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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Surround Yourself with Greatness

Like all great athletes and entrepreneurs, Myron Keltgen has learned it pays to surround yourself with greatness. He was fortunate to get his start in the seed business in 1984 with Keltgen Seed Co.

Myron Keltgen, Corn Product Specialist

“I feel kind of like Brett Favre… I have one last chance to win the big one with the team that will carry me to the goal line,” says Keltgen, who has served as Western Corn Product Specialist for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds since July 2015. Myron also is a Latham® dealer through Lake Area Ag, which he owns and operates. “The thing that most excites me about Latham is the people on the team.”

The ability to talk to the people who make the decisions is something Myron enjoyed about working for Keltgen Seed. Myron’s father, Darwin, and Darwin’s brother, Keith, started the family-owned seed company.

“If I had an issue, I could go right to the president for help,” says Myron. “If I made a call in the field, I knew they trusted my judgement and would stand behind me. I also knew they sincerely cared about our customers and dealers. This is also what I enjoy about working with family-owned Latham Seeds. I can call John, Shannon or Chris Latham anytime I need help, and they will be there. They also are very sincere. They respect our dealers and customers and greatly care about each one’s success.”

One way Latham Seeds helps set up its dealers and customers for success is by offering the industry’s newest and most effective traits in genetics packages that are specific to the geographies the company serves. Myron’s passion has always been watching crops develop throughout the season, so product development is a great fit for his background and interests.

Myron spends countless hours walking soybean and corn fields every week throughout the growing season, looking for something that differentiates one product from another. He especially enjoys helping select products for Latham’s lineup. He also enjoys the opportunity to work with Gary Geske, who was a district sales manager at Keltgen Seeds and serves as Latham’s Northern Corn Product Specialist.

“I still enjoy calling on friends and customers from when I worked at Keltgen and Wensman,” says Myron. “I enjoy visiting with them and getting updates on their kids and grandkids. My youngest son, Jason, has joined the Lake Area Ag dealership in Watertown. I’m enjoying the opportunity to work with both of my sons now.”

Myron’s oldest son, James, is a regional sales manager for Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds. He and his wife Laurie also are the proud parents of one daughter.

The Keltgen Family

“All our kids and grandkids live within an hour of us, so we’re blessed they’re all so close,” says Myron. The Keltgen family enjoys spending time together at their farm. Many of their fields are research sites for the products they sell.

When he’s not working or farming, Myron enjoys spending time with his family at the river. He especially loves fishing the Lake Ohae area and often serves as a fishing guide. Since the family does an extensive amount of fishing, they shared with us their favorite walleye recipe!

Shannon Latham

March 17, 2022

Corn, Crop, Food & Family, General, Recipes, Seafood
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Planter Upgrades with Quick ROI
Your planter is the most important piece of equipment because it has the largest impact from emergence to final yield. Making these three upgrades will provide a return on your investment (ROI).
1. Closing Wheels in No-Till or Limited-Till Conditions. Closing wheels on a planter ensure the furrow is closed and there is adequate seed-to-soil contact. In a dry spring, this can be the difference as to whether the seed can pull enough water to germinate. If there are air pockets around the seed, it either won’t germinate or it will rot trying. There are many different types of closing wheels and closing wheel systems. Look at your management style and determine if you need spiked wheels to help crumble the furrow wall in tough soil conditions or if you need more aggressive closing action. Then look at the closing wheel systems or one with a walking axle on it. If you conventionally till all your fields in the spring before planting, you likely don’t need this upgrade.
2. Floating Row Cleaners. Rigid or pin adjust row cleaners have been the standard for many years and can perform well in certain circumstances. However, their limitation is not being able to adjust for changing terrain. Any tillage situation that leaves some residue on top of the soil can benefit from a residue cleaner. Consider switching from fixed to floating if you have been noticing uneven emergence in spots of the field as you roll across different terrain. The row cleaner could be riding high and not clearing a path, resulting in hair pinning, uneven planting depth and residue in the furrow.
3. Downforce Adjustment. On-the-go downforce adjustments is not the easiest upgrade, but it will likely provide the best ROI in any tillage situation. This upgrade can keep your planter units riding smoother, so more uniform depth is achieved. Depth robs more yield than spacing. Having too little downforce means the unit could be riding up and not getting the seed placed where it should. If conditions are wet, you don’t need as much weight on the unit. Wet conditions or too much weight compact the furrow walls, causing root and early season growth issues. A study done by Agco in 2017 revealed on-the-go downforce adjustments had a 20 bushel per acre (Bu/A) advantage in situations when the down pressure was too light and 6 Bu/A advantage over too much down pressure.
Remember, your operation is not the same as your neighbors’. Be sure to align these planter upgrades with your specific soils and management practices, and they will provide a return for your operation.
Phil Long

March 9, 2022

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Emergence, General, Growth Stages, Precision Ag, Season, Soil, Soybeans, Spring
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AsktheAgronomist – Latham Adds Vayantis

Latham Seeds adds new Vayantis® to SoyShield® Plus! On this week’s #AsktheAgronomist, Phil Long, precision agronomy advisor, and Matt Moore, soybean product manager, discuss soybean treatments and how the addition of Vayantis is really exciting going into the 2022 planting season! Learn more about Vayantis fungicide.

Webspec Admin

March 8, 2022

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Disease, Fungicide, General, Industry News, Seed Technology, Seed Treatment, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AsktheAgronomist – Dicamba Tips

Phil Long, precision agronomy advisor, dives into Dicamba and highlights ways it can be affective in your herbicide regime.

Webspec Admin

March 8, 2022

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Disease, Herbicide Technology, Soybeans, Weed Control
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AsktheAgronomist – Why are Chelated Fertilizers Important

On this week’s #AsktheAgronomist, Phil Long, precision agronomy advisor, unpacks chelated fertilizers and why they are important. Learn how they are absorbed and how it can benefit soils with high pH in Latham Country.

Phil Long

February 18, 2022

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Corn, General, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

2021 Research Trials Show Seed Treatment Pays

Advertisements and magazine headlines tout the opportunity to enhance yields through plant protection and the use of biologicals or naturals, but does it pay to use these products? Our research once again confirms that seed treatments are an investment that provides a return.

Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds expanded its 2021 research trials to include seed treatments and biologicals. We wanted to determine whether the performance of the seed products we offer could be improved by seed protection and biologicals. Soybeans treated with Latham brand SoyShield® Plus had a 2.38-bushel yield advantage over untreated seed and a 1.2-bushel advantage over other leading fungicide and insecticide (F&I) seed treatments.

Latham Seeds’ signature SoyShield Plus seed treatment is effective in protecting seedlings from early plant diseases for approximately 30 days, which is a longer window of protection than most seed treatments offered. SoyShield Plus includes an exclusive fungicide combination that provides excellent protection against seed and soil borne diseases including: Pythium, Phytophthora, Fusarium and Rhizoctonia.

The addition of Saltro to SoyShield Plus increased protection against Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) and soybean cyst nematodes. In fact, this treatment combination produced the highest yield in research trials across seven locations in multiple states. The SoyShield Plus / Saltro treatment had a 5.25-bushel yield advantage over untreated seed and provides Best-in-Class protection across environments. Soybean cyst nematodes are one of the largest yield-robbing pests and SDS is a growing concern for more areas, so it makes sense to order the Latham SoyShield+ / Saltro combination for 2022.

Inoculants with biologicals continue to show increased yields over inoculants alone. Latham SoyShield Plus with Talc USA’s MicroSurge had a 2.83-bushel per acre advantage over untreated seed and more than one bushel per acre advantage over other premium inoculants.

Corn trials conducted at six locations in multiple states also showed significant yield increases over the base seed treatments with various applications of seed applied or planter box treatments. Talc USA’s MicroSurge dry corn inoculant is easy to apply with talc. With two strains of Azospirillum, MicroSurge produced a 4.7-bushel yield advantage over the base seed treatment.

Encompass also was tested as a planter box treatment. It contains nitrogen-fixing microbials and helps mobilize phosphorous in the soils for easier nutrient uptake into the plant. Encompass showed an 8.5-bushel increase over base treatments in our 2021 trials. Now that’s a return on investment!

Contact your local Latham rep for more information about these and other products to protect your seeds and seedlings, so you can improve yields in your fields in 2022.

Gary Geske

February 16, 2022

Agronomics, Corn, Disease, Emergence, General, Industry News, Seed Technology, Seed Treatment, Soybeans, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Start the Season Right by Planting the Right Genetics
With the 2022 planting season right around the corner, it’s time to focus on the one thing that will help you capture the most ROI in each field.

Field-by-field product placement is key to maximizing yield – and in turn – profit. Research shows plant genetics account for a 20% difference in yield. This means you could raise 12 more bushels of soybeans and 40 more bushels of corn PER ACRE simply by paying closer attention to your crop placement.

Below are three factors to consider when double-checking your crop placement for 2022:
- Study Field x Field® Ratings. Look at the Field x Field Ratings in the Latham® Product Guide for corn and soybeans. These charts simplify where you should place hybrids and varieties. A “1” rating means it’s a great fit for a particular environment; a “3” rating means you should not plant that product if your field conditions match that description. Your Latham Dealer has seen most of our products in environments, so call him or her if you have additional questions about where to place a particular product.
- Stick to the plan. If your seed dealer has provided you with a Field x Field plan, organize your seed shed so you can stick to the plan. Subscribers to Latham Seeds’ Data Forward® program receive a crop plan book, which you can keep in your planter tractor. It’s a good practice to double check that the right seed gets in the planter. If planting conditions change in a particular field, then take the time to move products. It will be worth an hour of your time to capture the extra $150 to 200 per acre in profit potential.
- Match Genetics to Management. If a certain corn product is described as “likes high management,” then you should not place that product in a field with poor fertility levels. Your seed dealer may not know your fields’ fertility levels unless you share it. That information is critical for accurate product placement as some genetics can handle tough fertility situations and others will fall apart in those environments. Also make sure you aren’t overplanting or underplanting each hybrid. Look at the “suggested populations” in our Product Guide, as well as the “Ear Type” rating and our stress wheel poster. We want to help you capture yield!
If you’re planting soybeans early or at the same time your planting corn, treat the seed with SoyShield® to protect it from early season fungal diseases. Seed treatment also gives seedings an early advantage. Even when using a quality seed treatment, plant fields with the heavy soils that remain wet and cold last or at least the soils have warmed. This will help your soybeans better ward off root diseases all season long.

A successful 2022 crop year begins with having a plan and sticking to it! Take the time now to double-check that you properly matched plant genetics with soil conditions. Our dealers are also happy to talk through field placement as well. If you have further questions or want to chat with our agronomists call: 1.877.GO.LATHAM (1.877.465.2842).
Phil Long

February 9, 2022

Agronomics, Alfalfa, Corn, Corn Silage, Cover Crops, Crop, Disease, Emergence, Fertility, General, Precision Ag, Seed Technology, Seed Treatment, Soil, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AsktheAgronomist – Too Much Nitrogen?

Phil Long, precision agronomy advisor, continues his soil fertility series with the topic of Nitrogen. Is it possible to have too much Nitrogen?

Webspec Admin

January 18, 2022

#AskTheAgronomist, Corn, Fertility, General, Soil
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AsktheAgronomist – Corn Yield

Where did the corn yield come from in 2021? Our agronomist breaks it down.

Phil Long

January 4, 2022

#AskTheAgronomist, Corn, General
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

#AskTheAgronomist: Corn Disease and Product Selection

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With a majority of the year recorded as dry to extremely dry for much of the Upper Midwest, many farmers were surprised at the onset of disease towards the close of the 2021 growing season. Precision Agronomy Advisor Phil Long addresses how to account for and select corn products to address disease challenges in your fields into 2022 and beyond.

Webspec Admin

November 9, 2021

#AskTheAgronomist, Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Disease