By Jerry Hartsock & Dakota Miller
Cutting Edge Consulting & Research Services 

We are but a handful of days or weeks away from the ever-important start of the 2022 growing season. It is IMPERATIVE to be extremely prepared for the start of the season; both physically (equipment, cropping plan details, seed, tillage, etc.) and mentally (business-minded, positive, and with well-informed advice from a great farming circle of influence).

The unique situations facing us this year are twofold with the first being financial.

This growing season is positioning itself to be a top 5 money maker in the 40-45 growing seasons we typically are in command of through our farming careers. Even in the face of increased input costs per acre, primarily from fertilizer, fuel, and equipment, we still have an amazing opportunity to move balance sheets forward by doing things at the utmost of high standards and by doing all the extra things we ask you to do to increase yields.

Secondly, we have an obligation to feed the world in these times of uncertainty in other agricultural producing areas. We have taken on this challenge before without EVER hesitating or asking why and I fully expect you will do the same for the foreseeable future.

With this DUAL Motivation to produce the highest corn and soybean yields, here are some tactics and ideas to accomplish these goals in 2022.

• Think and act like a 300 bpa corn grower and a 100 bpa soybean producer. Mindset is the catalyst for everything!
• Plant with impeccable standards on EVERY ACRE, EVERY DAY!!
  • Think firm, level, and warm seedbed. We need to have the mindset and belief to plant every acre into FIT conditions. (This does NOT take any additional money, just the right belief and attitude.)
  • For corn, consider planting 2 ¼” deep and at 4.2 MPH to bring on uniform stand establishment.
  • Plant soybeans with the same accuracy and standards as corn along with elite seed treatments.
• Have a detailed plan to manage nitrogen all season long and a plan to not be short of other macro and micro nutrients at these commodity prices.
• Be in your fields at crucial times to make in-season decisions.
• Fungicides have a history of providing tremendous returns when used properly.
  • The best results from fungicides have been correlated to starting with a uniform stand, having the best fertility plan, best weed control, and proper timing of application.
• Early harvest at 24 or 25% moisture brings higher yields and much-improved harvest integrity compared to waiting for grain moistures to fall into the teens.
• Focus your attention and motivation to:
  • Corn profitability:
    200 x $6.75 = $1,350.00 gross
    250 x $6.75 = $1,687.50 gross
    300 x $6.75 = $2,025.00 gross
  • Soybean profitability:
    60 x $14.25 = $855.00 gross
    70 x $14.25 = $997.50 gross
    80 x $14.25 = $1,140.00 gross

Enjoy the economic returns of this season as well as the even better feeling from doing your part in feeding the world in this time of need. We are here to help push you and help you strive for these goals in any way that we can. We appreciate your business and look forward to the 2022 growing season as it commences.