Covid-19 Safe Practices For a Safe Season

WCAS has postponed its annual meeting for this Thursday 3/19/2020 and will reschedule for later date. Checks have been mailed out. THANK YOU.

As 2019 has come to an end, it's time to get serious for 2020. WCAS agronomists bring you five points to consider for your plan A and plan B..

We sat down with West Central Ag Services finance director, Tracy Gratton and compiled a list of frequently asked questions regarding WCAS finance options.

As harvest approaches, it’s important to review basic grain storage strategies to maintain the quality of stored grain. Here, we outline four strategies to help maintain post-harvest quality, help protect stored grains from insects, and what to look for...

Corn and soybeans found some good news from the Quarterly Stocks report on September 30th and gave the markets a good boost for the week.  The following is the data from the report:

Overall the reports on mostly neutral on all commodities.  The soybean carry-out at 640 million bushels is probably the most bullish of the report. The big news for the week was that China and the U.S. will continue talks in October and as good will gestures tariffs by...

This year’s challenging planting season showed the value that seed treatments have in protecting yield potential. As corn began to tassel this summer, you could really start to see how differences in plant emergence and early-season vigor affected the development of the...

The grain markets took a big hit this week as USDA and FSA released reports.  The long-awaited revision for planted acres dashed away hopes of revisiting highs in the market that were set in June. The corn went down 46 cents, soybeans dropped 21 cents and wheat retreated...

Well that came quick! We are just around the corner of harvest. You have made a lot of decisions this year to get your crops to where they are now. However, we know there are more decisions and planning to come to ensure a sccessful 2020 season.  A few things to keep in...

The grain markets were mixed on the week. Corn was up 8 cents, soybean up 24 cents and wheat was down 4 cents. Everyone is waiting with anticipation for Monday’s USDA WASDE report at 11 am. The outlook for dryer weather in the 8-14-day forecasts and fund positioning...

The grain markets were up slightly on Friday after a very long sharp movement lower.   Since the middle of June, corn has dropped 64 cents soybeans down 80 cents, and wheat is down 60 cents.  Improving weather and crop conditions, fund liquidation, poor exports, and...

A fungicide application represents a considerable investment. Be sure you get the most from it by answering these three questions before applying: What is the hybrid to be sprayed? What is the weather outlook for application day? What is the disease that’s being treated?

Generally, it’s pretty easy to see when stress has taken a toll on crops. But determining what’s causing unhealthy plants sometimes requires extra detective work. Micronutrient deficiencies, for example, are hard to diagnose based on visual symptoms alone. Here are...

The grain market finished the week very strong with corn breaking  $4.00 cash moving 16 cents higher on the week.  Soybeans moved 36 cents higher and wheat finished up 11 cents.  Most of the market move was opposite of the bearish supply and demand report with...

WOW!!!!   A crazy planted acreage report from USDA to finish the week.   For the week, corn dropped 22 cents, soybeans were off 4 cents, and wheat finished up 11 cents. USDA’s June Crop planted acres numbers came in as follows:  

The planting delays have been unprecedented in the United States this year.   Actual planted acres will be a big question mark going forward.  Crop condition also remains in question as a big portion of the crop was planted late and that could mean further yield...

The dicamba deadline is three days away, here are your dicamba tolerant and Liberty Link soybean herbicide options:

Nitrogen management in corn crops is challenging for a number of reasons, one of which is nitrogen’s chemical properties: When in nitrate form, nitrogen is water-soluble, meaning it moves easily with water. If a field receives moderate to heavy rainfall and an...

Rain, rain and more rain. That about sums up the 2019 growing season so far in most regions of the country. Wet soils and unstable temperatures are causing two areas of primary concern:

Have you ever received results of an early-season tissue test that indicated your corn was low on nitrogen? If so, did you wonder if it was because you didn’t apply enough or because the plant roots weren’t big enough to take up the nitrogen that you applied?

Variable-rate application is now common practice in agriculture. Farmers are identifying and treating areas of their fields differently based on productivity, targeting input applications to higher-producing areas and potentially reducing them in lower-producing spots. This...

Plants have nutritional needs in order to grow and be healthy. In order to find out if your plant is getting fed the proper amount of nutrients, plant tissue sampling can help you identify nutrient deficiencies in the crop.

The micronutrient zinc is important to corn plants for a number of reasons. Zinc acts as a catalyst for enzyme creation and is a precursor for auxin hormones that signal seed germination. When early zinc levels are adequate, there is more consistent seed germination and plant...

When it comes to plant nutrition, it seems that N, P and K are often in the limelight. But zinc is an unsung nutrient hero that helps maintain some of a plant’s most important physiological processes. Here are some reasons it’s time to rethink the power of zinc.

We're gearing up for another unpredictable growing season. While we never know exactly how things will shake out at this point in the year, good management from day one is key to crop success. Here are four tips to help mitigate early-season plant stress: 

For most, seed treatments have become standard to get seedlings off to a healthy start. They provide good early-season control, especially when you're planting into cold, wet soil. Which is most guaranteed when you live where we do, especially this year. Using a...

Your seed has the greatest yield potential the day it is planted. From then on, it takes intensive management to get the most of your genetics. Chances are you have a routine in place for managing crops- fertilizing, pest management, and choosing the right hybrid for your...

As you prep for 2019, it’s easy to remember the one part of the field that did really well last season or the other part that wasdisappointing. We tend to look at the outliers because they stand out. But this doesn’t show the whole picture or indicate what you...

The recent release of dicamba tolerant soybeans has opened up dicamba use and significantly increased its utilization in the major corn and soybean production regions. Effective, efficient, and on-target application...

Planting is just around the corner. Every decision you make, including your seed purchase and the ground conditions you place it in, can affect the number on the yield monitor at harvest. When seeds start in cold, wet soils, it can lead to early-season plant stress that can...

Drought conditions, expanding herbicide resistance and limited herbicide availability mean you may not have achieved the weed control you expected last season. That could create more challenges for management this year, requiring a proactive plan to limit yield loss. Use...

Last season, CROPLAN ® hybrids showed us it’s possible to get consistent performance and high yield potential. Our newest class of products, hitting fields for 2023 planting, combines elite germplasm with the latest insect trait technology for excellent performance. We’re...

When you spray an herbicide, not all of its active ingredients make it into the target weeds' leaves. Product antagonism, poor application practices, spray drift, unfavorable weather conditions and volatilization can all contribute to herbicide loss. If half of your weed...

As you prepare for spring, consider a spring burndown herbicide application if winter or spring annual weeds are a problem in your fields. Winter annuals, including marestail, overwinter and resume growing as soon as temperatures warm in the spring. In addition to stealing...

Plant growth regulators have been getting more attention from the agricultural community in recent years, but you may be wondering if they live up to the hype. The Answer Plot® program has generated solid research supporting the benefits of applying plant growth regulators...

Biologicals have grown exponentially in the past few years. What was once focused on specialty crops and other niche markets is now moving into row crops. That said, the market is still relatively young, leaving plenty of room for confusion and skepticism. At WinField United...

Whether selecting which hybrids to plant or determining which fields to spray with fungicide, use response-to fungicide (RTF) scores to help inform your decisions. RTF scores can help you make tailored, hybrid-specific choices based on years of reliable yield data. The Value...

How much time and thought do you put into your seed treatment decisions? If you’re like many growers, probably not too much. Seed treatments are critical for starting your soybean season off successfully. If you have a healthy root system in June, you have the opportunity to...

Choose adjuvants and PGRs backed by research and proven to perform. When choosing adjuvants, how do you know they’ll do the job? The description on the jug? Snazzy marketing? A convincing sales pitch? What about data? In 2023, we may be faced with continued supply constraints...

You can purchase the right equipment, seed and inputs to set your season up for success, but you can’t control the weather. Navigating the challenges of Mother Nature is one of the trickiest parts of farming. This is especially true when it comes to managing crops through...

It’s time to bust the myth once and for all that fungicides aren’t worth investing in. Research has continually shown yield advantages when a fungicide application is made. In fact, our Answer Plot ® trials have consistently shown an average of more than 10 bushel per acre...

Diseases may already be showing up in your corn and soybean fields, so it’s a good time to be scouting your fields for early signs of trouble. With plenty of the season still left, your crop will benefit from a proactive approach to disease management. Here are six tips to...

Plant health is a lofty term that gets tossed around a lot in agronomic conversations. However, when you have a clear definition and actionable strategies, maximizing plant health becomes a very real and important way to help your crop reach closer to their genetic potential...

During the hustle and bustle of planting season, it’s easy to overlook early-season pests that could cause season-long damage to your cotton crop. Thrips, in particular, require proactive management that starts at planting. Follow these actionable tips to protect your crop’s...