chief Economist, AgResource Company. I spoke with him after his presentation. China was a market he spoke about and I was fascinated to learn that the average holding of corn there is about 10-12 feet wide by about 60-100 feet! Bill says, “When …
Developing Corn Hybrids For Adverse Conditions
It is the 6th year for the Wyffels Hybrids Corn Strategies road show. We’re sitting in a comfortable tent in a corn field. Can’t find a better place to hold a conference like this. I visited with Bill Wyffels, President, to find out what’s new from Wyffels. He says they’ve introduced thirteen new corn hybrids from 96 to 117 day …
Wyffels Hybrids Does 2012 Corn Strategies
Wyffels Hybrids is kicking off a series of Corn Strategies sessions this year in Vincent, IA. Here’s the team this morning getting ready for the tent capacity filled crowd that’s here on Harmon Farms. What a contrast I’ve seen in corn yesterday to today. The corn here looks great. Although I’m sure there are local farmers here who would like …