Agronomy Articles
Product Options
By Chris Rutledge, Agronomist, Irene
The 2025 growing season is off to the races! Based off the current GDU map it is time to be sweeping alfalfa for weevil and making spray recommendations if they reach threshold. If we spray for weevil after first cutting it would also be a great time to add foliar feed to your program. With CFC offering drone application I would like to see growers try some fungicide and foliar feed products to see their added benefits. This season is going to go fast so make sure you are talking to your sales agronomist about your product options and for timely application and delivery. Tar spot is here so make sure fields are being scouted so we can stay ahead of it. Thank you for your business and have a safe and prosperous season!
5/2/2025
Corn Planting Conditions and Depth
By Allen Johansen, Agronomy Department Purchasing Manager
Planting corn under the right conditions is key to a strong, healthy crop. Ideal soil temperatures for corn germination range from 50°F to 86°F, with optimal emergence around 60°F. Planting into cold, wet soil can delay emergence and increase the risk of disease. Well-drained soils with good moisture retention provide the best environment for early root development.
Soil moisture also plays a vital role in planting. Overly dry conditions may lead to uneven germination, while saturated soils can limit oxygen availability, which can hinder root growth. A firm seedbed ensures good seed-to-soil contact, promoting uniform emergence.
Another consideration to corn planting is having a proper planting depth which is crucial. Most agronomists recommend planting corn between 1.5 to 2.5 inches deep with 2 inches being the best balance for most conditions. Shallow planting (less than 1.5 inches) can expose seeds to temperature fluctuations and inconsistent moisture, while planting deeper than 2.5 inches may delay emergence. Planting depth can be adjusted slightly depending on soil type and moisture conditions.
Ultimately, paying attention to temperature, moisture, and planting depth helps ensure uniform emergence and sets the stage for a successful corn harvest. Timely planting under optimal conditions maximizes yield potential. If you have any questions, please reach out to our team of agronomists who would be happy to help!
4/25/2025
Growing Season
By Cody Plamp, Agronomy Department Sales & Marketing Manager
With spring right around the corner having an in-depth plan with your crop inputs will be critical this year. The one thing that I believe is more important this year than ever is soil sampling. With high fertilizer prices soil sampling will be critical to help you maximize the efficiency of tons purchased on the correct acres they need to be applied to.
Another key piece fertilizer-related this year due to the dry conditions is nitrogen stabilizers. CFC offers a couple different nitrogen stabilizers and with high fertilizer prices and lower commodities it is more important than ever to protect your investment when spreading dry urea this spring. Ask your agronomist about the different nitrogen stabilizers we offer and don’t forget to talk about our variable rate fertilizer program.
Our CMT program will also be a valuable way for you to maximize your fertilizer tons by placing the fertilizer in the correct parts of the field and building you soil per 2.5-acre grids or 5-acre grids to give you the maximum ROI possible on every acre. We seem to be in a dry weather pattern, so I firmly believe split-applying nitrogen is a key component to having a successful crop this year.
I’ve talked a lot about fertilizer tools for being successful, but we need to get fields clean and stay clean this year. With the dry weather weeds are going to be harder to kill more than ever so we must act fast and have a good multi-chemistry residual program put in place to make sure the crop (not the weeds) is getting all the moisture that is available. Talk to your local agronomist about the many different chemical plans we offer along with the competitive financing programs we offer.
Our farmers’ success is what strives to wake us up and do what we do every day. Communication with your agronomist is the most important tool you can have this spring. Spring is always a crazy time of year but with communication anything can be resolved. We look forward to serving our patrons in the coming spring weeks and throughout the growing season. We hope everybody has a successful, but more importantly safe, planting and 2025 growing season. Get a hold of your local agronomist with any questions or concerns.
4/11/2025
Agronomy Staff
 Jeff Schmiesing
Agronomy Dept. Manager
Cell: 605-940-7665
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 Allen Johansen
Agronomy Dept.
Purchasing Manager
Cell: 605-661-4882
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