News

Earlier buying, planting might be a wise move

A seed sales representative says farmers might want to buy and plant earlier.

Randy Schlatter with Brevant Seeds tells Brownfield certain varieties of corn and soybeans tend to qo out the door fast. “Most of the companies really have the vast majority of their seed ordered and paid for, really, before the first of December anymore, and so it’s not uncommon to run into situations where if you’re looking for a certain hybrid or variety, you better go get it quick.”

Schlatter says many farmers are planting earlier because of the ground has been ready earlier during the past two years. “You better be prepared to take advantage of that first planting window that you can get, otherwise, you end up in a situation like we did in northern Wisconsin this year where if you didn’t get that first window, you were a month or maybe even two later before you had that opportunity to get back in the fields.”

Schlatter says it may seem early, but if the conditions are right, plant.  He encourages growers to work with their retailers to get the right product on the right acre to better manage disease, insects, and drought tolerance.

Schlatter spoke to Brownfield during World Dairy Expo.