I grew up on a livestock and crop farm with a farrow-to-finish hog operation and cow/calf pairs. I learned from an early age that it was worth it to do everything in your power to get young animals off to the best start possible. The “runt” of the litter or the “late-bloomer” often never caught up with the others.
The same is true with crops in the field. Seed that emerges faster and healthier has a tremendous advantage over seed that doesn’t. That’s why we’ve worked so hard on developing 40 Series Corn — and boy, did it pay off this year!
WHY IS 40 SERIES CORN IMPORTANT?
While standard corporate strategy is to own each component in the bag and to maximize the profit margin on them individually, with 40 Series Corn, we take the exact opposite approach.
Hefty Brand 40 Series Corn puts value for the farmer first by bringing together germplasm from multiple sources, seed treatment ingredients from numerous other companies, and having seed testing not only done at certified independent labs, but confirmed at our in-house laboratory, as well. We’re simply picking the best of the best on all fronts with the number one goal being YOUR SUCCESS.
Once again this spring, we saw the biggest seed companies telling farmers not to plant for the first two weeks after the crop insurance date because they said the soil was too cold.
That’s actually good advice if you’re planting their seed and not doing everything you can to help it be successful, such as using fungicide and insecticide in-furrow and picking the best natural products out there to help with cold tolerance and slow emergence.
The other big factor this spring was that the entire seed industry was hit with the worst seed quality in the last 30 years. Seemingly every company was affected by a poor production season in 2022. Stressful growing conditions led to poor germination and weak vigor.
Personally, I wonder how many small round corn seeds actually made germ this year as the tips of the corn ears took it the worst.
As for soybeans, I can’t remember a year when more 70 percent and 80 percent germination beans were sold.
40 SERIES CORN PERFORMANCE
With cold early spring temperatures, 40 Series Corn stood out this spring due in no small part to the industry’s best seed treatment package. With the seed industry’s struggles with germination and vigor, 40 Series Corn looked even better in the field because we have the industry’s highest cold germination standards.
If you planted 40 Series Corn on your farm this year, I’ll bet you saw the same things we did:
On an average year, this makes a difference. In 2023, it could easily be a really big improvement in your success.
WHAT’S NEXT?
If your 40 Series Corn seed got out of the ground faster than anything you planted next to it, you may be asking “What’s next?”
A faster start often leads to those plants getting to tassel faster, too. Corn plants that tassel earlier are often drier at harvest time, allowing you to get in the field earlier in the fall. Drier corn means less dockage for moisture at the elevator and/or much less drying expense at home when preparing the corn for storage.
Ultimately, 40 Series Corn puts more in your pocket in yield and profit at the end of the season.