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FMC introduces At-Plant management approach

Ag Science company FMC is introducing a new management strategy for farmers.

The At-Plant approach aims to help growers and retailers focus on how crop protection, nutrition, seed and equipment can work together to give a plant the best chance of success – starting at the planting pass.

Regional Technical Service Manager for FMC Gail Stratman tells Brownfield At-Plant is a toolbox of resources.

“It’s about more than just putting seed in the ground. We can enhance that with precision fertility placement. Well, how do we do that? With new technologies and new advancements and new understandings and equipment applications. And then how do we bring crop protection products into that mix and how do we utilize those and not only protect the crop, but enhance its growth from a very early stage. So yes, it’s a management system, but it’s about utilizing different aspects of those technologies that are available out there to produce and enhance that that system.”

Purdue Extension Specialist Dan Quinn looks at the approach from an agronomic standpoint.

“We have to do everything we can to get that plant off to a good start and from a corn standpoint, if we’re not emerging quickly, if we’re not emerging uniformly and if those roots are not off to a good start, it’s something that really can haunt you the rest of the year. It’s just not going to have the potential the rest of the year that it could have.”

Quinn says the approach could boost sustainability efforts moving forward as more farmers implement things like cover crops.

“These technologies, from equipment to fertility, really help us kind of utilize these sustainable systems, get their benefits, but then not see maybe the detriment to the cash crops that pay the bills.”

Illinois farmer Brendan Bogner says his farm has had an at-plant mindset for several years and it’s not something that can be done overnight.

“We decided to make a big transition from conventional to no-till. So, with that we wanted to eliminate our fall pass of anhydrous, which is why we’re now applying our fertilizer at plant also then side dressing the remainder of it variable rating according to our soil test, nitrogen tests and all that. Conservation was a big part of it, but savings on our fertilizer and other inputs as well.”

Brownfield interviewed Stratman, Quinn and Bogner during FMC’s At-Plant event in Pontiac, Illinois on Friday.

Audio: Interview with FMC’s Gail Stratman introducing At-Plant

Audio: Interview with Purdue’s Dan Quinn

Audio: Interview with farmer’s Matt Swanson and Brendan Bogner of Illinois and Jeff Samuelson of Iowa