Wednesday July 8 Ag News

Nebraska Farm Income Expected to Drop Sharply in 2015

Nebraska’s farm income is predicted to drop nearly 45 percent this year, according to the latest long-term economic forecast produced by the Bureau of Business Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The three-year forecast, produced in conjunction with the Nebraska Business Forecast Council, predicts 2015 Nebraska farm income of about $3.5 billion, its lowest level since 2009.

However, farm income is anticipated to stabilize at about $4 billion in 2016 and 2017, while moderate growth is predicted for the state’s other economic sectors. Nonfarmers can anticipate personal income growth at a “solid” rate of up to 4 percent a year through 2017 — although inflation is expected to jump as high as 2.2 percent during the same period.

The farm sector has faced a significant drop in crop prices from record high levels two years ago. In June 2013, corn sold for $7.05 per bushel in Nebraska City, according to the Cornhusker Economics newsletter. In June this year, it sold for less than half that amount, $3.43 per bushel. Soybean prices dropped 37 percent and wheat dropped 34 percent during the same two-year period.

In January, the bureau had predicted only a 7 percent drop for 2015 farm income. Its July revision results in part from crop prices that dropped even more than anticipated, as well as farmers’ decisions last year to hold on to more of their 2014 crop to wait for better prices. The additional grain held in inventory in effect staved off some of 2014’s income losses until 2015.

The destruction of some 5 million chickens to stem the spread of bird flu and the 2014 Farm Bill’s reduction in government payments also will reduce farm income in 2015.

The sector, however, should regain some lost ground in 2016 and 2017, with livestock revenues remaining strong and grain inventories stabilizing.

“Farm incomes will decline sharply in 2015 as crop and livestock prices moderate,” Thompson said. “Farm incomes then will stabilize in 2016 and 2017.”



Smith Introduces Resolution to Block Waters of the U.S. Rule

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) issued the following statement after introducing H.J. Res. 59 to block implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Waters of the U.S. rule by congressional disapproval under the Congressional Review Act.  

“The EPA’s Waters of the U.S. rule, now finalized by the Obama administration, poses a significant threat to our agriculture economy and remains one of the top concerns for Nebraska producers,” Smith said.  “This unilateral rule is nothing more than a power grab from a federal agency with a lengthy track record of expanding its regulatory authority without regard for the impacts on American families and businesses.  While the administration continues to defy Congress and the American people by pushing forward with this damaging regulation, we must use every tool available to combat this overreach.” 

The Congressional Review Act provides for an expedited process for Congress to overturn executive rulemaking, including expedited Senate consideration of legislation to block newly finalized rules.




Nebraska Soybean Board to hold election for director seats

Election ballots for the Nebraska Soybean Board Districts 1, 3 and 6 will be mailed on Monday, July 13, 2015, to soybean farmers in those districts. Farmers eligible to vote in the election must produce soybeans, be a resident of the district, and pay the soybean checkoff. Qualified farmers who do not receive a ballot by July 17, 2015, can call 402-466-1969 to request a ballot. The voting farmer must sign and print their full name and home town on the return ballot envelope for their vote to be valid. Ballots must be post marked by July 31, 2015.

The elected directors will serve a three-year term beginning October 1, 2015 and ending September 30, 2018. NSB directors are reimbursed for expenses incurred while carrying out board business.

Ballots will be mailed to the following counties:

District 1: Counties of Antelope, Boyd, Cedar, Holt, Knox, Madison and Pierce.
Candidates:
Ed Lammers – Hartington, NE – Cedar County
Anne Meis – Elgin, NE – Antelope County

District 3: Counties of Butler, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders and Washington.
Candidates:
Jason Arp – Kennard, NE – Washington County
Richard Bartek – Ithaca, NE – Saunders County
Rebecca Kreikemeier – Bellwood, NE – Butler County

District 6: Counties of Fillmore, Jefferson, Gage, Saline, Seward and Thayer.
Candidates:
Terry Hackbart – Seward, NE – Seward County
Mike Tomes – Utica, NE – Seward County
Larry Tonniges – Utica, NE – Seward County

Election results will be announced in August. 



Recognizing Our Veterans and Active Duty Service Members

The Farmer-Stockman Council of Nebraska Cattlemen will once again be honoring veterans and active duty service members on Veterans’ Day at the Nebraska State Fair, September 7.  Gift certificates for beef are purchased with donated funds and randomly given to veterans and active duty service members who come by the Nebraska Cattlemen Beef Pit at the Nebraska State Fair.

“It is a small thing we can do for those who have given us so much,” stated Kevin Sladky, Farmer-Stockman chairman, “It is a great honor to be able to give these beef gift certificates.”

If you wish to make a monetary contribution to the Beef for Troops program please contact the Nebraska Cattlemen at  402-475-2333 or mbenjamin@necattlemen.org.

Checks can be sent to Nebraska Cattlemen, 1010 Lincoln Mall, Ste. 101, Lincoln, NE 68508 attention Jayne Kracke and note on your check Beef for Troops.



Iowa Learning Farms July Webinar on Soil Health

The monthly Iowa Learning Farms webinar for July will be Wednesday, July 22, at 1 p.m. This month’s presenter is Mahdi Al-Kaisi, Iowa State University professor in the agronomy department. He will discuss the concept of soil health, its basic principles, factors for healthy soil and management choices that affect the soil health.

Al-Kaisi’s research focuses on the effects of cropping systems, tillage systems and crop residue management on soil health, soil carbon dynamics and greenhouse gas emission. Also, he studies the interaction effects of agricultural practices and environmental factors on agriculture systems sustainability and productivity. His research and extension activities focus on developing sustainable management practices that improve productivity and environmental quality.

The ILF webinars are usually held on the third Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m., although this month it is on the fourth Wednesday. They are free and all that is needed to participate is a computer with Internet access. To participate, go to https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/ilf/ at 1 p.m. on the day of the webinar and log in through the guest option. Webinar participants will be able to converse with Al-Kaisi by typing their questions through the chat function. The webinar will be recorded and archived on the ILF website for viewing at any time. All past webinars are archived on the ILF website: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/ilf/Webinars/.

Since January 2011, ILF has hosted a webinar every month. There are more than 50 webinars to view on a wide range of topics including soil erosion, cover crops, buffers, bioreactors and farmer perspectives. The webinar archives also are available in podcast through iTunes.



U.S. Beef, Pork Exports Sluggish in May

After an encouraging performance in April, exports of U.S. beef and pork lost momentum in May, falling below year-ago levels in both volume and value according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

Beef exports moved counter-seasonally lower in May, dropping 14 percent from a year ago to 88,466 metric tons (mt). Export value dipped lower year-over-year for the first time since January, reaching only $556.7 million (down 6 percent). For January through May, exports totaled 430,393 mt, down 10 percent from the same period in 2014. Export value remained ahead of last year’s pace at $2.68 billion (up 2 percent).

January-May beef exports equated to 13 percent of total beef production and 10 percent for muscle cuts only – down from 14 percent and 10.6 percent, respectively, last year. Export value per head of fed slaughter averaged $291.70, up 9 percent from a year ago.

Pork exports totaled 184,865 mt in May, down 2 percent from a year ago, while value slipped 18 percent to $489.2 million. Through the first five months of 2015, pork exports were down 6 percent in volume (910,967 mt) and 15 percent in value ($2.42 billion) from the same period last year.

January-May pork exports equated to 25 percent of total production and 21 percent for muscle cuts only – down from 28 percent and 23 percent, respectively, a year ago. Pork export value per head slaughtered averaged $51.39, down 19 percent from the first five months of 2014.

Korea a bright spot for U.S. beef
Beef exports to South Korea remained strong in May, increasing 5 percent from a year ago in volume (9,740 mt) and 11 percent in value ($64.8 million). This pushed January-May exports to Korea 4 percent higher in volume (48,568 mt) and 9 percent higher in value ($341.9 million). The market could see a short-term slowdown, however, due to the toll the recent outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) has taken on consumer spending in Korea. MERS was first diagnosed in Korea on May 20, but became a major public health concern in early June.

“Although MERS is not a food safety issue, its impact on Korea’s restaurant sector was dramatic in June,” explained Philip Seng, USMEF President and CEO. “Fortunately our staff in Korea reports that the situation has improved significantly this month, with consumer activity beginning to return to normal. We expect beef demand in the Korean market – which is one of our strongest performers in 2015 – to rebound fairly quickly.”

Another bullish factor is Korea’s domestic beef prices, which soared to near-term highs in June, reflecting relatively tight supplies.

Results for U.S. beef in other Asian markets have been mixed so far in 2015, with most struggling to keep pace with last year’s import volumes. Exports to Japan slumped in May, falling 10 percent from a year ago in volume (17,964 mt) and 15 percent in value ($106.9 million). Through May, exports to Japan remained modestly higher than a year ago at 88,936 mt (up 2 percent) valued at $564.6 million (up 3 percent).

Other January-May results for U.S. beef included:
    Exports to Hong Kong fell 17 percent in volume (49,264 mt) and 8 percent in value ($370.4 million).

    Export value to Taiwan managed a solid increase ($117.5 million, up 13 percent) despite a 5 percent decline in volume (12,321 mt).

    Although exports to the ASEAN region were down 23 percent in volume (9,155 mt), export value was still up 14 percent to $63.5 million. Major destinations performed well, with exports exceeding year-ago levels to the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore. The regional drop in export volume was mostly due to a sharp decline in exports to Indonesia (624 mt, down 85 percent), driven in large part by restrictive import regulations and a severely weakened currency.

While beef export value has managed to stay in positive territory in most Asian markets, Seng cautions that the U.S. industry faces a volatile business climate.

“Lack of access to China, which never reopened after the 2003 BSE case, is definitely holding back our export growth,” he said. “China is a burgeoning market that impacts prices and product flow throughout a large region and its influence on global beef trade is growing rapidly. Exporting to China would significantly expand the presence of U.S. beef in Asia, but we remain on the sidelines as our competitors gain a stronger foothold.”

Just four years ago, China’s beef imports totaled only $112 million for an entire calendar year. Through May of this year, imports exceeded $700 million – up 17 percent from the record pace of 2014. Primary suppliers are Australia, Uruguay, New Zealand and Argentina.

Pork exports slip to mainstay destinations Japan, Mexico
After a relatively strong performance in April, pork exports to Japan and Mexico took a step back in May. Export volume to Japan dipped 9 percent from a year ago to 39,340 mt, while value was down 18 percent to $152.9 million. Through the first five months of the year, exports to Japan were down 11 percent in volume (189,188 mt) and 18 percent in value ($705.2 million).

May exports to Mexico were the lowest in 19 months at 53,186 mt, down 6 percent from a year ago. Export value fell by nearly one-third to $95.1 million. For January through May, exports to Mexico remained 5 percent ahead of last year’s pace in volume (291,184 mt) but were down 17 percent in value ($508.7 million), reflecting the decline in pork prices from last year’s record levels.

Other January-May results for U.S. pork included:
    Exports to Korea cooled slightly in May but remain on a very strong pace, with volume up 38 percent to 95,686 mt and value up 37 percent to $285.1 million. Pork demand also took a short-term hit due to MERS, but should be strong in coming months as domestic production is taking longer than expected to recover from the impact of recent outbreaks of PEDV and FMD. Korea’s domestic pork carcass prices edged slightly lower June but still averaged $2.40 per pound – among the highest in the world.

    Growth to Honduras and Guatemala offset smaller volumes to Colombia, resulting in steady volume to Central/South America (51,257 mt). Export value was down 3 percent to $132.8 million. The outlook for this region looks positive as exports to Colombia gained momentum in May and shipments to Honduras and Guatemala have surged even higher in recent weeks.

    Limited access to China, which only a small number of U.S. pork plants are eligible to serve, continues to dampen exports to the China/Hong Kong region – a critical destination for selected pork and pork variety meat items, especially with China’s hog prices hitting multi-year highs. Export volume was down 21 percent from a year ago to 130,525 mt and value fell 26 percent to $273.6 million. The European Union is dominating the region’s imported pork market, accounting for nearly 70 percent of pork entering China/Hong Kong.

    Exports to the ASEAN region were down sharply, falling 51 percent in volume (16,200 mt) and 58 percent in value ($35.5 million) on lower shipments to the Philippines and Singapore.

“The tremendous influx of lower-priced European pork has reshaped the competitive landscape in Asia,” Seng noted. “The European industry has aggressively targeted Japan and China, successfully capturing market share. But we’re also seeing a significant impact in smaller markets such as the Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore and Australia, and Korea continues to be a strong destination for European pork. While this surge was prompted by the closure of the Russian market, this is not a short-term phenomenon. There has been a significant transition in global pork trade patterns and we expect it to have a lasting impact.”

Russia was traditionally the largest destination for EU pork, but suspended imports in January 2014 due to African swine fever. Russia also included pork from the EU, U.S. and Canada in the trade embargo imposed last year as a result of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Russia recently announced that it would extend this embargo through June 2016, meaning that large supplies of European pork will continue to flow to other markets. The weakened euro – currently down about 22 percent year-over-year versus the U.S. dollar – has also bolstered the competitiveness of EU pork.

May lamb exports rebound slightly, but remain lower year-over-year
After hitting a low point for the year in April, May lamb exports rebounded to some degree, reaching 901 mt (steady with last year) valued at $1.68 million (down 29 percent). Through May, 2015 exports were down 18 percent in volume (3,679 mt) and 26 percent in value ($8.27 million) from a year ago. While lamb exports have achieved promising growth in emerging markets in the Middle East and the Caribbean, these gains were offset by sharp declines to Canada and Mexico.



Ag Groups Opposing Vermont's Biotech Labeling Law

The American Soybean Association, along with the National Corn Growers Association, the National Cotton Council and the Corn Refiners Association signed an Amici brief supporting the Grocery Manufacturers of America and others in challenging Vermont's law requiring that food products containing biotech ingredients be labeled.

The law, enacted in 2015 and due to go into effect in June 2016, would require food manufacturers to place a pejorative 'contains GMO' label on products sold in Vermont.

ASA and other farm organizations are supporting GMA's argument that the law would disrupt interstate commerce and be expensive for consumers, who would pay the cost of labeling and repackaging products sold in Vermont.

Many of the groups are part of the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food, which is supporting federal legislation to establish a voluntary national standard for labeling non-GMO products, and to preempt state biotech labeling laws.



Ethanol Stocks, Production Higher

Ethanol stocks in the United States increased by 300,000 barrels (bbl), or 1.6%, to 19.8 million bbl in the week-ended July 3, bouncing off a six-month low of 19.5 million bbl posted for the week-ended June 26, according to a U.S. Energy Information Administration report released Wednesday, July 8.

The weekly stock increase boosted the nation's year-over-year surplus to 1.6 million bbl, or 8.5%.

The EIA report also showed domestic production reversed higher, rising last week by 19,000 barrels per day (bpd), or 2.0%, to 987,000 bpd. Year-over-year output was up 6.5%.

Blender inputs, a gauge for ethanol demand, reversed lower last week, down week-on-week by 4,000 bpd, or 0.4%, to 904,000 bpd, while 2.4% higher year over year.

Implied demand for gasoline dropped 2.0%, or 199,000 bpd, to 9.532 million bpd for the week-ended July 3, while 6.7% higher than the same week last year, EIA said.



Global Beef Trends to 2024 ...
Glynn T. Tonsor, Dept of Ag Econ, Kansas State University

Cattle industry stakeholders are well-served to consider broader, long-term trends impacting the entire meat protein complex.  As the markets turn into the second half of 2015, it is useful to pause and reflect on available reports that provide corresponding projections from various sources.  One such source is the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2015 which was recently released.  This report provides projections to 2024 for major agricultural commodities throughout the world.

The punchline of this report for the meat complex can be succinctly ascertained by highlighting three quotes (all from page 119):

    "The Outlook for the meat market remains largely positive, with feed grain prices set to remain low for the projection period restoring profitability in a sector that had been operating in an environment of particularly high and volatile feed costs over most of the past decade."

    "Global meat production rose by almost 20% over the last decade, led by growth in poultry and pigmeat (pork). Over the next decade, global meat production will expand at a slower rate, and in 2024 will be 17% higher than the base period (2012-14). Developing countries are projected to account for the vast majority of the total increase through a more intensive use of protein meal in feed rations in the region. Poultry meat will capture more than half of the additional meat produced globally by 2024, compared to the base period."

    "Growth in meat trade is projected to decelerate compared to the past decade. Globally almost 11% of meat output will be traded. The most significant growth in import demand originates from Asia, which captures the greatest share of additional imports for all meat types. Africa is another fast growing meat importing region albeit from a lower base."

While entire Ph.D. dissertations could be written on multiple aspects of this report, it is important that today's industry leaders think about two key questions.  The first key question is what is the true comparative advantage of the U.S. beef industry?  The answer to this question underlies the position of U.S. beef in the global meat protein complex and will significantly impact the ability of the U.S. to benefit from projected global protein demand growth.  The second critical question is for each producer and manager to self-assess and identify their firm's own comparative advantage.  This is essential for individual business prosperity and longevity regardless of where the national industry is positioned globally.  While it is easy to get lost in important day-to-day issues, industry leaders would be well served by periodically pausing to seriously consider both comparative advantage questions. 



Dow AgroSciences Reveals the Name of Its New Residual Corn Herbicide

Dow AgroSciences announced today that its new corn herbicide, previously referred to as GF-3471, will be named Resicore™ herbicide. Registration for this herbicide is expected in 2016.

“Resicore is designed to control weeds throughout the season,” says Luke Peters, corn herbicides product manager, Dow AgroSciences. “It will provide trusted residual control, resistance management and resounding yield potential as the core of growers’ weed control programs.”

Resicore will help growers control herbicide-resistant weeds through three nonglyphosate and nonatrazine modes of action. The active ingredients included in this novel formulation are acetochlor, mesotrione and clopyralid. Resicore is expected to offer flexible application timing from preplant to early postemergence.

In 2014 trials, Resicore™ herbicide had a 97 percent efficacy rating on many common weeds found in Midwest fields such as waterhemp, marestail, giant ragweed and Palmer amaranth.1

Currently, waterhemp populations have shown resistance to five different modes of action in 18 states. Additionally, resistance to multiple modes of action has been confirmed in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota and Missouri.2

“By implementing a weed control program that rotates modes of action and uses herbicides with residual control, growers can combat heavy weed pressure in corn fields more effectively,” Peters says.

Scouting throughout the growing season is also essential to ensure timely herbicide applications and to identify problem fields for the following year.

“Waterhemp continues to top the list of troublesome weeds for corn growers,” Peters says. “With three active ingredients that have never been included in a single product before, Resicore is a new, unique option for growers seeking control of waterhemp and other herbicide-resistant weeds.”



PowerCore™ Technology Offers Corn Growers a New Insect Control Option

Today, Dow AgroSciences announced the addition of PowerCore™ technology to its existing trait lineup. This new option for above-ground insect control for corn growers provides a broad spectrum of control.

PowerCore helps protect two of the top concerns for growers: yield and profits. PowerCore also complements SmartStax® in the Dow AgroSciences trait portfolio to offer another trait option for growers. The Dow AgroSciences corn portfolio delivers top genetics, advanced technology and high yield potential for growers.

“We all know insects can wreak havoc on a grower’s operation,” says Kevin Steffey, technology transfer leader, insect management, Dow AgroSciences. “With PowerCore, corn is protected from destructive above-ground insects. The multiple modes of action in PowerCore offer industry-leading insect control and resistance management.”

In trials, PowerCore™ has proven successful at protecting growers’ yield from European corn borer, southwestern corn borer, corn earworm, western bean cutworm, black cutworm and fall armyworm.

As growers know, these insects are destructive. “Black cutworm can reduce corn stand by 30 percent.” Steffey says. “This type of stand reduction could result in a significant yield loss.”

Similarly, an infestation of western bean cutworm can reduce yield by as much as 30 percent to 40 percent.  And, depending on the corn growth stage, just one European corn borer tunneled into a cornstalk could mean an 8.3-bushel-per-acre yield loss. A larva of any of these insects could result in 3.7 bushels per acre lost.

This proven, effective insect control solution that will be available with the exceptional weed control of the Enlist™ Weed Control System in 2016, pending import approvals. This industry-leading package will provide growers multiple modes of action for both key above-ground pests and tough weeds.

With PowerCore™, yield — and profits — are protected from destructive above-ground insects. Dow AgroSciences’ seed brands Mycogen Seeds, Brodbeck, Dairyland, Pfister and Prairie Brand will offer PowerCore Enlist hybrids within their corn portfolios, and Dow AgroSciences will broadly license PowerCore™ Enlist™ technology to the industry.  For more information on PowerCore Enlist in 2016, visit dowagro.com.



Surveil® Herbicide Receives EPA Approval as New Premix for Soybean Growers

Surveil® herbicide – a new preemergence, residual herbicide, has received approval from the Environmental Protection Agency and will be available for the 2016 growing season.

This new herbicide combines two leading active ingredients in one convenient premix for soybean growers. The premix from Dow AgroSciences offers easy mixing and handling characteristics and proven weed control that growers can count on to battle herbicide resistant and hard-to-control broadleaf weeds.

The result? Greater peace of mind and improved soybean yield potential.

“This new formulation is the first to offer growers the convenience of having the active ingredients flumioxazin and cloransulam-methyl together in one easy-to-use premix,” says Melissa Olds, formulation chemist for Dow AgroSciences. “This product was developed so that it would be easy for growers to use. You’ll find Surveil offers excellent handling properties, such as dispersing quickly when added to water.”

Growers and agronomists across the country have had experience testing the product this year.

“Surveil is very convenient to mix,” says agronomist Nick Smeby from CHS Prairie Lakes Co-Op in Long Prairie, Minnesota. “This year, Surveil comes premixed and so the applicators really appreciate the simplicity of it.”

Surveil herbicide can be applied from preplant up to three days after planting, before emergence. The two modes of action deliver proven, residual performance to help growers tackle herbicide resistance issues and hard-to-control weeds such as marestail, Palmer amaranth, and giant and common ragweed.

“It looks great,” Smeby says. “Where we applied Surveil, the difference is just phenomenal.”

With a short rotational interval, growers can rotate to many key crops nine months following a Surveil application.

“We’re excited to announce Surveil as the newest addition to the Dow AgroSciences soybean herbicide portfolio,” says Lindsey Hecht, product manager, Dow AgroSciences. “This is another example of our commitment to finding solutions to help soybean growers maximize yield potential with confidence.”

Dow AgroSciences has a proven portfolio of soybean herbicides that offer residual control to keep fields clean into the season. The portfolio currently includes Sonic® herbicide, FirstRate® herbicide and Surveil® herbicide.



Mycogen Seeds Moves Beyond Drought Tolerance with Stress-tolerant Hybrids

Mycogen Seeds is helping growers in the western Corn Belt manage multiple environmental variables with a holistic solution: its new stress-tolerant corn portfolio. Unveiled today, the stress-tolerant portfolio features hybrids with a strong agronomic foundation, bred to handle a range of challenges common to the western Corn Belt — including disease and insect pressure, water availability and extreme heat.

“Raising corn in the High Plains is not easy, and growers face more challenges than drought alone,” says Cole Hansen, U.S. corn marketing leader for Mycogen Seeds and a Nebraska native. “We have developed our stress-tolerant line-up to suit the growing conditions in the western Corn Belt, with hybrids that withstand many of the yield-reducing factors it presents.”

Mycogen Seeds’ stress-tolerant hybrids are highly rated for Goss’s wilt, high-pH soils, greensnap, and have flex ear to support a range of populations and improved pollination during heat. The hybrids are also drought tolerant. The company uses a local, targeted approach to screening for tolerance to these stresses. The portfolio has proven itself in a variety of challenging environments.

Rigorous testing delivers proven performance
“Hybrid performance is a combination of the right genetics, environmental conditions and management practices,” says Doug Barker, western Corn Belt breeding leader for Dow AgroSciences. “The right genetics establish top-end yield potential. It’s what helps the plant adapt to or overcome environmental conditions.”

Once a hybrid meets specific agronomic criteria, it moves on to testing. Mycogen Seeds pressure-tests these hybrids in a western Corn Belt managed stress environment (MSE) to carefully understand yield response at various intervals of plant development.

Stress-tolerant hybrids are classified as:
    Rugged hybrids — Consistent yielders in tougher growing conditions and lower-yield environments
    All-star hybrids — Excellent yield in low- and high-yield environments2

Mycogen Seeds’ stress-tolerant hybrids help growers in the western Corn Belt respond to the full range of local stresses, including Goss’s wilt, high-pH soils, greensnap and drought.

“Rigorous testing tells us how hybrids respond to each stress factor to more precisely place the hybrid in the field and help growers manage them,” Barker says.

The Mycogen Seeds Agronomy Services team specializes in helping growers place and manage hybrids. Growers can look to their local Mycogen representative or dealer for assistance selecting, planting and managing stress-tolerant hybrids.

“Growers only have one shot at their corn yield,” Hansen says. “Choosing stress-tolerant hybrids helps ensure they’re putting up the best defense against local stresses to maximize yield potential.”