| Corn | Soybeans |
| Small Grains | |
| Peas | Sweet Corn |
PRODUCT VIDEOSNovember 2010
FHR/BRT - Who is FHR? Many of you wonder why BRT is affiliated with another company. BRT has partnered with FHR to provide BRT with a high quality, low salt fertilizer source. FHR formulates many of the products BRT sells. Both of these companies contribute their own strengths and by combining them we can provide better services, information, and products. Nothing is changing on how you do business with either company but you may notice logos being combined and newsletters being joined together.
Harvest - Harvest for both corn and soybeans is progressing very well. Southern Minnesota bean harvest is at 90% or higher complete, with the corn approximately 85% fmished. Central and Southern Iowa has practically finished their corn, with the bean harvest complete. Yields in eastern Iowa are all over the place. A lot of fields south of I-80 are well below average but the farther north of I-80 yields get close to the average. We have many reports on extremely good bean yields, with little SDS. Yield estimates are running 180 to 220 bu/acre for corn (some variety variability) with test weights averaging around 56-57 lbs/bu, from growers on the BRT/FHR Farm programs. Bean yields in northern Iowa have hit a 60 bu/acre minimum average, with hot spots exceeding 75 bu/acre. If you are experiencing variability across your field, consider increasing your soluble phosphorus fertility with a 100% orthophosphate like an 8-19-3 or 9-18-9. Consult with your BRT/FHR representative for further fine-tuning your program. Another interesting year!
0% Financing - Our seeds and fertilizers are discounted for early pre-pay. Our program is 0% interest till November 15th. Cash discounts will be slightly better than the Farm Plan prices but you will have No payments and No interest until January 2012. All seed is included plus Micro-Pack, Defender G4, Foliar Seed Set, Foliar Stimulate, ERGS,
Bio-Lith, and Contact. Consult with your BRT/FHR representative to get these prices locked in.
Seed for 2011 - We get a lot of questions about Prairie Hybrids yield potential. Well folks, take a look at the Iowa State Crop Tests (www.croptesting.iastate.edu) this year. Prairie Hybrids 7820 literally mopped up the GMO competition with wins at Keystone, Clarence, Cedar and Winterset. Prairie Hybrids 4760 & 5879 also had a strong showing. We can put a Powerful set of Non-GMO hybrids together for you that will compete with anything else out there. Cash price by November 30th is $116/unit.
We also have Apex soybean seed, Excel, Kruger, Channel, Nu-Tech, and Ag Venture. Call for availability because the top varieties will sell out first.
Non-GMO Grain Opportunities - We know there will be a Non-GMO soybean premium available in Cedar Rapids for the 2011 crop, but we don't know the premium yet. Call Jeff or Chris at Ladora for information. We might have the premium information by the time you get this newsletter.
Phosphite Formulation Now Available - We now have a phosphite formulation available as an 8-14-3 (5% Phosphite). Phosphite is a phosphorus form of fertilizer and is known to stimulate the defense mechanism in plants. It has been shown to reduced diseases such as Phythium, Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium, which occur predominately in cool, moist soil conditions. 8-14-3 is designed to be used as a starter or foliar product and should be part of a well-balanced fertilizer program. Contact your BRT/FHR Farm representative for more details.
- Energy is Everything -
Energy in fertilizer is an important consideration as to what type of fertilizer and how you combine them in applications. BRT/FHR has extensive knowledge and experience in "the energy" given off by fertilizers and their reactions in the soil. The energy is not listed on the bag tag! Fig. 1 shows the major nutrients after harvests that were placed in the seed furrow (20 gal. of 25-0-0-2S-1Ca with humates) and just off to the side (150 lbs./acre of 17- 8-5-5S-7Ca) as a row support (between row). The levels are above normal and should be available for next season.
Phosphorous is an important energy nutrient because many nutrients come into the plant in a phosphate form; it essentially is a carrier or transporter. Transporter implies an energetic compound.
The next graph (Fig. 2) shows the ERGS, or electrical conductivity of the soil. ERGS are a measurement of energy and must be seriously considered when developing a fertility program. This is post harvest and there is still enough energy to grow a crop, higher than the lab standard, in both the seed furrow and between the rows. When you overlay the two graphs (Fig. 3), dramatic conclusions appear. The energy or ERGS has two peaks of different values. Since energy will flow from a higher to lower level to try and equalize the overall charge, the data is representing an electrical flow or potential between these two locations. This electrical field flows through and across the plant roots. A battery analogy with a positive and negative pole is also an appropriate mental picture. Phosphorous is likely the driving nutrient in this battery.
When you use high-energy fertilizers of the appropriate charge or formulation, you create a give and take of energy between the locations. Placement is the key! When the plant roots are within this field they are able to acquire more of the properly charged nutrients, which are more easily absorbed and translocated to where they need to go. When the nutrients arrive and become incorporated into the plant's metabolism they have more energy to be given up to the plant and perform more work. You are creating a powerful, efficient, and healthy plant. BRT/FHR has known this for years and have practiced and formulated their products based on this basic but often overlooked fundamental law of nature. Corn yields were increased this year at Algona, Iowa by 18 bu/acre just by using this placement technique with BRT/FHR high-energy fertilizers!
Soil Sampling - Just a reminder... the ground is not frozen yet so if you need soil sampling done we can provide bags and help to get these samples taken. This is the foundation for getting high yields so don't overlook taking soil samples!
Upcoming Events - The winter seminars are scheduled for Tuesday, December 14 thru Thursday, December l6th at Riverside Casino, 3184 Hwy 22, Riverside, IA. January 4th thru January 6th at the Ramada Inn & Conference Center, 1517 16th Street SW, Rochester, MN. These are wonderful events for education, discussion, as well as, to meet and greet the great men and women behind the scenes of BRT/FHR. We look forward to seeing you. Contact Julie at 877-907-1444 or Julie@fhrfarms1.com for information on reservations.
Monthly Puzzler?? Many of you have heard of Fusarium or Fusarium wilt. What causes Fusarium wilt? What are the conditions that might favor Fusarium wilt and how would you deal with it if you have it? If you know the complete answer contact FHA Farms at johnm@fhrfarms1.com or send a post card to Editor, 2907 County Road 16 SW, Rochester, MN 55902. The first correct answer will receive 25 dollars off on the next purchase. Answer will be in the next (December) Newsletter.
By Jeff Littrell
We have been blessed this year with several great opportunities. The first was when Holly (my wife) started a new medication, which turned out to eliminate the prednisone completely, and she received a clean bill of health.
The second was finalizing all the plots that without Matt Wangen, Marlowe Wangen, Tim Maash (BRT & FHR traveling mechanic), Rick Lowery (BRT & FHR warehouse manager) and Lonny Luers (BRT sales) wouldn't have been possible. Our hats are off to every one of you because without your dedication and extra effort we would have never finished. We have seen success and failure but the whole experiment was to see if Non-GMO hybrids work, and if the U-trough system works. Everything has led to yes it works. We will let out bits and pieces from now until the "Field to Plate" series of winter conferences, to quote Paul Reed of Washington, Iowa "It's not what we did right, but what we did wrong."
Why did I pick this topic "A View from the Combine Seat"? For the first time in many years we are farming full time, which has been a large under taking but well worth the effort. Our crew was able to combine over 800 acres this year, it was the cheapest therapy I know but I have seen many things this year watching the yield monitor. I have always heard the high yield from the conventional hybrids and I harvested both GMO's and Non-GMO and what I found in isolated areas was 230-250 bushel yields on the GMO's and 165-426 on the Non-GMO. So what would you believe if I was lucky enough to pull my yield trials off the 426 bu on Non-GMO and lucky enough to pull my yield trials off the 250 bu yield? You would call me a liar! The only true way of reviewing yield trials is not 3,000-foot rows for yield trials. It is not a true representation of the fields. It's wrong from a grower standpoint and it's very wrong from a fertilizer or seed company's standpoint.
I found that the very best programs this year didn't vary over 5 bushels per acre on soybeans and 20 bushels on corn. Higher variance fields did not yield on the top end, this means we need to work on our programs! Self-evaluation can be very difficult; it makes you choose between one thing or another and possibly even trying new things. Remember, there could be many small differences that get us to this point. When programs don't work you have to ask yourself, if they work elsewhere why not on my farm, did I follow the program, did I use R.O. water, or Pursanova water, did I apply things right, was my timing right, or was it too hot or too cold? There are many answers and only you can make the final decision. There are many reasons why programs don't work but you need to look at net income. If you apply 80 lbs. less nitrogen and used Non-GMO corn and were within 10 bushel of your neighbor I will lay odds that your profits are $40.00 per acre higher, and this does not include any non-GMO grain premium that might be available.
I believe we need to really understand what we are trying to achieve. Do we believe that the neighbors are our competition, or should it be like golf when we are our own competitors and this should make us a better adversary to build a better mousetrap?
I believe that a 10 year trial replicated 15 times will build a much great understanding than any 1500 x 15 foot strip. I saw way too much strip data this fall and I look at the measuring stick being used and I become very disappointed. I know my grandfather would roll over in his grave if he saw the way we use a measuring stick today.
I am very pleased with the plots. Most are whole field averages and win, lose, or draw we measured correctly, calculated correctly, and will publish correctly and this is why I believe we are seeing differences.
For the final point, we must be aware of off target drift from glyphosate and related chemicals. I believe as we review yield maps we will see that there is a unique phenomenon as we get further from the fence line. Our Non-GMO yields seem to increase in certain cases. We will try to cover this more at the winter conferences.
From the Staff and Employees of BRT/FHR,
we would like to thank you for your support and business.
