Blog

After every harvest, valuable nutrients remain in the crop residue on the ground. How can growers access the nutrients in this season's residue to feed next season's crop?

Extract Powered by Accomplish™ helps growers more easily manage residue while releasing valuable nutrients for next season's crop. Use Extract PBA with fall or spring burndown to continue to take advantage of the nutrients that were applied during the previous growing season. Learn more by watching this short video.

Watch the Video:

EXTRACT Powered by Accomplish™ (EXTRACT PBA), a new product manufactured by Agricen for nutrient release from crop residues, is now available from Loveland Products.

Labeled for residue management and pre-emerge applications, EXTRACT (6-0-0) allows soybean, corn and other row crop growers to access the full nutrient potential of their crop residues by:

• Accelerating crop residue decomposition
• Maximizing nutrient release from residue breakdown
• Promoting easier plantability in the spring and more even crop emergence
• Optimizing yield potential for next season's crop

EXTRACT combines the powerful biochemistry of ACCOMPLISH^® LM with ammonium thiosulfate (ATS). When applied on crop residues, the ACCOMPLISH biochemistry accelerates residue decomposition and speeds nutrient release, while ATS promotes an optimal carbon to nitrogen ratio to enhance soil microbial activity, further expediting nutrient return to the soil profile.

By using EXTRACT to release valuable nutrients from crop residues and add them back into the soil profile, growers can re-utilize some of their previous fertilizer investments—those that were taken up by the plant and remain in the residue after harvest—for next season's crop.

Learn more by downloading the EXTRACT product booklet.

Farming corn and soybeans in Breda, Iowa, Cory Uhlenkamp and his family use Accomplish LM on every acre to help with soil health and crop productivity.

“Yield-wise I’d say we’re getting at least 10 bushels [increase per acre] or better,” says Cory.

“We only use products that we truly do believe work. Accomplish LM is one of those products that we’ve added to our normal lineup,” he adds. “It’s a product that every year, year in and year out, you can always count on.”

Hear more of what Cory has to say about Accomplish LM.

Watch the Video:

This year, many parts of the country dealt with above-average to excessive spring rains. Wet conditions set the stage for denitrification (converting nitrogen in the soil system into N₂ gas) and nitrate leaching, which may explain some of the yellowing growers have observed in fields where there has been a lot of moisture.  

Starter fertilizer use can help to overcome some of this nitrogen loss by adding nitrogen back into the system. Other crop inputs can also pay off. Accomplish LM can be used in a starter blend to ensure that more of the applied nitrogen or nitrogen in the soil system is in a form that is readily available for plant uptake.   

In the field trials we’ve seen this season, the difference between starter and no starter was very obvious. Starter applications that included Accomplish LM have been giving a very strong performance, as seen in these corn trials from Wheatland, Indiana. 

Corn - Wheatland, Indiana (2015)

Starter vs. no starter fertilizer; Photo taken May 27, 2015

Corn - Wheatland, IN (2015)

Accomplish LM applied at 1 qt/acre; RiseR FA applied at 2.5 gals/acre; Sniper LFR applied at 3.2 oz/acre

Corn - Wheatland, IN (2015)

Accomplish LM applied at 1 qt/acre; Black Label Zn applied at 3 gals/acre; Sniper LFR applied at 3.2 oz/acre

Learn more about starter fertilizers and how Accomplish LM can enhance corn starter programs. Download “Improving Crop Yields with Starter Fertilizers.”

Norman McPherson and M.H. Bitely are growers in Grady, Arkansas, who incorporated both Accomplish LM and Titan PBA into their fertility program for this year’s corn. Both growers applied Titan PBA on their dry fertilizer in the fall, and included Accomplish LM with their standard liquid starter fertilizers at planting.

The results so far are impressive.

Growers Norman McPherson and M.H. Bitely in Grady, Arkansas.

In fields where Accomplish LM and Titan PBA were added to the standard fertility program, corn had much smaller dents compared to corn from a nearby field they farm where Accomplish LM and Titan PBA weren’t used.

Smaller dents will add up to a lot more yield, says Norman.

With Accomplish LM and Titan PBA, corn ears show less denting.

Root digs reveal that the addition of Accomplish LM and Titan PBA also leads to significant improvements in root mass.

Significant gains in root mass with Accomplish LM and Titan PBA.

From these mid-season results, we expect to continue to see great things, as we have seen in other trials incorporating both Accomplish LM and Titan PBA into fertility programs on corn, soybeans, rice, and wheat.

We’ll follow up again with Norman and M.H. later in the season to share more details about their crops’ performance. 

Soybean Startup is a tank mix of Accomplish^® MAX and Radiate^® applied in-furrow at planting. The goal is to get soybean plants off to a better, faster start and enhance productivity. In trial after trial, this program keeps giving a standout performance in the field.

The soybean plants in the pictures below were planted on May 28^th, 2015 in Greensburg, Kansas, by a grower who had trialed the Soybean Startup program on half of his acres. The beans on the left were treated 2x2 with 10 gallons of 16-0-16-5 alone, while the beans on the right were treated 2x2 with 10 gallons of 16-0-16-5 and plus the Soybean Startup in furrow. Pictures were taken mid-June.

With Soybean Startup, the plants are bigger and healthier, and they have larger, better developed root systems compared to untreated plants.

After seeing the difference between the treated and untreated soybeans, the grower of these beans is now going to use a Soybean Startup program on all of his double crop acres. 

Learn more about this innovative starter program for soybean by downloading the Soybean Startup booklet.

Third-generation farmer Carl Lamb  grows corn and soybeans in Dixon County, Nebraska. He farms nearly 3,000 acres on an operation started by his wife’s grandfather.

“It’s a challenging time to be a grower right now,” says Carl. “The inherent cost of putting a crop in today is huge.” 

Carl tried Titan to increase the nutrient availability in his soil and improve the health of his crops. He was impressed with both the results and the ROI.

“Agriculture is changing in a big way, and it’s changing very rapidly. If you’re not able to be more efficient with what you’re doing, you will fall behind,” says Carl. “With today’s marketplace the way it is, you need to get every bushel that you can from this crop.”

Hear how Titan is helping Carl get more bushels out of his acres. 

Watch the video:

In a previous post, we got to know Jim and Janet Orr, fourth generation farmers from Iowa. In this blog post, we meet their sons, Jamie and Jason, who continue the family tradition in farming and agriculture.

 

Jamie and Jason Orr grew up on their parents’ Century Farm near Rowley, Iowa. Growing up in a farming family instilled a strong work ethic and respect for the land.

“I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t outside helping my folks,” says Jamie. “There were chores before and after school. I fed the hogs, helped pick rocks out of fields, and ran equipment pretty early on.”

“We were always working,” Jason adds. “I even slept on the floor of my dad’s combine when he drove it. Farming is in our blood.”

Farming Inspires Ag Careers

Although both men grew up helping their parents on the farm, they would end up working in different sectors of agriculture.

Jamie first worked at AgVantage FS, an agriculture and energy supplier. He then joined Crop Production Services (CPS) in 2005, where he is currently the General Manager of the Western Illinois Division.

“I enjoy talking to growers, finding out what makes them successful and bring them new ideas to make them even more profitable” says Jamie.

Jason, meanwhile, completed a college program in agriculture, then began farming land located two miles from his parents’ farm. He now grows continuous corn on 375 acres and manages three hog buildings, each with 2400 hogs.

Science and Technology Drive Farming

“These days, you can’t grow without science and technology,” says Jason. “I plant disease-resistant seeds and use GPS mapping and a yield monitor to observe field conditions. I also use the Internet to stay up to date on the latest technologies, trends and opportunities. These are the tools that help me make better decisions and be a better grower.”

Jason was introduced to the biochemical technology in Accomplish LM by Jamie, who saw the first-hand benefits in CPS trials throughout Illinois and Wisconsin.

“I first tried Accomplish LM in 2013, applying it on 182 acres of corn. I left 30 acres untreated,” says Jason. “We harvested five bushels more per acre on the treated acres. Based on those results, I’ve continued to use it.”

“All farmers value quality products and healthy crops, and they’re looking for ways to be as efficient and profitable as possible,” says Jamie. “It’s not just for the money, although we all know that’s important. It’s also to feed the hungry world.”

Learn more about Accomplish LM and how it benefits farming operations by downloading the Accomplish LM booklet. 

In the last few decades “agricultural sustainability” has emerged as an industry catchphrase. We all agree that we should be doing it, but what does it really mean? Before we can start practicing “agricultural sustainability” we must define what it means. Let’s take a look at a few existing definitions.

According to the Farm Bill, established by Congress in 1990, the term sustainable agriculture means "an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term:

• Satisfy human food and fiber needs
• Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends
• Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls
• Sustain the economic viability of farm operations
• Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole."

“Save and Grow,” a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, discusses the concept of sustainable crop production intensification, producing more from the same area of land while conserving resources, reducing negative impacts on the environment and enhancing natural capital and the flow of ecosystem services.

The USDA’s stance on sustainable agriculture is that it defies definition. The USDA website
states, “if nothing else, the term ‘sustainable agriculture’ has provided ‘talking points,’ a sense of direction, and an urgency, that has sparked much excitement and innovative thinking in the agricultural world.”

At Agricen, our goal is to help you adapt to the changing demands of the industry. We are constantly considering what “sustainable agriculture” means and how we can takes steps to put it into practice.

Learn more about what we are doing by viewing our resources page or downloading our "Growing for the Future" booklet.

I’ve never used a starter program for my soybean plants. Nutrient deficiencies are not as common as they are in corn, and the salt in traditional fertilizers can harm the seedlings. Why would I consider a soybean starter program now?

It’s true that traditional starter fertilizers are not typically used for soybean crops, for both of the reasons that you’ve pointed out. However, like growers of other crops, soybean growers can benefit from tools that help improve plant health and yields. Accomplish^® MAX and Radiate^® are plant health products that can be used together as a “starter program” for soybean. They contain no salt and provide a cost effective way for growers to improve plant vigor, reduce plant stress and increase productivity. With an early application of these plant health technologies, growers can improve the health of soybean plants from emergence through yield, all while maximizing the efficiency of their total plant nutrition program.

If soybean prices are low, does it make economic sense to use a starter program?

When soybeans sell at a low price, some growers may be inclined to reduce total input costs. But, by using proven technologies to get their crop off to a faster, more vigorous start, soybean growers can have a very successful year. Accomplish MAX and Radiate are proven plant health technologies that work together to help optimize yield potential and return on total program investment when used as a soybean starter.

If my soybean plants need the nutrition, aren’t broadcast applications better at improving yields?

We recommend that soybean growers employ soil testing to determine the nutrient needs of their crops. Accomplish MAX and Radiate are plant health technologies, not plant nutrition products. Accomplish MAX increases the availability and uptake of nutrients in the soil (both applied nutrients and native nutrients) and mitigates the effect of abiotic stress, while Radiate contains plant hormones that drive root development and plant vigor. Both can help optimize soybean yield potential when used together as a starter application, maximizing a grower’s nutrient use efficiency and plant performance all season long.

Radiate is not registered in California, and is not approved or intended to be used or sold in California.