Keeping It Independent

Planting season is here! Well, sort of. While some growers in the central Midwest have dabbled in soybeans, corn planting remains largely on hold for now. With the start of the season, many farmers are faced with decisions that can impact their yields. With fluctuating weather patterns and varying soil conditions, timing becomes crucial. In this podcast, we’ll explore insights from agronomy managers Eric Wilson and Robby Meeker on early planting strategies for corn and soybeans, including tips on managing expectations and maximizing yield potential. Links discussed in this episode: Iowa State University - Iowa Environmental Mesonet Between The Rows® - Optimize Plantability Between The Rows® - Early Spring Planting Considerations Between The Rows® - Choosing the Right Planting Rate We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids

Wyffels Hybrids was proud to recently announce its expansion into Nebraska and Indiana for the 2027 growing season. On this bonus "Keeping It Independent" episode, Wyffels sales leaders Bruce Howison and Brian Humphries discuss why now was the right time to expand coverage to these states. They cover what makes Wyffels unique in the seed corn business, and how different departments within the company are preparing to service these new territories. Wyffels’ expansion is the result of a long term, disciplined strategy focused on high productivity corn acres with industry leading seed products and unmatched agronomic support. The company remains committed to being the independent, family-owned option for farmers—delivering choice in an industry where independent seed companies have become increasingly rare. Links discussed in this episode: Our Corn Products Wyffels IN/NE Expansion News We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids

Spring is just around the corner, and for farmers, that means it's time to prepare your equipment for planting. But how do you ensure your planter is ready to deliver the best results? On this week's episode, we’ll cover key maintenance tips to get your planter in top shape for the upcoming season, helping you maximize yields and efficiency. The right adjustments at planting can set the stage for root development that promotes healthier plants and ultimately, higher yields. So don’t rush. Invest the time to do it right. Links discussed in this episode: Planting and Tillage Tools: Leafblower (Video) - Iowa State University Iowa State University Extension and Outreach - Planter University Between The Rows® - Optimize Plantability Between The Rows® - Early Spring Planting Considerations Between The Rows® - Choosing the Right Planting Rate We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids

Ever wonder how winter conditions impact pests in your fields? Let’s dive in! On this week's podcast, Kelly Estes from the University of Illinois shares insights on how weather conditions influence pest survival and trapping methods. As we move into a new growing season, understanding pest behavior and utilizing effective management strategies will be crucial for successful corn production. Kernels of Knowledge: - Stay Informed: Regularly check trapping data and utilize pest prediction tools to stay ahead of pest threats in your fields. - Monitor Weather Effects: Be aware of how weather conditions can impact pest survival and behavior, adjusting management practices accordingly. - Participate in Trapping Programs: Engage with local pest trapping programs to contribute data and gain insights into pest populations in your area. For more in-depth pest management tips and tools, check out the resources below. Links discussed in this episode: Corn ipmPIPE Illinois Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Wyffels Hybrids Corn Rootworm Monitoring Between The Rows® - Monitoring CRW Populations We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Disclaimer: This podcast's discussion of one-year trial results is for educational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of any product or management style mentioned. Results shared are based on specific study conditions and may not be applicable to your situation. Always consult with a qualified professional before making any decisions based on this information. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids

Corn rootworm management is a pressing concern for many growers, but the best strategy isn't the same for everybody. In this week's podcast episode, we explore effective management strategies based on recent research findings. With expert insights from Brent Tharp and Eric Wilson, gain a deeper understanding of how to optimize your corn production while mitigating rootworm damage. Effective management of corn rootworm requires a combination of proactive monitoring and research-backed treatment options. As we continue to explore and refine these strategies, growers can enhance their crop resilience and yield potential. For more insights, consider implementing the discussed practices and continuing to monitor your fields for rootworm activity. Links discussed in this episode: Wyffels Hybrids Corn Rootworm Monitoring Our Corn Products - Wyffels Hybrids Wyffels Hybrids Seed Corn Technology Options Between The Rows® - Monitoring CRW Populations We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids

New Wyffels Hybrids Agronomy Manager Mike Witt is a self-described "talker". While he enjoys getting behind the podcast microphone, he insists it isn't his natural habitat. With the planting season quickly approaching, he's excited to get out in the field and meet Wyffels growers all across western Iowa. In the latest episode of "Keeping It Independent", host Eric Wilson introduces Mike Witt - the newest member of the Wyffels Product and Agronomy team. With over two decades of experience in the agricultural industry, Mike brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to his new role. This episode dives into his background, his vision for agronomic service in western Iowa, and the exciting relationships he plans to forge. Links discussed in this episode: Our Corn Products - Wyffels Hybrids Request our Product Guide Wyffels Hybrids Trial Results We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids

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 individual hybrids express the yield components. Hybrids are planted at low and high populations to determine how hybrid yield components change, or "flex", in response to stress. Ears are collected to determine how the girth, length, and kernel weight are affected by stress. Differences are converted to a percentage to show how each yield component influences total ear flex by product. You can find-tune management to protect genetic yield potential by knowing how hybrids respond to stress. Links discussed in this episode: Our Corn Products - Wyffels Hybrids Request our Product Guide with Yield Component Information. Between the Rows® - Fungicide Use on Wyffels Hybrids Wyffels Hybrids Trial Results We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids

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 environments that favor the development of leaf disease. On today's podcast, the Wyffels agronomy team reviews multiyear data, explores best practices for ROI, and offers thoughts on strategy for 2026. Links discussed in this episode: Between the Rows® - Fungicide Use on Wyffels Hybrids Wyffels Hybrids Trial Results Between the Rows® - Southern Rust We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids

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: Between the Rows® - Fungicide Use on Wyffels Hybrids Wyffels Hybrids Trial Results Iowa Environmental Mesonet We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids

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 record yields, but Iowa fields struggled with Southern Rust and other challenges due largely to high temperatures and extra rain. With corn harvest in the rearview, the Wyffels Agronomy team is ready to break it all down. They take a look at the factors that influenced hybrid performance, and share what lessons can be applied going forward. Part 2 of our mini-series will cover Wisconsin, Illinois, and eastern Iowa. Links discussed in this episode: Between the Rows® - Fungicide Use on Wyffels Hybrids Wyffels Hybrids Trial Results Iowa Environmental Mesonet We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids

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 Rows® - Fungicide Use on Wyffels Hybrids Between the Rows® - Ear Rots and Kernel Molds Wyffels Harvest Progress Report Map We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids

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 2026. Links discussed in this episode: Between the Rows® - Fungicide Use on Wyffels Hybrids Between the Rows® - Ear Rots and Kernel Molds Wyffels Grain Drying Calculator We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it.

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 this episode: Wyffels Yield Calculator Wyffels Grain Drying Calculator Between the Rows® - Corn Pollination and Grain Fill Between the Rows® - Southern Rust

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 and Grain Fill We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it. ► Let’s Connect Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WyffelsHybrids X: https://www.x.com/WyffelsHybrids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wyffelshybrids/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wyffelshybrids #Corn #SeedCorn #Agronomy #Agronomics #Midwest #Farming #rowcrops #fungicide #tarspot #podcast #farmtalk #agribusiness #grainfill #pollination #seedcorn #harvest2025 #southernrust

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: Wyffels Yield Calculator Between the Rows® - Corn Pollination and Grain Fill Between the Rows® - Fungicide Use on Wyffels Hybrids We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it.

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 the perfect time to scout for disease and assess fungicide needs. Links discussed in this episode: Crop Protection Network - Fungicide Efficacy Between the Rows® - Southern Rust Between the Rows® - Tar Spot Between the Rows® - Damage from Summer Storms We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it.

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 can expect as a result. Now’s the perfect time to get out and see how your crop is progressing. Links discussed in this episode: How to Check Corn Pollination - Video Between the Rows® - Tar Spot Between the Rows® - Corn Pollination and Grain Fill Wyffels Hybrids - Corn Rootworm Map We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it.

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 discussed in this episode: Between the Rows® - Damage from Summer Storms Between the Rows® - Tar Spot Between the Rows® - Fungicide Use on Wyffels Hybrids Crop Protection Network - Crop Disease Forecasting Tool Wyffels Hybrids - Corn Rootworm Map We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it.

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 it can do, and what you can do about it. Links discussed in this episode: Between the Rows® - Tar Spot Crop Protection Network - Crop Disease Forecasting Tool Iowa State University - "Tar Spot in Central Iowa Should Not be a Surprise" We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it.

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 the Rows® - Monitoring CRW Populations Iowa State - Rootworm Eggs Reaching Peak Hatch Wyffels Hybrids - CRW Monitoring Map We want to hear from you. Have questions you want us to address on future episodes? Ideas for how we can make this better? Email us at agronomy@wyffels.com. Wyffels Hybrids. Fiercely independent, and proud of it.