Maybe…

But it’s always interesting to learn what challenges farmers face in their specific region.

Talking to Mack his biggest concerns are keeping crops watered and managing the high heat. To get a jump on both of these issues Mack starts by planting early. This spring he was planting in February. And—at the time of our visit—pollination was only 3 to 5 days away. He anticipates a late July harvest.

His soils vary from sandy loam to buckshot…so he watches his crops close. The key to his impressive yields are keeping the crops happy… or at least as stress free as possible.
While some neighbors think he waters too much…Mack is a big believer in keeping the soil moist.

According to recent LSU Ag Center data a two year high yield corn average is around 159 to 172 bu/acre. Compare that to Mack’s average yield of 216 bu/acre and you know he is doing something right!

Last year Mack gave Stoller’s Bio-Forge a try after learning how other farmers used it to managed crop stress and maximized yields. He applied it to both corn and soybean acres.
While Mack admits he had no clean control and test plots…he did note that “we got 50 bu/acre soybeans in buckshot soil…that came out of nowhere.” It was enough to convince Mack to try Bio-Forge ST, seed treatment in 2012.

Bio-Forge is just one of the products Mack is testing in an effort to push his yields to the next level. Mack considers himself a calculated risk taker…always asking what a product can “make” rather than what it will cost.

We’ll be excited to learn his results. Thanks for your time Mack. It was great getting a quick tour of your corn field.

Maybe next visit the alligator in your nearby swamp will make an appearance!

Keynote speaker John Baize from Baize & Associates shared the bright outlook for soybean demand. In fact Baize reported a 147% growth in worldwide soybean consumption from 1990 to 2010. Between more people eating and eating better, the need for animal feed and the growing interest in biofuels the demand is tremendous.
Population growth estimates take us easily from today’s 6.5 billion to a worldwide population of over 9 billion by the year 2050.

Keynote speaker Kip Cullers of Stark City, Missouri recounted the strategies that have taken his soybean yields to record breaking levels–160.6 bu/acre in 2010. Kip shared the challenges of growing in SW Missouri vs. the challenges in central Illinois. A couple of take away points that couldn’t be missed:

1. What works for Kip might not work for you…but try something different if you want to learn something.
2. Take a few acres and try things. If you can’t afford to “Fail” on a few acres you probably shouldn’t be farming…and you might just learn something that will help you on all acres.
3. Study your plants. Watch them closely and get in front of issues. Don’t wait for problems to occur.
4. Plants take up 90% of nutrients from top 4 inches of the soil and you better have the roots to do the job.
5. Seed treatment is about as close as you can get to a silver bullet for enhancing yields.

Stoller's A-Team was on hand to answer questions.

Over 400 some farmers from central Illinois gathered at ISU campus to learn how to push soybean yields ahead in the Land of Lincoln.
A feature of the day included break out sessions on topics ranging soil to disease management.

Stoller’s Director of Research and Development, Dr. Albert Liptay, was on hand to present perspectives on foliar feeding as an opportunity to manage crop health.
The toll stress takes on plant health and crop yields is readily understood.

What Dr. Liptay shared is how to manage that stress. Working with antioxidant formulations like those available at Stollerusa.com growers can optimize plant growth hormone balance through stress conditions.

Giving attendees a glimpse of Stoller’s future innovations Dr. Liptay shared the work being done in Epigenetics–where positive attributes are passed on from one generation to the next. The possibilities of plants with hormone balancing traits passing on these yield-enhancing factors to seeds has enormous potential and implications.

David Hula from Charles City, VA was just one of these growers. In 2011 David’s corn contest plot yielded an unbelievable 429 bu/acre! Listen as he tells Farm Director Pam Jahnke about the challenges he overcame by using Stoller products to reach this amazing yield.

Check out the latest on Bio-Forge ST and get your questions answered before planting in your area begins! For more information on other Stoller products to help protect your seed investment all year long click here.

Larry Lintner, StollerUSA Sales Rep talks Bio-Forge with an attendee

The team answers questions about Stoller technology

World Record Soybeans - With Kip Cullers & Pam Jahnke

Dave Hula explains how he produces 429 bu/acre corn

Ten growers from Illinois, Missouri, Texas, New Jersey, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine and Virginia provided input on how Stoller products enhance yields on millions of acres each year. Topics ranging from water restrictions in Texas to requirements for food grade corn in Illinois were discussed as attendees learned from some of the most advance growers in the nation.

Texas grower, Donny Carpenter talks as attendees fill the booth to listen

Ken Dalenberg talks with Jason Watson, both from Illinois

Stoller technology provides farmers innovative ways to minimize crop stress and push yields to a new level. For more information on these and other progressive growers click here.

Growers and dealers from South Dakota and North Dakota listened as Stoller Sales Representatives, Mike Lewallen & Vicki Dekkers, explained how Stoller products are put to the test on thousands of acres worldwide.  Attendees learned how Bio-Forge and other successful Stoller products provide relief from stress and up-regulate key genes associated with stress tolerance.

Vicki Dekkers introduces Mike Lewallen & gives a brief history of Stoller

Attendees listen in as StollerUSA presents

Mike Lewallen answer questions after presenting

The ProAg Supply booth was buzzing with questions

Stop in and visit with progressive growers face-to-face.

We’ve always considered farmers that utilize Stoller technology as “thinkers” that challenge the norm and have an insatiable curiosity.  It just makes sense that yield contest winners (some of the most progressive growers out there) are Stoller customers too!

They Think Differently

Hear it directly from the farmer.

Why do they use Stoller’s Bio-Forge® and Bio-Forge®ST?

What impact do they see in their plants… and their bottom line?

Interviews with Kip Cullers; world-record Missouri soybean grower, and Dave Hula; Virginia corn farmer with a 429 bu/acre corn crop, will be among the growers sharing their stories.

Our friend Pam Jahnke, from Farm Report Broadcasting, will moderate the sessions. Known for her no-nonsense interview style, Jahnke will guide discussions so that you can gain insight on farming philosophy and crop management strategies.

In addition to the farmers from IL, NJ, ME, TX, IA. MO and VA, Stoller’s technical team will be on hand to answer questions about specific products, applications and growing conditions.
Check back …we’ll be posting the ASK THE GROWER interview schedule prior to Commodity Classic.

ABOVE: Pictured are just some of the Progressive Growers that will participate in Stoller’s  ”Ask the Grower” Q&A Sessions.

Besides the usual booth design decisions and travel logistics, the Stoller team has been connecting with some of their most enthusiastic grower customers.

Friends like Kip Cullers, Dave Hula, Randy Dowdy, Jason Watson, Joel Armistead, and Donny Carpenter will be stopping by the booth and sharing some of their crop production insights. They will also be participating in Stoller’s Mini Q & A sessions so that others can learn from their experiences with Stoller Technology.

We are pleased and honored that these progressive farmers are willing to take time out to talk to others that are interested in pushing yields to the next level. (And who isn’t?)

Broadcaster and friend Pam Jahnke will be on hand to moderate the Q&A sessions… plus she always keeps it fun and interesting.

Technical experts will be on hand to discuss how Stoller Technology and Bio-Forge® can help growers address the challenges specific to their region.

Mix all that in with  Flip camera and Texas Roadhouse Gift Card give-aways and you have a gathering that is informative and just plain fun!

Stop by booth #535 and check it out.

See you in Nashville.