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Wyffels: fine-tuning inputs can help protect corn margins

Corn farmers are scrutinizing every input expecting margins to be tight again next year.

Wyffels Hybrids area agronomy manager Mike Witt says fall soil tests can help inform fertilizer decisions.

“And make sure if I cannot need P&K, is that somewhere where I can look at some of that. We’re always going to put nitrogen on, but let’s look and focus on how do we hone in those nitrogen rates. So if we’re using manure, how do we take that and really maximize what our profitability and potential can be.”

He tells Brownfield seed selection is another key component to profitability.

“Talk to your seed reps, talk to whatever district folks you’re talking to, agronomists (and) make sure you get the hybrids that are tailored for your fields, tailored for your management conditions so you can maximize what you want to do.”

Witt says certain hybrids are more input intensive than others.

“That require more fungicide or would require more nitrogen, or those types of things, or really good soils. And others can be more defensive.”

Brownfield interviewed Witt at the Farm Progress Show in central Iowa earlier this month.