ASK THE AGRONOMIST BLOG

On Jan. 2, Stine Seed Farm manager Steve Luther talked through takeaways from 2023 and how growers can plan ahead for the 2024 season on the Stine Seedcast. He discussed why developing a plan for the upcoming planting season is of the utmost importance to ensure crops have what they need to yield success come harvest. Here are Steve’s top four recommendations to incorporate into your plan to secure a smooth planting and growing season.

1. Weed control. While weeds may have not been a problem for some last year, with the drought-like conditions that plagued much of the country during the 2023 season, suppressing weeds that overwintered in the soil will be of top importance this growing season.

“The big thing for us and the Midwest, and I hear it time and time again, is how we’re going to deal with suppressing weeds,” says Luther. “They’re out there; I don’t think it’s any secret. It’s probably because it was hot and dry and a lot of the herbicides that we use in today’s age are very water soluble, so it takes a lot of rain to keep those activated in the soil.”

Many of the best post-emergent and pre-emergent herbicides on the market require rainfall to activate and move the herbicide within the soil profile. Unfortunately, 2023 was a dry year for many, so their in-season or post herbicide program last year may not be viable as a weed control method this season.

Luther suggests being proactive and planning ahead to modify and strengthen both soybean and corn preprograms to ensure your post program works as it should. “You don’t want to have rescue trips with your sprayer,” he adds. Talk to your local Stine agronomist or sales rep or crop protection specialist about an integrated weed management approach for 2024.

2. Nutrient program. Before hitting the field, growers should test their soil for nutrient shortages. The big three — nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium — are critical for plant production, but there are other inputs that should not go overlooked.

“Harry and I have always agreed, you’ve got to feed the crop. You can’t just put something on in the fall with your anhydrous and hope that’s going to be good enough,” says Luther. “This is even more important when you increase corn populations.”

Sulfur should be a foundational component of your nutrient program. The role of sulfur in corn plants is important to chlorophyll production and photosynthesis, which helps convert sunlight into energy and supports the plant’s nutrient uptake. Deficiency of sulfur can greatly impact the growth process and yield outcome of your crop.

To apply sulfur to plants, Luther recommends including it as part of your pre-plant and side-dressing program. “If you put pencil to paper, it’s one that returns.”

3. Fungicides and insecticides. Fungicides and insecticides are not just “insurance” in an unpredictable year; Luther says they should become a yearly practice. “There are affordable options that work really well out there,” he notes. Luther suggests taking a split-shot approach, applying fungicide as part of the post-program and then following it up over the top adding an insecticide to the pass.

4. Hybrid/variety selection. Stine has spent decades improving and expanding our genetic material to ensure growers have options. Luther does just that on the Stine Seed Farm, where he leads efforts to ensure our products perform and even exceed when paired with the right environment and best agronomic practices. Stine agronomists and sales reps are properly trained and well versed in how available products fit in their region. Setting up time to talk to our experts to place the right products on the right fields is a critical step to guaranteeing yield success in 2024.

Listen to Steve’s episode of the Stine Seedcast on your favorite podcast platform for more tips for the 2024 season and to learn about the evolution of the Stine Seed Farm.

Stine^® Seed Company’s 2024 corn lineup stands ready to pack a yield punch this growing season, including our MX Series Corn. One of our brand-new lines — Stine MX445-G — will be a showstopper, having yielded 113.4% of trial average in our Elite Yield Trials.

“Stine MX445-G is a ground-breaking hybrid of the likes the industry has never seen,” says Myron Stine, company president. “Coupled with the industry’s best glyphosate trait for unmatchable performance and its cutting-edge genetics derived from breeding only Stine can do, it’s the 101-103-day hybrid of choice to bring each acre its full potential.”

In addition to outstanding performance, Stine MX445-G’s medium plant height and medium ear placement make it a great option for high population environments. We highly recommend placing Stine MX445-G in narrow rows, but it can also work well in wider rows. The product prefers loam soils but has shown excellent performance across different soil types, including sand and clay.

Stine MX445-G packs powerful agronomics, with very good stalk and root strength, drydown, and test weight. As part of our MX Series Corn line, MX445-G has proven superior genetics for cutting-edge, season-long performance and premium seed protection for fast starts and outstanding early-season growth.

We have a solid supply of Stine MX445-G for the 2024 season. Talk to your local Stine sales representative today to explore this rock star hybrid for the upcoming growing season. Remember, STINE HAS YIELD.

As we approach a new year, we’re excited for what the future holds for our grower customers but would be remiss to not reflect on the milestones achieved in 2023.  From expanding our international presence to celebrating the anniversary of the Stine^® brand, we’re grateful for the people who helped us achieve these successes. Here are some of the highlights of our year.

1.  Marked our 45th year of the Stine brand. We kicked off our 45th year of seed sales under the Stine Seed Company brand this summer. To commemorate this important milestone, we met with members of the media to share our story, interviewed company president Myron Stine on the significance of the anniversary, and launched creative branding and messaging surrounding the anniversary, including our 2024 kickoff video.
   
   
2. Experienced national and global growth. In July, we announced the expansion of our retail brand into Canada, bringing Stine’s global presence to 14 countries worldwide. We also expanded our reach in the United States, with seed sales in 30 states across the country and 800 employees and sales agents to support our grower network from coast to coast.
   
   
3. Boldly positioned Stine as the inventor of short corn. As our industry competitors spread news of their innovative short-stature corn products, Stine has maintained that we had short corn first, then we perfected it. We recognized this trend decades ago, so we’ve had more time to produce more high-yielding lines of short corn in a broader range of maturities than our competition. Check out some of the industry articles on our position and this podcast episode from Myron Stine on the topic.
   
   
4. Maintained our standing as the leader in Enlist E3^® soybeans. More than half of the U.S. soybean acres will be planted with Enlist E3 soybeans in 2024, and Stine is well positioned to continue our leadership in offering the most Enlist E3 lines in the broadest range of maturities to our grower customers.
   
   
5. Celebrated our 50th episode of the Stine Seedcast. In September, we commemorated our 50th episode of the Stine Seedcast with company founder Harry Stine. Harry reviewed the history of the Stine Seed Farm, it’s current position in the industry and his hopes for the company in the future. Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast platform.
   
   
6. Introduced Stine’s Prescriptive Pathogen Report. We launched Stine’s Prescriptive Pathogen Report, available in 2024 and powered by Pattern Ag. The program is available to Stine’s Corn Loyalty level customers at a special discounted price and helps accurately predict future risk for corn rootworm, one of the most damaging soil-born, yield-robbing pests. Learn more about the report here or connect with your local Stine sales representative for details.
   
   
7. Partnered with Make-A-Wish^® Iowa for Stine Harvesting Wishes
   Stine and our grower customers now have the opportunity to grant wishes for critically ill children in the communities we serve. In partnership with Make-A-Wish Iowa, the Harvesting Wishes Program connects the agriculture community with children waiting for their wishes to be granted. For the next planting season, Stine corn customers donating to Make-A-Wish can earn a $20/unit discount on all full-price increase corn units purchased, shipped and planted in 2024. Donations can go toward granting wishes in the customer’s community of choice. Any bit helps, and we look forward to expanding this important initiative from coast to coast. View HarvestingWishes.com or work with your sales representative for more details.

On behalf of everyone at Stine, thank you for a great year. We’re so thankful for your support in 2023 and are excited for what lies ahead. Your hard work is foundational to our success, and Stine looks forward to another year of growth and prosperity with our grower customers by our side.