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Seed salesmen see no major rotation changes ahead of planting

Seed salesmen say there are no big shifts in planting plans. 

With commodity prices low and margins tight, some seed salesmen tell Brownfield most farmers are sticking to their rotation plans. 

Ben Puestow manages sales in Wisconsin for Beck’s Hybrids. He says, “When we really look at the seed purchase for this spring, we’re not seeing any real big changes. It seems like the rotations are staying on par with what history would suggest.”

Alex Weldon from Pioneer says he’s only seeing one minor change affecting some cropping plans. “We have heard that there are some changes being made out in the countryside in regards to the veggie market, some more additional acres potentially becoming available acres for corn and soybeans, but not to a large scale.”

Puestow says farmers are asking about alfalfa, and when it comes to corn traits, fewer farmers are asking about drought tolerance and tar spot than last year. “We have that pretty figured out as an industry. The thing now that guys are looking for is rootworm traits.”

Weldon says one thing is for sure in this unusual spring. “If we get the crop planted and get some precipitation, I think a lot of guys will be happy.”

The USDA’s Prospective Plantings report comes out Thursday.

Ben Puestow from Beck’s discussed seed sales with Brownfield’s Larry Lee during the WPS Farm Show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.