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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report: Week of June 7

Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

We talk about the importance of field-by-field placement, and here’s a textbook example. I was driving around my territory when I saw this field and stopped to visit with the farmer about his situation.

Given the weed pressure in this field, different soybean seed technology should have been used. One advantage of working with independent Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is that we sell all technology platforms, so we can work with farmers to help them chose the best system for a given situation.

If this particular farmer could have a do-over, he would have selected a different pre-emergence herbicide. A full quart of Powermax® and Authority® Assist did nothing to this marestail. Fortunately, an agronomist found a recipe to take care of 90% or better of these glyphosate-resistant buggers.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

Rain has yet to fall in the areas where it’s needed the most. Rain is desperately needed as both corn and soybeans have yet to emerged due to dry soils. In areas that received moisture, the heat is moving corn development along. Soybeans range in stages. Wet spring weather in some areas delayed planting, so farmer there are working to finish now.

Photo 1: LH5095VT2 nearing V5 stage

Photo 2: Soybeans aren’t poking through yet

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

We’re starting to be able to row soybeans. Some plants even have the first trifoliate. Click here to see what each stage of plant growth looks like.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

My grandson Braxton and I were scouting a soybean field near Glyndon, Minnesota, for emergence and symptoms of any seedling diseases.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

A customer invited me to walk this field with him late last week. He was very impressed with his Latham® hybrids and was excited to show me the emergence of LH 4455 VT3 PRO RIB. This field was planted April 20 with a population at 35,500. The right half of this picture shows LH 4455 VT3 PRO RIB, and we assessed stand counts at 35,000 plants! The left half of the picture shows the competitor at 26,000 plants.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

Wisconsin’s wet and cold weather has straightened out! We’re finally getting sun and heat. I can’t believe I am saying this, but some of the later planted fields could actually use a shower. Around Janesville, Wisconsin, almost all of the soybeans are popping through the soil. This field of Latham® Ironclad^TM 2084 R2 Soybeans, which was planted on May 31, shows great growth in just one week.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

Following another wet spring, farmers in Northwest Iowa are in a position where they have to make the difficult decision whether or not to replant due to heavy rains, drowned outs, and crusting. The timing of rainfall is key, and we could use a gentle shot of rain here in Northwest Iowa!

South Central Minnesota & North Central Iowa

Cory Greiman

You see some interesting things while scouting fields. Pink colored seed treatment shell is still on cotyledons of this emerged soybean plant.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

This field of Latham® 2084 R2s was planted May 14 in 7.5-inch rows at 140,000 population into no-till. It’s looking good considering no rain has fallen since then in Mitchell County. Our crops could really use a drink.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

If you look closely, you can see soybeans poking their heads above the ground into the dead rye cover crop. Marvin Beneke, a Latham dealer from Palmer Iowa, sent to pic to me last week.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Many farmers are apply post-emerge herbicides on corn and soybeans. For best results, it’s important to follow label directions on all post-herbicide applications. Remember, it’s is not the height of the corn that matters but rather the stage of growth.

Also be sure to keep an eye on your crops for cutworms and army worms. They are out there and can be devastating on your corn crop.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

You know what they say, “make hay when the sun shines.” This week lots of mowing, raking and baling is being done across Central Iowa.

Webspec Admin

June 7, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Summer
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Plant into the Best Seedbed Possible

One of the things I like most about spring is you get to enjoy all four seasons in just a few days. In mid-April, we had snow flurries with an overnight low of 16 on a Sunday. A warm wind brought temperatures into the 70s by mid-week, and that weekend rain fell. That’s why I always tell people to plant by the conditions, not the date on the calendar!

Soil conditions are far more important than planting date. Rather than mudding in your seed to say that it was planted early, you’ll have a better chance of achieving maximum yield by planting into properly tilled soil. Working soils that are too wet leads to yield loss and more problems during the growing season from soil compaction. Restricted root development, nutrient deficiency and reduced infiltration rate are among the top 10 reasons to avoid soil compaction.

Adapted full-season corn hybrids can compensate somewhat for later plantings. As planting is delayed, hybrids shorten the time between planting and silking. Research shows that development and final yield of these hybrids will not be largely affected unless frost occurs especially early in the fall. That’s why we recommend waiting until May 15 in North Dakota and May 25 in Iowa before switching to an earlier maturing corn hybrid or switching to soybeans.

Patience is also key when planting soybeans. Planting into a field that is too wet will reduce emergence and plant population, which most often leads to reduced yield. Another cause of reduced yield is weed pressure. Make sure the sprayer is right behind the planters. Otherwise, soybeans might poke through the ground before your pre-emerge was applied.

We get one chance every spring to create the best seedbed possible for planting, so let’s take advantage of it! This may require a different piece of tillage equipment than originally planned, but taking the time to make the equipment switch will pay big dividends by resulting in better seed-to-soil contact that enhances germination and early growth.

Webspec Admin

June 6, 2017

Corn, Crop, Soil, Soybeans, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Podcast: Early Season Crop Scouting

Welcome back to week 5 of our Ask the Agronomist Podcast! Today, Phil explains the difference between abiotic and biotic issues in the field throughout Latham Country.

0:35 – What are abiotic & biotic stresses?

1:10 – Abiotic Issues: Herbicide Damage

3:15 – Abiotic Issues: Crusted Soil & Compaction

4:10 – Abiotic Issues: Emergence

4:45 – Abiotic Issues: Yield Loss

5:45 – Biotic Issues: Seedling Diseases & Insect Pressure

6:40 – Replant Decisions

9:00 – Corn & Soybean Growth

Remember to submit your questions to us on social media! Find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Thanks for tuning in!

Webspec Admin

June 1, 2017

#AskTheAgronomist, Corn, Crop, Podcast, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report: May 31

Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

Most of North Dakota is starting to look arid as we have gone all spring without moisture. We’ve been chasing the moisture down with seed placement and have hit our limits. The ground has hardened, and soil conditions are growing worse by the day. Later planted corn and tens of thousands of acres of soybeans have been planted into dry soils. With the widespread use of pre-emergence chemicals, there’s potential seedling loss to due chemical activation and plant emergence all at once. We need rain in the worst way and we need it soon!

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

This field of Latham® Hi‑Tech Hybrids at Hermosa is looking great! Due to cooler than average temperatures, heat units are lacking in Northeast South Dakota. Central and North Central parts of the state are extremely dry. Soybeans need moisture to germinate in many areas of the state.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

After a few days of some much needed rain and warmer weather, the crops are growing vigorously. Wheat is heading, and the first cutting of hay is down.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

It’s been a tough spring! Cold temperatures and rain after planting affected emergence, especially in low areas of the field. The red flags represent poor emergence or no emergence at all. Click here for tips on assessing corn and soybean stands.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

Yesterday Latham’s regional Technology Showcase Plot was planted near Mountain Lake, Minnesota. This soybean plot features Roundup Ready 2, Roundup Ready Xtend, and Balance GT. Come see them yourself at our plot day on Aug. 22!

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

It’s been another wet week across Wisconsin. While many farmers across the Corn Belt are talking about replants, we’re just praying we can get good enough weather to get the crops in once!

This field of Latham® LH 5335 VT2 PRO was planted April 25. It was in the ground about 18 days before it emerged, but the stand looks great. The forecasted warmer temps should help improve plant health.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

Brian and Adam Schaffer, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds dealers in Sheldon, Iowa, are finishing up their soybean plot. There are some concerns of replant following heavy rains and crusting. A small shower and sunshine greatly benefit crops across Northwest Iowa!

North Central Iowa & South Central Minnesota

Cory Greiman

You know what they say, “The time to make hay is when the sun is shining!” Fortunately, it looks like farmers in North Central Iowa are going to catch a break from an especially wet spring in time to bale first cutting.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

This field of Latham® LH 5175 VT2 DG RIB DroughtGard® was planted May 5 by Lime Springs, Iowa. This tough hybrid that got hailed on, but it’s starting to turn green after the recent warmer weather. It’s important to keep scouting fields, assessing stands and controlling weeds.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

Hail and straight line winds on Tuesday, May 16, caused this 200-acre field southwest of West Bend, Iowa, to be replanted. Click here for tips on assessing hail damage.

After digging seed from the ground, I saw hypocotyls and the cotyledons missing. It’s sad to say that more than 50% of the field looked like this.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Picket fence stands and uniform emergence begins at the planter. While planting, farmers need to get out of the cab periodically to check: (1) seed-to-soil contact; (2) planting depth and (3) seed spacing.

Planter adjustments are key when planting. Missing plants will decrease yield. Finding too many doubles is not only a waste of seed, it can also mean that your planting units are in need of adjustment or repair.

SuperStrips are exclusive to Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds and play an important role in our internal research program. The same group of soybean varieties and hybrids are planted in several locations across Latham Country, so we can gather data on how they perform across different environments and soil types. This data is then used to help our farmer-customers make product selections on a field-by-field basis.

Latham® Dealer David Boeding plants a Latham SuperStrip on his farm in eastern Iowa. Planter boxes are cleaned before a different variety or hybrid is planted, so we can be sure that row is pure.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

A two-day window before rain is forecasted is allowing many Central Iowa farmers to finish planting. This week we planted a Latham® soybean plot near Cambridge.

Webspec Admin

May 31, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report: May 24

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

Cool, wet weather has slowed root development and some plants are showing a yellowing or purplish leaf color. Warm weather should enhance development of the roots. Normally, there is no yield reduction from plant discoloration at this time in the growing season unless it’s fertility driven by low nutrient levels.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

We have cold saturated soils in Southeast South Dakota on the 23rd of May. Most corn fields are up and can be rowed on a drive by. Unfortunately, when you stop and look closely it, there is a bit of a yellow tint to it. These crops need sunshine and warm temps.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

Things have really changed in the last week. Many areas received decent levels rainfall, which halted planting. Areas in Central South Dakota are still very dry, and areas in East Central South Dakota are very wet as more than 3″ of rain fell. Cool, cloudy weather slowed growth as you can see slight yellowing in corn. Emergence looks very good and even in corn and many soybeans are starting to crack.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

Gary Geske and I planted Latham’s regional corn and soybean plot on May 23. Gary is pictured here, checking seed depth. The plot is located on the southwest corner of State HWY 10 and State HWY 9 near Glyndon, Minnesota.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

This field of LH 5095 VT2 was planted April 23. Rain, clouds and low temperatures this past week hasn’t promoted much growth. Once the sun returns, just watch that corn grow!

Even with our cloudy, cool spring weather we are only running 10 GDU days behind the historic mark for may according to the University of Minnesota Outreach Center in Lamberton.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

If we could get a string of sunny days, corn planting could wrap up in Wisconsin. Sunshine and warmer temperatures are also needed to push along crop development.

Latham® Hybrid LH 5099 SS was planted May 8 in Ripon, Wisconsin. This field shows uniform emergence and growth, but that’s not the case everywhere. Unfortunately, cooler temps are hampering growth across the region.

With the significant rainfall we have had, it is important that growers get out and walk fields as conditions allow.

Call your local Latham seed supplier or RSM at 1.877.GO.LATHAM if you would like a second opinion as to whether replant is needed. Additional tips are available online here.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

It was a beautiful, sunny day with temps near 70 degrees in early May when Latham dealers Frank and Matt Wyatt of Hudson, Iowa, planted their corn plot. We’ve received a lot of cold, rainy days ever since. Warmer days are in the forecast, so we these crops should turn the corner with sunshine and heat.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

Due to rotator cuff surgery, Latham® dealer Marvin Beneke needed a helping hand picking up empty hard boxes from his customer’s farms. I thought was quite the neat collection of antiques at one of the stops we made.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Craig Christians, Latham Territory Sales manager, rode with me to visit Latham® Dealer Chris Chriss’ farm in western Illinois. Crop scouting and plant evaluation is part of my job at Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. This plot emerged 8 days after planting.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

Busy time collecting hard boxes and pallets. Few areas talking about replanting as well. Check your fields as soon as possible.

Western Iowa & Eastern Nebraska

Larry Krapfl

Parked equipment is a common site since we’ve experienced 7 days of rain. Fields are too wet to enter. We’re seeing a lot of ponding. With more rain on the way, it’s likely replant will be needed. Click here for replanting tips.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

Phil Long, technical agronomist manager for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, and Darin Chapman, Latham regional sales manager in Northwest Iowa, are performing on-farm research with a multi-hybrid planter while flying our drone. In addition to studying multi-hybrid performance throughout the field, they also studying tillage practices and planter performance using FieldView. These studies will pair well with Latham’s Seed-2-Soil® agronomic services!

North Central Iowa & South Central Minnesota

Cory Greiman

Sourced by usclimatedata.com

Due to excessive rainfall, ponding is a common sight in fields throughout my territory. More than 16 inches of rain has fallen this season. On average, North Iowa receives about 7.7 inches of precipitation from January through May. Farmers will be busy checking fields and evaluating where replants are needed.

Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

This is a picture of newly established field of Latham 400HVX Roundup Ready Alfalfa in western North Dakota. This field is very sandy/rocky. Overall, this field is a poor producer with a weed problem. This alfalfa was recently sprayed with Roundup, so we’ll be monitoring it to see how it controls weeds and yields.

Webspec Admin

May 24, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Soybeans, Spring, Weather
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report: Week of May 17

Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

This field of Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds’ LH 3877 VT2 PRO RIB was planted May 4. Planting depth and spacing looked good. It also emerged really well.

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

A nice rain fell Tuesday morning, so moisture is reaching planting depth. Warm, moist soils will lead to quick germination and emergence. It’s important to get pre-emerge herbicide applied before the crop emerges in no-till and minimum-till fields.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

A lot of planting progress was made this past week. We got plots planted for Estelline Co-op Grain in Estelline and B&B Sales at Dell Rapids.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

Beautiful weather prevails! Crops are being planted at a record pace in Northeast South Dakota. Corn is all but finished, and soybeans are closing in on the finish line. Warm, sunny weather has given us a great window to get crops planted and moisture is expected this week to give them a drink.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

Latham® Dealer Ray Beutz and his son, Matthew, planted a Latham corn SuperStrip plot on May 12 near Albany, Minnesota.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

This Latham Hybrid SuperStrip was planted Monday by Sanborn, Minnesota. While these plots are also good ways to promote local dealerships, SuperStrip plots are primarily used for in-house research. SuperStrips help us determine which products to keep, remove or add to our product lineup. Field notes are taken throughout the growing season and information is analyzed after harvest.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

Almost 50% of corn acres and 15% of soybean acres are planted in Wisconsin. While we have a ways to go to finish #plant17, good weather should allow a lot of acres to be completed soon.

Latham® corn and soybean SuperStrip plots went in on all corners of the region this past week. We also planted a Latham Corn Silage plot in Barron County.

Fields that were planted between April 20-27 have finally pushed through the soil surface after poor growing conditions delayed emergence. This photo taken of LH 5885 VT2 PRO shows great emergence and early vigor when planted in a no-till situation.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

Other Brothers Inc. recently joined that Latham® dealer team, and we’re excited to see them hit the ground running! Here Matt Saboe is pictured getting their Latham Hi‑Tech Hybrids SuperStrip plot ready.

South Central MN & North Central IA

Cory Greiman

We’re able to row this field of LH 5099 SS RIB. This SmartStax Refuge in the Bag hybrid has earned Latham’s designation as a Gladiator hybrid, which means it has dual modes of action for above-ground insects including: Corn Earworm, Fall Armyworm, European Corn Borer and Southwestern Corn Borer. This particular hybrid also is a boss on Goss’s Wilt.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

A Latham customer near Osage, Iowa, put LH 5509 SS in the ground on Friday, May 12. The weather was absolutely beautiful. It was one of those days when you’re glad to have a reason to spend it outside.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Latham® dealer Kevin Squires is passing on the farming tradition to his son, Adam. The duo worked Monday to plant a Latham plot.

One advantage of working with family-owned, independent Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is the variety of options we provide. Here a farmer cooperator puts in a Latham® SuperStrip plot, which showcases different traits and technologies including LibertyLink soybeans.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

It’s been a crazy week of weather! Late Monday afternoon, May 15, storms moved across West Central and North Central Iowa. I was driving by the junction of Highways 3 and 17 just east of Goldfield when marble- to golf ball-sized hail began to fall. You could’ve snow plowed the hail because it was that heavy.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

It’s time to check emergence and stand. From what I have seen so far, the stand looks pretty good. Be sure to check all of your fields as recent rains may have caused some ponding and flooding in areas. Click here for tips on evaluating corn replant options.

Western Iowa & Eastern Nebraska

Larry Krapfl

Look at all the technology going into this plot! We planted a Latham soybean plot near Friend, Nebraska, with the following:

8 Roundup Ready 2 products
4 Balance GT*
6 R2 Xtend
1 ILEVO

**Balance™ GT Soybeans are not currently for sale by Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds until Balance Bean herbicide (Isoxaflutole) receives full regulatory approval.

Webspec Admin

May 17, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Soybeans, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report for May 10

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

When conditions aren’t fit, the equipment sits!

Unfortunately, wet weather continues to plague my northern territory. Farmers here are eager to get seed in the ground but Mother Nature isn’t cooperating. This area experienced such a wet fall that some corn still needs to be harvested before planting can begin. About 0.5 inches of rain fell near Beltrami, Minnesota on Monday night. The good news is the extended weather forecast looks very favorable for timely spring planting!

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

LH 4242 has a nice sprout even in cooler fields with high residue east Enderlin, North Dakota. We are seeing good early vigor scores with Latham® seeds!

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

After a week of cold and wet weather, Mother Nature has done a 180! Farmers in Southeast South Dakota are now enjoying dry, warm conditions. Latham Dealers are busy loading both corn and beans this week. Lots of acres have been planted during the last seven days. I have also seen lots of applications being done by both ground and aerial sprayers.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

Wisconsin’s corn acres are 15% planted while the soybeans are slow to go in the ground. Latham Corn SuperStrip plots were planted in Platteville and Ripon on Sunday and Monday, respectively. Some planters are currently postponed due to overnight rains in southern Wisconsin.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

Soybean planting is starting to take off in Northwest Iowa. Perry Seeds is providing great customer service by delivering soybeans to a grower in Anthon, Iowa.

South Central Minnesota & North Central Iowa

Cory Greiman

We’ve enjoyed about five straight days of clear skies and dry soils in North Central Iowa, but scattered showers starting falling Monday night across the area. Farmers raced against the clock to get as much seed in the ground before it got too wet. In the rain at 9:45 p.m. last night, I finished putting in my fourth Latham plot of the day.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

Significant planting progress has been made this past week across northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. Latham Dealer Andy Hemann Stacyville, Iowa, planted 13 Latham numbers May 5 in a corn SuperStrip plot.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

All the sunshine and warm temps we’ve experienced recently have warmed the 4-inch soil temperatures from 60-66 degrees in western Iowa and from 62-71 in North Central Iowa. Lots of seed has gone in the ground this past week! The first Latham® soybean plot in my territory was planted May 6 by Jon and Jenna Ricklefs.

Pictured second is corn that was planted before the cold front moved in is started to emerge. This field of Latham 5939 SmartStax was planted April 11 south of Hardy, Iowa.

On the right is an awesome looking field of Latham 9700 that was planted last year. This particular variety is known for strong new stands and has a very strong disease resistance package.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Consistency is key for picket fence stands. Seed depth is just as important. Ideal planting depth for corn is 2 inches and for soybeans it is 1½ inches. Planting too deep can cause delayed emergence, uneven stands and possibly even stands that are crusted over if you would receive a hard, pounding rain right after planting. Planting too shallow will often result in poor root development and may affect the crop all the way to harvest.

At family-owned Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds, we enjoy doing business with farm families. Here Latham® dealer Rodney Bacon and his grandson are talking about how it’s time to get planting.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

Farmers have been burning the candle at both ends in an attempt to cover as much ground as possible while the weather cooperates. Our Latham Dealer near State Center has very few units left to deliver as planting in this area is about 90 percent complete.

Northwest Iowa

Larry Krapfl

LH 5885 VT2 PRO is practically jumping out of the ground six days after planting.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

Root development looks great on the LH 5095 VT2 that was planted on April 24. Although it hasn’t yet emerged, it survived the cold weather. This corn will be popping up in rows after a few more days of sunshine.

Webspec Admin

May 10, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Control Planting Conditions to Maximize Yield Potential

The planters are ready to roll as this is coming to you! That’s why I’m reminding everyone how important the proper start to the season is.

If the planting season gets off to a bad start, it’s only going to get worse throughout the growing season. That’s why it’s so important to plant into fit soil conditions, at the proper depth and at a slow enough speed.

As a farmer, I understand the urgency to get seed in the ground. We’re so eager that sometimes we mud the crop into a less than desirable seed bed, and sometimes we plant at higher speeds to get more acres planted in a day. However, days on the calendar don’t make up for mistakes in the field. Keep in mind that haste makes waste.

A few years ago, I conducted speed and planter depth testing on our farm. I found that our John Deere 7000 planter was most accurate at 4.5 to 4.8 miles per hour (mph), and our yields were the best at a depth of 1.75 to 2 inches. I saw as much as a 10-bushel difference at higher planting speeds and a 20-bushel difference when seed was planted at 1.25 to 1.5 inches deep. Root systems were considerably smaller where the seed was planted shallower and at faster speeds.

Also remember to check depth and spacing each time you move to a different field to ensure depth and spacing works in that field’s soil type and texture. Wishing you all a safe and great planting season!

Webspec Admin

April 20, 2017

Corn, Crop, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

From the Field Crop Report for April 19

The time is here! #Plant17 has arrived, and farmers throughout the region are gearing up for the 2017 growing season. Pictures can often best portray what is happening in the world around us, so we have updated our weekly From the Field crop reports! We will be sharing #crop17 highlights throughout our marketing territory, with a photo or two to accompany it. These pictures are submitted from our Regional Sales Managers who are in the field every day with our dealers and customers. We hope you enjoy our first From the Field report for the 2017 planting season below!

Eastern North Dakota

Brain McNamee

Spring fieldwork in underway. Farmers in western North Dakota are applying anhydrous and focusing on getting small grains planted.

Southeast North Dakota

Gary Geske

There’s still snow in the ditches between Minot and Bismarck, so it’s evident that not all fields are fit for planting yet in North Dakota. Small grains are going in the ground in the southeast part of our state. One Latham® customer who lives north by Rolette said it might be mid-May before they’re able to get in the field.

Northeast South Dakota

James Keltgen

Fog looms in Northeast South Dakota. Very little fieldwork and small grain seeding has been done here as soils are wet. Fieldwork is progressing in Central SD where moisture is lacking.

Southeast South Dakota

Ramie Coughlin

A view of some spring prep work from the driver’s seat in South Dakota.

Planting conditions have been ideal for small grains in South Dakota!! Corn will have to wait, but until then small grains are in full swing.

Northern Minnesota

Ken Highness

Preventative maintenance is underway near Gilby, ND for spring planting.

Southern Minnesota

Brandon Wendlandt

Rain showers have been falling this week across southern Minnesota, but the seed I’m moving around is under cover and dry.

Southern Wisconsin

Greg Mair

Areas of the state were affected by winterkill on their alfalfa acres. Pictured here is a good stand of alfalfa in southern Wisconsin. It’s estimated that 75,000 to 100,000 acres of alfalfa in Wisconsin is suffering from some sort of winter damage.

As farmers wait for fields to dry out, there are still many farms that need to haul manure before planting can begin. A farmer is loaded up with turkey manure headed to the field, attempting to beat the rain.

A semi backs up to the seed shed of a dealer in Wisconsin. As the last bit of corn arrives, dealers are making sure to deliver seed to the growers before they hit the fields.

Seed sits in the shop awaiting dry weather to get planted. Most of the state has been blanketed with rain over the past two weeks, and more rain on the way Wednesday afternoon. Much of the state is waiting for the ground to dry out before working up any ground. Depending on how much rain is received Wednesday evening, I expect tillage equipment and planters to be rolling this weekend.

Northwest Iowa

Darin Chapman

This season we’re looking forward to conducting a variable planting rate and multi-hybrid research study for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds on our family farm near Spencer. Here my brother, Tim, and my six-year-old son and I are working on the multi-hybrid planter. Photo credit to my nephew, Dan, who’s studying Agricultural Systems Technology at Iowa State University.

We’ve been busy preparing our new planter, which is color coordinated. Blue indicates one particular hybrid and orange is another. Blue supplies the odd rows of the planter and orange supplies the even rows.

South Central Minnesota & North Central Iowa

Cory Greiman

Winter kill is evident in alfalfa fields across North Central Iowa due to ponding and ice cover. Check out these articles on The Field Position to help evaluate winter kill and to manage alfalfa based on winter injury.

Southeast Minnesota & Northeast Iowa

Craig Haaland

A few units of seed has yet to be delivered as wet weather stalled planting progress here in North Iowa. Rain is in the forecast again this week for Wednesday and Thursday.

West North Central Iowa

Bart Peterson

Farmers across western Iowa worked around rain showers to get seed in the ground. In this photo, LH 5096 VT PRO was being planted near Rolfe on April 11.

Latham® dealer Jenna Ricklefs making seed corn deliveries.

Eastern Iowa

Jerry Broders

Latham® seed sorted and ready for delivery.

Central Iowa

Bryan Rohe

Latham dealer in Pella, IA discusses the benefits of using cover crops the last 3 years consecutive.

Western Iowa & Eastern Nebraska

Larry Krapfl

Pictured above is a great stand of alfalfa in western Iowa. Outstanding weather has contributed to the great stand is because of increased seeding populations. Research has shown a remarkable response to increased seeding populations.

Webspec Admin

April 19, 2017

Corn, Crop, Season, Soybeans, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham Releases Three New Products for 2017 Planting

Christmas often comes early for the Latham Product Team. We don’t always know what our research will reveal until we take a close look at it, but just like kids who eagerly await to unwrap their presents, we know our data is going to be good!

Our team analyzes third party research conducted throughout Latham Country, as well as our own proprietary trials including SuperStrips. Sometimes experimental products in these trials get advanced following promising results.

After analyzing fall 2016 yield data, we’re pleased to announce the following corn and soybean products — which weren’t listed in our 2017 product guide — are now being offered for spring 2017 planting.

Additional product information and yield data is available at lathamseeds.com. If you have questions about these new releases, feel free to contact your Latham Regional Sales Manager or me.

CORN:

LH 3117 VT2 PRO

This new 81-day hybrid was tested in our 2016 SuperStrips as EX3217. It’s a medium-short plant with excellent late-season standability and very good early vigor. It flowers moderately early and has very good tolerance to Northern Corn Leaf Blight, Eyespot and Common Rust.

LH 5339 SS RIB

This SmartStax® version of LH 5335 VT2 PRO has the same features as LH 5335, which is listed on page 37 in our 2017 product guide and also under the “corn” “products” tabs on lathamseeds.com. It’s a very versatile product with excellent early vigor. Because this product is a better option for continuous corn acres, it has received Latham’s Gladiator™ designation.

SOYBEANS:

L1958L

This 1.9 soybean was tested in our 2016 SuperStrips and research plots as E1958L. It compares to L1787L and L2186L. This fairly tall, bushy soybean has very good tolerance to Soybean Cyst Nematode, Iron Deficiency Chlorosis and stress. It is moderately resistant to Brown Stem Rot and carries the Rps1-c gene for Phytophthora Root Rot control. It performs best in wider rows (greater than 20 inches) and in those light-to-marginal soils; it can be planted on better soils if the seeding rate is lower. I recommend planting 135,000 to 140,000 seeds per acre in 30-inch rows.

Webspec Admin

January 4, 2017

Corn, Crop, Soybeans