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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

We're releasing the newest technology today: Genuity SmartStax

This is an exciting day. Our company is announcing today the release of four new Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds corn hybrids with Genuity SmartStax technology.

You can read the entire announcement here.

We’ve been working with Monsanto a long time, incorporating their leading-edge technologies into our seed production. The Genuity/ SmartStax launch looks to be a new threshold in seed technology benefits and innovation. Above- and below-ground pest control, plus RR2 and LibertyLink tolerance, all in one seed. It’s amazing what crop science has achieved, especially in just the past 15 years or so.

Please give us a call in Alexander if we can answer any further questions about our new products or any other Latham offerings. We’re always here to help.

Latham® and “bringing world-class technology home” are trademarks of Latham Hi‑Tech Hybrids, Inc. SmartStax^TM multi-event technology developed by Dow AgroSciences and Monsanto. SmartStax, the SmartStax Logo, Genuity, YieldGard VT PRO,YieldGard VT Rootworm/RR2, VT Triple PRO and Roundup Ready are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC.

®HERCULEX is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC.
®Liberty Link is a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience.

Team Latham

July 27, 2009

Agriculture, Industry News, Seed Technology
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

L2082R Soybeans in High PH Soil

Map shows PH levels taken from a grid sample. The circled area is where the beans are planted.

Here are some L2082R soybeans that are doing excellent in soil conditions with a PH over 7.

Larry Sailer, Musings of a Pig Farmer

July 17, 2009

Agriculture, Industry News, Seed Technology
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

The Latham "ride route" corn and beans are looking great!

Here are a few pics from some fields along the route of the Freedom of Independence Ride coming up next month. As you can see, the crops are looking sweet. The view from the road will be great Aug. 29.

Remember, visit lathamseeds.com to register for the event. The ride starts at 1:00 p.m., leaving from Arnolds Park. We get back to the park around 6:00 and will enjoy a great hog roast and band. All free. And all farmers are welcome.

Team Latham

July 15, 2009

Agriculture, Industry News, Seed Technology
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Latham Soon to Have New Agrisure Traits

One critical advantage of being an independent seed company is that we can secure almost any trait for our customers from a variety of technology providers. And that’s just what we’re doing with Agrisure® 3000GT and Agrisure Viptera™ seed technologies.

These two technologies will soon be in Latham’s lineup, and each offers unique characteristics. The Agrisure 3000GT trait stack protects against corn borer and corn rootworm, while tolerating glyphosate and Ignite® herbicides. Syngenta studies show the Agrisure Viptera trait will provide added efficacy on a broad spectrum of corn pests including corn earworm, western bean cutworm, black cutworm, fall armyworm and common stalk borer.

Latham will have products containing approved Agrisure traits competitively priced. You’ll get above- and below-ground pest protection plus state-of-the-art weed control under glyphosate and Ignite applications.

Agrisure 3000GT and Agrisure GT/CB/LL plus Agrisure Viptera stack technology are not currently approved for sale or use in the U.S. are not being offered or promoted for sale. These products will not be available for sale until all necessary regulatory approvals and authorizations have been granted.

Agrisure®, Agrisure Viptera™ are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Ignite® is a registered trademark of Bayer.

John Latham, President

March 22, 2009

Industry News, Seed Technology
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Monsanto Launches Genuity Master Brand

This is innovation with a singular purpose. To help you do what you do best, even better.

We’re excited to be involved with Monsanto’s launch of Genuity™, its “umbrella” brand for current and future seed traits that we think will help simplify and integrate the decision-making process for growers in selecting seed.

The Genuity brand will be fully rolled out into the marketplace in 2010.

With trait-building technologies advancing at a dizzying pace these days, Monsanto saw the need to create an easily identifiable marketing platform that would be the host brand for the newest and future technologies. This will help reduce the proliferation of separate brand marks that would otherwise result as new technologies steadily come to market in future years.

As Genuity gets up and running, Monsanto’s latest traits will take their place under the brand. For example, in 2010, you’ll see Genuity™ Roundup Ready 2 Yield™ soybeans and Genuity™ VT Triple Pro™. Pre-commercial traits such as Genuity™ SmartStax™ will also be under the new brand. Monsanto says a number of traits under YieldGard will remain independent of Genuity for now, and eventually phased out as their technologies are upgraded and placed under Genuity.

Of course some products with multiple traits will have more than one icon. Latham will be participating in Genuity brand implementation meetings starting this month, so check back to The Field Position for the latest on Genuity as we map out how Latham will incorporate this brand system into our products.

Each Genuity product will also be accompanied by an “icon” or symbol signifying the basic functional benefit of the seed trait. They are as follows:

Have questions on this new system of brands from Monsanto? Leave us a note in the comment box below!

Team Latham

March 16, 2009

Industry News, Seed Technology
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

The Real Price of Ignoring Quality
Not only is Latham the best industry source for the latest technologies, our team exhaustively searches every avenue seeking the best genetics to go with these technologies. If a product has earned the right to be in a Latham bag, rest assured the seed is the “cream of the crop”.

Growers are still weighing the best options for spring. Facing high fertilizer prices and lower-than-expected commodity prices means some options, which may seem more appealing at the time, are actually poor choices in the long run. While it may be tempting to purchase seed purely on price alone, other factors should be taken into consideration. A issue of SeedWorld magazine provides a couple examples:
1. Buying an inexpensive, unproven corn seed could mean giving up 10 bushels in a crop at $3.50 per bushel. For illustration purposes, planting 32,000 corn seeds per acre at $87.50 per bag on 1,000 acres could result in a loss of $87,500.
2. The same scenario is true for soybeans. An 11 percent lower yielding soybean could mean a difference of up to 6.5 bushels less yield per acre. With soybeans near $9, that is a whopping $58.50 per acre each grower is giving up by not planting the highest yielding soybeans.
Someone once said that paying for quality means you only have to wince once. Fortunately with Latham, you don’t have to wince at all. The technology and performance record behind your investment, coupled with our agronomic consulting expertise and our Farm Plan financing access, assures a confident, satisfying experience from start to finish.
John Latham, President

January 16, 2009

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Industry News, Season, Seed Technology, Soybeans, Spring, Tech Tuesday, Winter
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Seed decisions should be based on 2-3 year data.
During our Harvest Meetings in late November, Senior Agronomist and Soybean Product Specialist Mark Grundmeier of Latham Seed Company gave a presentation on soybean performance in 2008 and what to expect in 2009.

Due to the unusual growing conditions we experienced this year, Mark cautioned against basing all of your seed purchase decisions on 2008 performance. Instead, use two-and three-year data. For example, if someone loved L2158R in 2007 but was disappointed in 2008, give it another try. Don’t kick something out because it had one off year.

Other highlights from Mark’s presentation:
- Roundup Ready2 Yield technology and LibertyLink will be available for spring 2009 planting.
- 2008 was a difficult year, we received 13 inches of rain between May 1 and June 15- twice the normal amount!
- This season rewarded taller plant types and stronger BSR resistance.
- Delayed planting and cooler weather impacted soybeans, especially V1-V5.
- Challenging growing conditions created problems with harvestability, disease and plant characteristics.
- Bacterial blight and brown spot affected lower portions of the plant more in 2008 than other “normal” years.
- State climatologists expect the next few seasons to be cooler and wetter, but then again some predicted drought in 2008, so it’s anyones guess for 2009.
If you have any questions or comments on things you noticed this season, share them with us in the comment box below.
Team Latham

December 18, 2008

Herbicide Technology, Industry News, Seed Technology
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

New technologies may allow for increased plant populations

Not only are new seed technologies changing our expectations for yield per acre, but they may be changing our model in another aspect: yield as a result of maximum plant population.

Plant populations, measured in plants per acre (PPA), vary based on an individual set of circumstances including cultural practices, soil types, productivity of the field itself, fertility programs, availability of water, and hybrid characteristics.

By creating changes in the plant itself, high technology seeds have thrown a bunch of wrinkles into conventional wisdom on plant populations. Projections show triple-stacked seeds may minimize stalk damage and allow more translocation of nutrients and moisture into the ears, resulting in stronger stalks and bigger ears. Research suggests rootworm protection may increase the size and efficiency of root systems, allowing them to bring in up to three more inches of water.

All of this data and Latham’s growing experience with high-technology seeds have us – and many others – taking another look at conventional wisdom when it comes to plant population.

Farmers today are successfully planting 33,000 to 35,000 PPA with modern seed. The fact that it’s “successful” may indicate there’s room to push plant population up a bit to see what happens. There may be some room to increase population, maintain the optimum yield per plant, and in the process, maximize yield per acre which would add to more profit per field.

I also believe that in some areas with lower rainfall and no irrigation, they could move from their current 20,000 to 25,000 PPA to 24,000 to 29,000 because of new technologies. When new drought-resistance technologies come on line, that optimum PPA could go even higher.

John Latham, President

June 28, 2008

Agriculture, Corn, Crop, Industry News, Seed Technology