Choosing seeds a never ending process expert says

As snow is slowly settling over the fields farmers now have the task of looking into what to plant for next year. Trent Stout, co-owner of Stout Seeds in Ainsworth, said for many, this process has been underway for months.

Stout said farmers typically begin looking at different seed companies in the first part of September. He said many companies offer discounts before harvest which helps the company decide how much to produce based on projection of sales.

'It helps the seed companies out and at the same time they incentivize the farmer with discounts to be able to help them control inventory,” he said.

In the southeast Iowa area corn, beans and alfalfa are the primary crops, he said. Minor seeds, like forage seeds or cover crops, are on the rise also. Minor seeds, he said, are either being planted currently or are in the process of being purchased.

When it comes to hybrids, Stout said his company does not create them but does resell them. The advantage to hybrids are it gives the farmer control over the yield. The control helps minimize the risk of a bad crop because all the seeds will be the same, he said.

'Hybrids allow you to select for specific traits that you would want, different plant characteristics and allow you to grasp what the yield may be at the end of the year,” he said.

The industry is constantly releasing new hybrids, he said, because there is always something to improve. This combined with the fact that there are many characteristics they are trying to achieve makes for a never ending process.

Standability and yield are two big things farmers look for. Stout said it all depends on where the crop is being grown as well. In the parts of the county where the land is flat, farmers do not want corn that is too tall because it will not withstand the wind. Where land has more hills, farmers are looking for taller corn to help capture sunlight, he said.

Cover crops also have been a big push in the industry, he said. Both the government and local enterprises are encouraging farmers to look at issues such as water quality and carbon sequestration to fight back against climate change.

'Cover crops have been a way for farmers to contribute (solutions) to those larger scale issues in a positive way while also picking up benefits on their farm through soil, organic matter, erosion control and illuviating compaction,” he said.

Stout said when the cash crop comes up, Mother Nature has a natural tendency to try and fill in the space. Cover crops can help imitate that same concept by producing an actual crop that is good for the soil.