Looking ahead to the new year, farmers are working on their 2018 planting decisions, seed, fertility programs, and weed management. Successful weed management goes a long way to ensuring better yielding corn and soybean fields, and the key to a successful plan is the commitment to it. That’s according to agronomist Dan Ritter.
“I’ve seen no matter what weed control program a grower uses, if they’re committed to that I think they can make that weed control program work,” he said. “I work with a lot of growers and there are a lot of different ways to manage not only weeds but manage their crop, and I’ve seen a lot of success in all those. Sometimes it just takes in some cases a little extra work, working closely with their chemical supplier and really deciding what recipe is going to work, what group of products might work best for me.”
Ritter says your advisors are important, and in the coming year you should make sure you have a team you trust to give you the best information.
“Can they make you money? Do you trust them and is that the group of specialists that you want to work with on your operation? Search those people out,” Ritter says. “Get their information and maybe get it from two or three folks. Farm shows are a great opportunity to walk around, get input from several different suppliers, then go home, analyze that information and form what’s going to work best for you on your operation.”
Dan Ritter is an Indiana area agronomist for Brodbeck Seeds. HAT visited with him recently for reflections on 2017 and his look at 2018 spring preparations. Listen here for the full interview:Dan-Ritter-on-2017-and-18