seed

How to Get the Best Pricing for 2024 Crop Inputs

Posted on December 26, 2023December 22, 2023 by Liqui-Grow

What’s new?

The supply chain for crop protection products took a major hit following the pandemic in 2020. Those issues lingered into 2021 and 2022, tightening available inventory and creating challenges for delivering secured product. Thankfully, 2023 held a better outcome and 2024 looks to continue on the upward trajectory for more products.

Let’s look at the forecast for product inventory:

- Glyphosate products like RoundUp are in great supply. This product has rebounded since 2020 and is even experiencing up to a 40% price reduction on certain products. Contact your Liqui-Grow sales representative to learn which products have the best prices.
- Post-emergence grass killers for corn and soybeans have a good supply and have seen a price reduction. These will be a great addition for growers trying to control volunteer corn in soybean fields. .
- For the first time since 2020, fungicides will be in good supply from Liqui-Grow. However, most of the inventory will be booked by February 15th as growers see the value in these products for overall plant health. We will be offering a significant discount during pre-pay season and encourage growers to place their order early to guarantee product availability.

Pre-emergence products for soybeans will have some product changes and we encourage you to ask your local Liqui-Grow sales representative what new products are best for your operation.

Pricing will likely still play a role in product selection this year, but the trends are looking favorable for growers, if you make your purchases during the pre-pay window.

Planning Ahead Pays

Each year, we encourage growers to consider new ways to increase yield and reduce input cost. The best way to accomplish that is by taking advantage of the best pricing window of the year.

At Liqui-Grow, we devote time to researching and securing the best products on the market to give our customers ample choices for their operation. In fact, that makes us different from most ag retailers. We don’t come to your farm with a preferred list of products - we provide the products that you ask for to meet your goals.

This personalized mindset is also the driving force behind our service lineup. Whether you want herbicides and fungicides custom applied on your operation or just need the products packaged and ready for pickup, we can support your crop protection needs.

We also offer “hot loads” for growers who use their own application equipment but need chemicals mixed at a moment’s notice. When you’re ready to load, give us a call and the mixture will be ready when you arrive!

But the bottom line when it comes to having a successful customer experience at Liqui-Grow is to take advantage of this pre-pay season to book the best products at the best price.

Buying now is truly the only guaranteed way to secure your product for next year. Plus, if the weather changes and you have to adjust your plan midway through the season, we’ll work with you to ensure you have the product you need for your crop.

Growers concerned about cashflow can also utilize Liqui-Grow financing options as long as you lock in your pricing by January 10th. Terms with all financing options have changed for the 2024 season, so consult your Liqui-Grow sales representative for the current rates and payment options.

For more questions around product options, availability or pricing, text us at 564-220-2508 or email questions@liqui-grow.com.

Comparing ‘24 Seed Options

Posted on October 9, 2023October 10, 2023 by Liqui-Grow

5 Corn Hybrids for ‘24

Brevant B11C37AM

B11C37AM is a 111 day hybrid that offers a high level of resistance to a variety of common diseases, specifically:

Gray Leaf Spot
Northern/Southern Corn Leaf Blight
Goss’s Wilt

Additionally, this seed hybrid showcases strong stalk and root structure, and good green snap tolerance. We have also been pleased with its performance on drought acres. Keep your eyes peeled in the fall as B11C37AM has great stay green tolerance and harvest appearance, so it can stand well into the season and offers up the ability to be harvested later.

Brevant B14H38AM

B14H38AM is a 114 day, late-maturing hybrid. It is strictly an Acre Max (AM) product, and performs best when planted into bean stubble.

This product is the real deal! It’s a true 114, with a nice combination of yield and agronomics to back it up! Keep it on your highly productive acres to maximize its potential. Here’s what you can expect to see from B14H38:

Good green snap tolerance.
High response to fungicide applications.
Strong tolerance to Gray Leaf Spot, Northern/Southern Corn Leaf Blight and Goss’s Wilt.

DeKalb DKC66-04SS/DKC66-06TRE

This hybrid comes in 2 trait options: SmartStax (SS) & Trecepta (TRE) and is a 116 day hybrid. DKC66-04/06RIB has great agronomic performance and yield potential across all acres, but performs best on well-drained soils. As for disease tolerance, DKC66-04RIB has good tolerance to:

Northern Corn Leaf Blight
Gray Leaf Spot
Goss’s Wilt
Anthracnose Stalk Rot

As we move South where Southern Rust is common, we recommend a fungicide application. We’re excited about the yield potential this 116 day hybrid brings to our farmers with good dry down to be able to manage harvest.

DeKalb DKC56-26TRE

DKC56-26TRE is unique in that it comes only in a Trecepta trait package. Ask our Liqui-Grow reps on how to place Trecepta! DKC56-26TRE is a solid early corn hybrid that has the ability to perform on any acre including sand, stress or high yielding fields. This corn has some ear flex, so don’t push the populations too high. This seed option performs exceptionally well in high heat and drought years, but like always, if we’re going to ask it to work, we need to apply a fungicide on it to help it along.

Additionally, DKC56-26TRE has a strong tolerance to the following diseases:

Southern Rust
Gray Leaf Spot
Anthracnose Stalk Rot

If your field’s are prone to Northern Corn Leaf Blight, consider a fungicide application.

DeKalb DKC110-10SS

**New Hybrid in 2024!

DKC110-10RIB is new for 2024, and what a year it will make its debut! Even through all the stress and drought, it’s still performing to expectations. This hybrid will only be available in a SmartStax trait package.

This seed option has very good root and stalk strength, with some ear flex, so don’t overpopulate. If you’re used to the Fast Die/Fast Dry products from DeKalb, this is going to look a little different as it has more staygreen into the fall. DKC110-10RIB is a good candidate for a fungicide application.

5 Soybean Varieties for ‘24

Asgrow AG24XF4

**New Variety in 2024!

Packaged to perfection, AG24XF4 is an overall upgrade to the AG24XF1 with more yield potential. It offers a nice defensive package within the 2.4 maturity range. Consider AG24XF4 on acres where White Mold and Sudden Death Syndrome are a concern.

Brevant B283EE

**New Variety in 2024!

B283EE is out of the Next Gen of soybeans for Brevant, bringing more yield and genetics to Brevant’s lineup. B283EE is a great bean for farmers who want to start their planting early in the spring.

With its exceptional disease package, B283EE has great tolerance to Sudden Death Syndrome, Brown Stem Rot, Charcoal Rot and White Mold diseases.

Merschman Cherokee 2429E

Cherokee 2429E is a 2.9 soybean that is developed to be better on Sudden Death Syndrome acres and increase standability than the varieties that came before it. This seed option is packaged to perform East to West on a variety of soil types. After seeing heavy Phytophthora Root Rot (PRR) this year, we have found that this variety has exceptional tolerance to PRR.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for seed options for your farm! As ‘23 harvest rolls on, be sure to check out our seed variety plot data results!

To hear more of what we have to offer heading into the new year, and to lock in your seed hybrids and varieties, talk with your local Liqui-Grow Sales Rep! Some varieties have limited supply, so we recommend securing your seed options as soon as possible.

Questions? Give us a shout!

Text us at 564-220-2508 or email questions@liqui-grow.com.

The Importance of Selecting A Quality Seed Treatment Package

Posted on August 25, 2023September 6, 2023 by Liqui-Grow

The potential of one's crop starts long before the seed is even planted in the ground. How seed is harvested, dried, stored and treated before planting all make an impact in that seed’s ability to perform best in the soil it is planted in.

Although seed treatment packages have been around for some time, the agriculture industry is constantly researching and testing new treatments to protect your crop – starting at the seed.

As the weather allows, farmers continue to creep into the fields earlier and earlier each year with their planters. Farmers risk planting early into cold wet soils to maximize the amount of sunlight the plants are exposed to and drive those high yield potentials. Cold wet soils are often associated with early season pests and diseases.

We've seen that longer growing seasons in soybeans results in higher yielding crops at harvest, thus the importance of planting our soybean crops as timely as possible.

Farmers who use a high-quality broad-spectrum seed treatment package can help protect their soybeans from harsh weather conditions we often expose early planted soybeans to. By adding a seed treatment package to your soybeans, you will receive better germination rates and protect your seed from early pests and diseases.

But what is really in that seed treatment? Oftentimes there is a mix of fungicides and insecticides. Let’s dive into how the right seed treatment package can maximize bushels for your farm operation!

Fungicides on Treated Seed

Seed treatments we use today are hand-selected by Dr. Jake Vossenkemper and a team of experts to try and protect soybeans from an array of diseases we combat in the spring. Without a crystal ball, we are unsure of which disease could show up, and using a broad-spectrum seed treatment can mitigate the risk from different diseases present.

Currently, our most popular seed treatment has four fungicides that boost protection against Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Pythium, Phytophthora and other yield robbing seedling diseases. It also has a 5th component from a fungicide, to help give extra protection against Fusarium, early on.

We recommend adding Ilevo® Seed Treatment to this strong seed treatment package to protect against Sudden Death Syndrome and Soybean Cyst Nematodes (SCN). Today SCN is the #1 yield robber in soybeans, and on average loses 1.5bu/ac, across the 12 most northern states. Learn more about Soybean Cyst Nematodes here!

Insecticides on Treated Seed

Seed Corn Maggots and Bean Leaf Beetles are two popular insects we often see in early spring planted fields throughout Northeast Iowa and Northwest Illinois’ fields. Seed Corn Maggots burrow through the seed corn and affect the germination. Bean Leaf Beetles chew on leaves and can potentially infect crops with Bean Pod Mottle Virus. This virus can cause yield damage and seed discoloration. Using soybean seed treatments can ward off these insects along with others and protect yield from an early start.

What to look for in your corn seed treatment package:

If you are finding secondary insect pests such as wire worm, grape colaspis and true white grub in your fields, it may be beneficial to consider up-treating your seedcorn with Poncho® 1250. One of the many benefits of up-treating your seed with Poncho® 1250 is you don’t have to worry about applying an in-furrow insecticide or granular insecticide to combat these insect pests. Don’t wait though! Most companies require you to order higher rates of seed treatment early and most companies have cut off dates. Check with your Liqui-Grow Sales Applicator to learn more!