Producers Blog

Justin Krell (DSM, Region 2 – Minnesota)

With 2013 behind us, many decisions lay ahead as we prepare for the 2014 crop…only 150 days from now! This is exciting for me, as many of us are sifting through our yield results from the past year and are able to make good decisions on how we can improve for 2014. One piece of equipment that I consider the most important in any farmer’s shed anywhere in the world is their planter.

Here are a few precision additions you may consider adding to your planter as you prepare for spring 2014. One of the most common additions to planters are variable rate seed drives. These are most commonly driven by hydraulics controlled by GPS. The hydraulic drive allows you to adjust population without stopping. This is done by making a field prescription of populations based on many factors (mostly soil type). The prescription is automatically applied by the hydraulic drive as you plant across the field.

Another planter addition that has provided huge returns to growers is the addition of Precision Planting equipment onto planters. This mostly includes the ability to monitor seed placement and singulation with the help of precise seed meters and other equipment that aids in the precise placement of each seed. Many farmers that have added Precision Planting equipment do not require a certain seed type for good plantability. They now can plant small, large, round, flat or any other combination of seed size that is available. This has allowed some farmers to plant their first choice hybrid, where, in the past, they may have not been able to plant the seed size that was available in that hybrid.  For instance, maybe their planter could not plant MP even though that was the only grade size left of a popular high demand hybrid. Now, with the Precision Planting equipment, farmers can plant high demand products in any seed size, which allows them to always have the chance to plant their first choice hybrid.

Seed corn has seen huge advancements in recent years and with those advancements, the price has increased due to its value. So why waste seed? One-way to be sure that you are not wasting any seed is to install planter row shutoffs. These shutoffs will eliminate overlap on headlands and also be very effective in point rows or odd shaped fields. They help with terraces and waterways as well. These drives work off of GPS and communicate with the planter to tell the rows when to shut off based on where you have already planted in the field. The drives are simple to install and are powered by electric motors.  Planter row shutoffs is one technology that you will see immediate value in as you will eliminate overlapping and gaps in the field.

There are many ways to improve your planter for the next season. It can get overwhelming when deciding what to add to your planter, so, if you have any questions be sure to consult your local Producers Hybrids District Sales Manager. They can help guide you in the right direction and answer any questions you might have. Have a wonderful holiday season and get ready for more as spring planting is only 150 days away!