January 19, 2023
North Carolina’s Corn Yield Record Shattered with AgVenture’s AV9916AM™
Johnston, Iowa – AgVenture, Inc. is pleased to announce a new state yield record in North Carolina. Russell Hedrick shattered the state yield record with his winning entry of 459.51 bushels per acre in the 2022 North Carolina Corn Growers Yield Contest. Hedrick, who registered his winning dryland yield with AV9916AM™, is a customer of Sweetwater Creek Seeds, an independent seed company selling AgVenture corn and soybean products, owned and operated by Clif Hardison, and based in Williamston, North Carolina.
Photo courtesy of Russell Hedrick
“A lot of people don’t really understand exactly how this season happened,” said Hedrick, who was awarded the overall yield winner and 1st place winner of the Central Region at the 33rd Annual NC Commodities Conference, hosted by the Corn Growers Association of North Carolina, on Thursday, January 12, 2023.
Dedication to his fields and the growing crops is essential to Hedrick’s success. “I would say that we cover every acre of corn at least every fourth day,” he said. “As a farmer, the visual indicators of getting out in that field, seeing the crop conditions, weed pressure, insect pressure, disease pressure, and really being able to see that with your own eyes, make all the difference. I don’t think all farmers truly understand that doing a lot of your own agronomy work is some of the best return on investment for us, versus having just standard scouting done by others. I know other farmers do this too, but we just think that ultimately, we can make better management decisions and get a better return on investment, so we do a lot of field walking.”
Hedrick met AgVenture High Plains owner Nick Vos in 2017 at No-Till On the Plains, when Vos had just begun selling AgVenture corn, soybean, and sorghum products. “He told me about a 118-day variety that they had tried down in Oklahoma and it really piqued our interest in AgVenture.”
Wesley Bowen, a friend of Hedrick’s, sells AgVenture products for Sweetwater Creek Seeds, and introduced him to Hardison and his business. “Working with Clif and Brooks, it’s been fun for me as a farmer,” Hedrick said. “If we see agronomy packages that we like in certain varieties, they’ve already done plot work on it and are one step ahead of us. They can come back to us with information and we can fit another variety into our operation.”
AV9916AM™ field. Photo courtesy of Russell Hedrick
A first-generation farmer in Hickory, NC, Hedrick utilizes up-and-coming technologies and practices on his operation to optimize nutrient management. “There’s not just one thing, but we definitely spoon feed our crop along. Typically on 90 percent of our corn acres, we’ll make a minimum of two passes on our corn acres. On contest plots, it’s not uncommon to run six or seven passes and spoon feed that crop along when it needs it, really pushing for these maximum yields.”
AV9916AM™ ear. Photo courtesy of Russell Hedrick
“There’s so many things that we’ve learned from so many different people and tried them out, it really took us four-to-five years to find that sweet spot to see a return on these practices that we’re using.”
A 116-day hybrid with the Optimum® AcreMax® trait, AV9916AM™ is a full season yield leader with very good drought tolerance, and above average root and stalk strength.
“AgVenture brand AV9916AM™ has shown exceptional yield response to management practices implemented through our Maximum Profit System™,” said AgVenture Product Portfolio Manager Darren Bakken. “Our most recent hybrid advancement classes, which include products like AV9916AM™, continue raising the bar for yield and agronomic performance in the field.”
Warren Hardy. Photo courtesy of Sweetwater Creek Seeds Inc
Another Sweetwater Creek Seeds customer, Warren Hardy from Seven Springs, NC, recorded a third-place overall finish in the state contest with AV9916AM™ recording a yield of 291.50 bushels per acre. Hardy’s yield was the winner of the Southern Coastal Plain region.
AgVenture’s dedicated product team works with yield specialists at independent seed companies across the country to select and place the best products on the best fields. To find your locally owned and operated AgVenture Independent Seed Company and to learn what AgVenture hybrids are best suited for your fields, visit AgVenture.com/Find.
About AgVenture
AgVenture, Inc. is the nation’s largest network of independently owned and managed seed companies. AgVenture provides its growing network of companies with seed products that surpass industry required quality standards, as well as leading-edge genetics and technology. Since 1983, this unique marketing approach has allowed each individual company to match the seed products it sells to the specific needs of the geographical area it serves. Based in Johnston, Iowa, AgVenture strives to help every farmer realize more profit from every field with professional seed representation at a local level.
About Corteva Agriscience
Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) is a publicly traded, global pure-play agriculture company that combines industry-leading innovations, high-touch customer engagement and operational execution to profitably deliver solutions for the world’s most pressing agriculture challenges. Corteva generates advantaged market preference through its unique distribution strategy, together with its balanced and globally diverse mix of seed, crop protection, and digital products and services. With some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and a technology pipeline well positioned to drive growth, the company is committed to maximizing productivity for farmers, while working with stakeholders throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come. More information can be found at www.corteva.com.
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For additional information, please visit www.agventure.com