Few farmers know about the Top 5 Factors to Produce a Top Crop, except of course all of our Millsview customers. We’ve been talking about them for years and how they are essential to maximizing yields year in and year out. Following the Top 5 Factors is such a powerful strategy because it gives producers maximum control over the yields they get. These factors minimize the damage from the 1000 variables that come our way every year and threaten yields. When growers follow each one of those Top 5, in order throughout the season, the results are positive and significant.
Which of the Top 5 Factors do you struggle with most?
Let’s take them one at a time and review their benefits.
Factor #1
SOIL CONDITIONS AT PLANTING TIME
You know the one so many farmers violate every year because they see the neighbor running or they feel they need to get started even when it’s not fit. The reason it’s number one is because none of the other 4 factors matter if this one isn’t in place. It’s also the one that ends up costing farmers the most in yield losses every year because they worked the soil and planted the seed when it wasn’t fit to do so.
I want to remind you that almost everything that happens in a field, occurs as a result of either good or not so good soil conditions.
Remember that planting early, is NOT the secret to getting top yields. So conditions at planting are far more important, regardless of when the crop is planted. The goal is to have every plant emerge within 12 hours of each other which creates more uniform plants that produce to their maximum potential, thus dramatically increasing our bushels per/1000 ratings which is the only true way we can measure progress and potential.