Done planting? Use extra time to make the most of high grain prices

News

Done planting? Use extra time to make the most of high grain prices

Considering record breaking grain prices and an early start to planting, a BASF agronomist says careful management will help maximize return on investment this year.

Kurt Maertens, who covers eastern Illinois and western Iowa, tells Brownfield if farmers are done planting already, they should take some extra time to scout fields.

“We’ve got very good crop prices right now, let’s protect that yield potential- get out there and scout. The return on investment from spraying early to get ahead of tar spot or northern corn leaf blight is worth it, the ROI is there.”  

He says separating applications by making more passes with the sprayer is also good use of extra time.

“Let’s separate our herbicide pass from an early fungicide pass, that way we maximize the benefit of both. This is the year to be doing those extra trips because the ROI is there, it is going to pay off and we are going to maximize the yield potential of that crop.” 

Maertens says he is excited to see how crops look in a few more weeks when farmers will have a better idea of the potential this year’s corn and soybeans have.

Comments from an interview with Kurt Maertens

.