Keeping It Independent

Seed corn package diversity is more than relative maturity. Hybrids build yield in a variety a ways - ear length, ear girth, kernel weight. It's important to know how each product gets to the finish line and what package can work best on your acres. On today's podcast, the Wyffels agronomy managers discuss our yield component trials. Wyffels has conducted research to better understand how individu...

It's mid-December and we're still talking fungicide. Why? After what we saw in 2025, it requires a deeper dive before 2026 decisions are made. Fungicides are a valuable tool for raising high yielding corn. The benefits include increased yield, improved plant health and better standability at harvest. All hybrids can respond positively to a properly timed fungicide application, especially in enviro...

So, what just happened? With corn harvest in the rearview, the Wyffels Agronomy team is ready to break it all down. Today's podcast reviews the 2025 growing season in Wisconsin, Illinois, and eastern Iowa. What went right? What impacted performance? What lessons can we take from it going forward? Listen to Part 1 - South Dakota, Minnesota, and western Iowa HERE. Links discussed in this episode: Be...

So, what just happened? Today's podcast focuses on the 2025 growing season in eastern South Dakota, southern Minnesota, and into Iowa. To the north, corn growers saw favorable conditions and spots with record yields, but Iowa fields struggled with Southern Rust and other challenges amid hot, wet conditions. With corn harvest in the rearview, the Wyffels Agronomy team is ready to break it all down....

Harvest is in full swing across the Corn Belt! And yield results are looking extremely variable. A wild season of heat, drought, excessive rainfall, and other environmental challenges have made for a unique corn harvest. On this week's podcast, the Wyffels agronomy team discusses harvest progress, yield component analysis, fall fertilizer, and more. Links discussed in this episode: Between the Row...

Harvest is coming in hot! Combines are rolling in parts of the Corn Belt and we're seeing a mixed bag of results. Southern Rust, drought, extreme heat, fungicide decisions, and more are impacting yields in significant ways.  On this week's podcast, the Wyffels agronomy team discusses disease management, early harvest returns, and what we should (and should not) take from 2025 as we look ahead to 2...

Yield is important, but so is ROI. When budgets get tight, what are the best management decisions for your corn acres? What tools and tips make those decisions easier? On this week's episode, the Wyffels agronomy team discuss what corn growers can do to finish 2025 strong, management suggestions as we look ahead to 2026, and they give a brief update on current crop conditions. Links discussed in t...

After a blazing hot summer, what's next for the corn crop as we head into September? How does this time of year impact yields and harvest timing? On this week's podcast, the Wyffels agronomy team discusses disease pressure, grain fill, and what to expect ahead of harvest. Links discussed in this episode: Wyffels Yield Calculator Wyffels Grain Drying Calculator Between the Rows® - Corn Pollination...

August is coming in hot! After an "extreme" start to pollination with high temps and lots of rain for much of the Corn Belt, we're entering an uncertain period. Will we see extra special yields come harvest? Or will the wild weather deny us? On this week's podcast, the Wyffels agronomy team discusses pollination, grain fill, and the late season fungicide decision. Links discussed in this episode:...

August is shaping up to be a game of disease whack-a-mole. Recent heat and rain in the Central Corn Belt have fueled Southern Rust development, but the upcoming cool-down looks ideal for tar spot. Are you prepared to manage it all?  On this week's podcast, Wyffels Agronomy Managers Eric Wilson and Jared Goplen talk about late summer disease threats, and touch on the impact of recent storms.  Now’s...

It's the story of July. There’s been a lot of chatter in the field this week about corn pollination. While no Wyffels products are currently experiencing this issue, it remains something to monitor amid the Corn Belt's high temperatures. On this week's podcast, Wyffels Agronomy Managers Robby Meeker, Ryan Gentle, and Eric Wilson talk us through what's happening, what it looks like, and what you ca...

July weather in the Corn Belt? Let’s just say…temperamental. Storms here. Dry there. Lots of heat. Foggy mornings. Mother Nature is throwing everything at us, and it could lead to a tricky end to the growing season.  On this week's show, the Wyffels agronomy team covers disease management, wind damage from recent storms, and closes out the episode with a corn rootworm pressure check-in. Links disc...

Things are heating up as we enter the heart of the growing season. Corn is growing rapidly and disease is popping up in fields across the Central Corn Belt. On this week's episode, the Wyffels agronomy team is digging into everything you need to know when it comes to making that fungicide decision. They also take a closer look at tar spot and gray leaf spot - how common it is, what kind of damage...

As summer heats up, the corn is growing fast and corn rootworm hatching has reached its peak. In today's episode, the Wyffels agronomy team tackles best practices for monitoring and managing corn rootworm pressure. Plus, they take a look at hail damage's impact on yield, and give a quick update on tar spot popping up on the fringes of the central Midwest. Links discussed in this episode: Between t...

With planting season all but wrapped up across the Corn Belt, our attention shifts to post apps. On this week's episode, the Wyffels agronomy team discusses best practices for managing early-stage corn, stress concerns, and seeing the crop through its "ugly duckling" phase. Links discussed in this episode: Between the Rows ®  - Herbicide Injury in Corn Is It Herbicide Injury or Environmental Leaf...

As planting season winds down for much of the Central Corn Belt, new challenges arise. Wyffels Hybrids agronomy managers Ryan Gentle and Eric Wilson dive into crusting issues, rotary hoeing, replant considerations, and more. They also do a quick check in on southern Illinois where persistent rains have made for a slow and tricky planting season. Links discussed in this episode: Between the Rows ®...

We get it. No one wants to read all the planter user manuals. That's why at Wyffels, we've done some of the work for you.  This week on "Keeping It Independent," the Wyffels agronomy team covers planter optimization and provides a Midwest corn planting update.  Accurate singulation and seed placement are critical to maximizing corn yield. A planter that is properly maintained and set up will help...

Just when you think it's time to plant, Mother Nature has other ideas.  Corn planting got off to a strong start across much of the Corn Belt in mid-April, but recent rains have slowed down progress. This week's weather was expected to be favorable, but spotty showers could delay planting into next week.   The Wyffels agronomy team discusses the 2025 Planting Progress Report, weather trends, the Gr...

Planting season is here! Well, almost. The planters might not be rolling for most of the Corn Belt yet, but it's the perfect time to make sure everything's ready for go-time. On this week's episode, Wyffels agronomy managers Eric Wilson, Ryan Gentle, and Robby Meeker discuss current conditions, early corn planting considerations, and Wyffels' tools and resources for the spring. Links discussed in...

Today, we're talking pests with University of Illinois' Kelly Estes. Kelly coordinates the Illinois Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program which focuses on the early detection and surveillance of harmful or economically significant exotic plant pests, diseases, and weeds that have eluded first-line of defense inspections or have been identified as threats to U.S. agriculture and/or th...

Is that spring we see out there? The planters might not be rolling yet, but recent warm weather has us thinking about spring management decisions. On this week's episode, Wyffels agronomy managers Eric Wilson and Robby Meeker discuss continuous corn considerations, and tips for managing nitrogen and tillage. Links discussed in this episode: Wyffels Hybrids - Corn Rootworm Monitoring Program Betwee...

When you're thumbing through a seed corn product guide, do you ever wonder where the "product ratings" come from? Or what those numbers actually mean? On this week's episode, we answer those burning questions. Agronomy experts Eric Wilson and Brent Tharp are joined by Wyffels corn breeder Devin Nichols to discuss. They explain how the Wyffels team uses multiple years of data and in-field observati...

Ear flex is a key factor in a corn plant's ability to adapt to environmental conditions and maximize yield potential. On this week's episode, we explore all things ear flex. Agronomy Managers Eric Wilson and Robby Meeker dive into our internal yield component trials, look at how different hybrids flex, and remind listeners that RM isn't the only factor in building a diverse package. You can find y...

Agronomy Managers Eric Wilson and Ryan Gentle explore the world of stabilizers/inhibitors. They talk about best practices for using the different products that slow down nitrification. These are valuable tools, but not magic cure-alls for poor nitrogen management. A lot of variables can impact effectiveness, so making sure farmers understand each product's capabilities is vital. Links discussed in...

Nitrogen isn't a simple topic. With multiple forms, and multiple variables impacting effectiveness, it can feel overwhelming. On this week's episode, the we dive into the pros and cons of nitrogen forms. Agronomy Managers Eric Wilson and Jared Goplen dive into manure, anhydrous ammonia, urea, urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN), and discuss the when/where/why for each approach.  Links discussed in this ep...