ASK THE AGRONOMIST BLOG

Every year in farming is different, and that means results will vary. Before you nix a tried-and-true product from your 2024 portfolio, look at the historical yield data to paint a better picture of performance.

“Even the best seed genetics aren’t going to perform exactly the same every year,” says David Thompson, national marketing and sales director for Stine^®. “For example, if you have one corn hybrid that had outstanding yield in 2021 and 2022 but fell slightly short in 2023, you shouldn’t throw it out for the next planting season just because it had a different year.”

As Stine develops new corn and soybean genetics, our breeders collect and evaluate lots of data across multiple years, locations and reps. The goal is to find widely adapted material, those genetics that will generally perform in almost any environment.

“One of the biggest mistakes a grower can make is basing his seed decision on a single year or field result,” says Thompson. “Every hybrid or variety will have its ups and downs, but those genetics that have proven themselves across multiple years and environments will provide the best measure of insurance.”

The same is true for any corn or soybean line. Stick to what works, but never be afraid to try something new. At Stine, we encourage growers to do both. Whether a product is new or established, always seek a broad base of data rather than a single year or location.

“We are very particular about the products we place in our lineup,” says Thompson. “And one of the foundations of our success has been our ability to find those genetics that give growers the highest probability of success.”

If you’re interested in learning more about our corn and soybean products and their historical yield performance, contact your local Stine sales rep or regional sales agronomist. For tips on deciphering plo

As you gather with family, friends and loved ones for Thanksgiving tomorrow, we at Stine^® want to express our deepest gratitude for your support in 2023. We are incredibly blessed to work with wonderfully talented employees and sales team members, an outstanding dealer and conditioner network, dedicated business partners and hardworking grower customers.

To celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving, we asked our agronomy team to share what they are most grateful for this year. We hope their responses bring you all the joy and warmth of the season. Happy Thanksgiving from our Stine family to yours! 

Daniel Greblunas, field agronomist (Nebraska and Kansas)
Thanksgiving seems to mark the time in the year when my area tends to slow down a little. Farmers have an opportunity to look back on the trials and tribulations they went through during the growing and harvest season to get them to completion. In my personal life, I am very thankful for the health and safety of my friends and family. I am also thankful to have a nice home, two energy-filled dogs and a wonderful wife. Professionally, I am very thankful for the people who I work with, both within Stine and the producers I get to meet throughout the week. The Stine family is very close and is always willing to help tackle any problem you may be facing. Whether I am using their ground for a plot or sitting down to talk with them about Stine, the producers I have worked with have been amazing. They are always friendly, engaging and want to learn about anything new that we may be seeing in the field.

Bill Kessinger, technical agronomist (Indiana, Michigan and Ohio)
I am thankful for the people I get to spend my time around. I am first grateful for my family. Where you find one of us, you can almost always find all of us nearby. We work the farm together and battle it out on the sports fields or mats together.  Secondly, I am thankful for the people I work with at Stine. I get to spend a lot of time across a large geography of this great country, and our team is second to none in every part of it. I am truly blessed by the people I am surrounded by every day.

Adam Sills, technical agronomist (Minnesota, Wisconsin and eastern Iowa)
I am very thankful for family, my Stine family and having another healthy harvest season and year.

Faith Hedrick, field agronomist (Illinois)
This year, I’m thankful for quite a lot. It’s hard to sum it all up! I’m very lucky both professionally and personally. I had the opportunity to take an agronomy position with Stine at the beginning of the summer after finishing my degree at the University of Illinois. I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow with this company. I’m also very thankful for the personal growth this year has brought me. I am also grateful for the amazing family and friends I’m so fortunate to have in my life.

Tyler Dubay, soybean technical agronomist (Illinois)
I’m thankful for the work-life harmony Stine promotes. They express the importance of family first even when times are tough during harvest, and everyone at Stine works hard when we are working!

Having subsoil moisture is pivotal to crop success. Lack of subsoil moisture can alter both farming practices and decisions. Most of the subsoil moisture is replenished in the spring when the ground thaws. Roughly 80% of rains in the late winter and early spring can infiltrate the soil and add to the subsoil moisture profile. Having a large amount of snow could help with depleted subsoil moisture levels, but only about 25% of melted water from snowpack will make its way into the subsoil. Iowa is not the only state struggling with depleted subsoil moisture levels; earlier this year, only about 30% of the acres in Nebraska had sufficient subsoil moisture levels.

Knowing your soil type and its moisture capacity can help when making agronomic decisions. Every soil type has different thresholds of water capacity, and some soils are more easily saturated than others. Tillage is known to dry out the soil while also decreasing rapid water infiltration, making it harder for water to move into the subsoil. Some fields could benefit from tillage to combat oversaturation, but in areas of depleted subsoil moisture, it could be detrimental. Obviously, no one knows how much rainfall you are going to have during the growing season, but having an idea of your subsoil moisture level is beneficial when making agronomic decisions.

Other than farming practices, hybrid and variety selection is key to maximizing your yield potential. Certain hybrids and varieties perform better in denser soils than they do in lighter ground. Knowing your subsoil moisture levels combined with your average environment will help you make an informed decision when consulting with your Stine^® independent sales rep and regional sales agronomist.

Connect with your local Stine sales rep or regional sales agronomist for a discussion on subsoil moisture and our 2024 corn and soybean lineup.

Article Sources:

Clipper-Herald, Brian Neben Lexington. “April 2022-March 2023 11th Driest Period on Nebraska Record.” Lexington Clipper-Herald, 13 Apr. 2023, https://lexch.com/news/april-2022-march-2023-11th-driest-period-on-nebraska-record/article_65bc8288-da0e-11ed-ab99-db8386c2c4cc.html. Accessed 16 Nov. 2023.

“Northwest Iowa Subsoil Moisture Survey Results Announced | Integrated Crop Management.” Crops.extension.iastate.edu, https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/blog/gentry-sorenson-leah-ten-napel/northwest-iowa-subsoil-moisture-survey-results-announced. Accessed 16 Nov. 2023.

“Frequent Tillage and Its Impact on Soil Quality | Integrated Crop Management.” https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/frequent-tillage-and-its-impact-soil-quality#:~:text=The%20effect%20of%20tillage%20on%20soil&text=Since%20tillage%20fractures%20the%20soil,the%20force%20of%20pounding%20raindrops.  Accessed 16 Nov. 2023.