Volume 17 Issue 5 September 2007

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF CROP QUEST AGRONOMIC SERVICES, INC.

HARVESTSORGHUM AID HELPS ON GRAIN

It has always been tough to plant milo ground back to wheat in the fall. Sorghum matures later than corn or soybeans and as the days get shorter and the weather cooler, it seems to take forever for the grain sorghum to dry down. Some producers have tried planting a short season milo hybrid earlier in the spring, so it matures by late August. This allows them to rotate into winter wheat in the same year rather than lay the ground fallow for 12 months. Growers also have been sacrificing some yield potential by planting shorter term sorghum. With temperatures still high in September, even after the crop is harvested, sorghum will try to put out new growth which will continue until it is killed by a frost. This sorghum regrowth depletes moisture needed for the wheat crop that will soon be planted and may also harbor aphids and other insects that are unleashed on the new wheat plants soon after emergence. A better approach to planting wheat right behind a milo crop is to use a harvest aid treatment of glyphosate as the grain reaches maturity. By spraying the plants when

the grain is mature, there is no reduction in test weight at harvest time. With the leaves and stalks dead and dried up, the grain will dry down quickly and the milo plants will stop using moisture from the soil. Because the milo plant is killed, this combination technique will do a better job of spreading out the crop residue making it easier to no-till the wheat directly into the milo stubble. Using a harvest aid allows the grain to dry down quicker. The grain will be at harvestable moisture 7 to 14 days earlier than if the field were not sprayed. A normal maturity milo can be planted and not sacrifice the yield potential like you would with an earlier maturity hybrid. This also shortens the time that birds and other animals will have to feed on the grain. In some locations, the crop loss caused by wildlife can be very significant. With one application of chemical, the milo crop can be harvested and rotated back to wheat in a timelier manner.

By: Jim Gleason Regional Vice President St. John, Kan.

Crop Quest Perspectives

As summer comes to a close, it is time to start making plans for President the next cropping season. DryMember, National Alliance land wheat producers will have of Independent Crop already made decisions by the Consultants, CPCC-I Certified time this newsletter is printed, but those with irrigated crops will have to decide whether to plant back to a small grain crop or to wait and plant next spring to a row crop. Prices for most of these crops are still hovering at high levels which make any cropping decision a good one that will ensure profitability next season. Because of tight supplies worldwide and the
By: Ron OHanlon,

PLANNING AHEAD
growing demand ethanol plants are exerting for both corn and grain sorghum, it appears the prices may remain at profitable levels in the near future. Despite these high prices, many farmers are still struggling financially because of all the natural disasters and excess rain in particular, while other farmers are enjoying their most profitable year ever. Wheat seed for planting will be in short supply this year due to the late spring freeze and other weather related events such as flooding. This may keep some acreage that normally would have been seeded from being planted back to wheat. Soybeans are finally getting up in price where they may be able to once

again compete for corn acres. Grain sorghum is a very competitive crop on those acres where water is not sufficient to raise corn or soybeans. Even alfalfa has enjoyed a competitive price for the past couple of years, but this crop becomes a longer term commitment with a high labor requirement and works best for those who have planned further ahead than one year at a time. As you make plans for the next cropping season, keep in mind that your Crop Quest agronomist is there to help in hybrid/variety selection, fertility and tillage management, crop rotation recommendations, equipment suggestions and crop budget analysis. It is our business to help you have a successful cropping season.

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

A picture is supposed to be worth a thousand words, although sometimes a stride through a field can reveal as much or more to an agronomist than a photograph. When sophisticated digital aerial imagery is combined with the expertise of experienced crop consultants who know the lay of the land, growers and livestock producers can be sure theyre getting their moneys worth, in terms of increased yields and efficient application of inputs such as seed and fertilizer. An important component of Crop Quests business philosophy is staying current with the rapidly developing technologies available for agricultural land management. Aerial imagery provides another layer to analyze with existing yield, soil topography, soil testing or other data to provide a complete picture of what is going on at a specific location within a field. For example, when a NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) image depicts a particular section of the farm to be in the red zone, it indicates vegetation is not abundant, whereas a green zone indicates abundant vegetation. The low-end (red zone) reading might suggest a lack of fertilizer, says Robert Gillespie, a Precision Ag Specialist for Crop Quest. The low end reading might also be caused by other problems, he points out, like topography, water issues or soil type. Gillespie says, Because our agronomists know the fields that they scout very well, they can interpret the readings more precisely and give the producer a more accurate recommendation. Robert Gillespie Aerial images are taken from around 8,000 feet and are fully georeferenced in natural color, near-infrared and NDVI formats, with an accuracy of one meter. The aerial imagery unit employs an integrated global positioning system (GPS), inertial measurement unit (IMU) and digital 4-camera
Crop Quest Perspectives

array. The external sensor is housed in a compact, portable unit that attaches to any compatible single-engine aircraft (such as a Cessna 172) and is connected to an internal computer with a touch screen display and flightline steering bar. Sometimes producers dont need anything fancier from aerial photography than a high quality natural image of a feedlot showing the pens and alley ways. Natural images, explains Gillespie, for instance, give growers and producers a visual perspective for managing their assets, appraising land values and so on. Integrating John Deere imagery has allowed Crop Quest to develop a better way for our clients to see what is going on in the fields. We can now streamline the production of GISready imagery for our clients, Gillespie says, from flight mission planning to image capture and processing to final delivery. Crop Quests Precision Ag division provides all of these services to benefit the producer. Call one of our Precision Ag Specialists to learn more about generating higher returns from this agricultural An example of an NDVI image. investment.
www.cropquest.com

Nutrient Management Plans Improve Stewardship And Lead To Profitability

Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs) are effective tools for overseeing and controlling fertilizer input and animal waste handling costs. They also constitute useful guidelines as producers and growers introduce good management practices to their operations. And NMPs play a major role in maintaining and improving surface water quality which is the reason they were established in the first place 30 years ago by the EPA, and tweaked, revised and augmented over the years by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and state environmental agencies. But NMPs can be confusing, open to interpretation and require piles of paperwork and time to bring a producer into compliance and the plans need to be signed-off by an agronomist or produc-

NMP

Grant Havel reviews NMP data.

tion specialist certified by the NRCS and state regulatory agencies. States have differing programs. In Minnesota, permits are required for facilities with as few as 50 animals. Operations of any size in Nebraska require a permit if they have potential to discharge. Some states, like Kansas, expand on federal rules by regulating confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) that are smaller than the EPA cutoff point of 1,000. Several states have laws with enforceable requirements concerning non-point source pollution from manure and fertilizers. Crop Quest boasts two certified Technical Service Providers (TSPs), - Randy Waldren, in the Dodge City Headquarters office, and Grant Havel, in the Silver Lake Division in NE Kan. Waldren and Havel specialize in the various aspects of NRCS and state regultory agencies compliance and are certified through the EPA and the NRCS to draw up comprehensive NMPs. Havel, for instance, draws up Nutrient and Pest Management Plans that focus on fertilizers, pesticides and other nutrients used in crop production; these plans work with the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and Conservation Security Program (CSP) that producers are enrolled in. Much of his work involves

assisting producers in collecting information and documentation for these programs. Waldren, on the other hand, directs much of his attention to more comprehensive plans on solid and liquid waste disposal. Several of Waldrens customers are larger operations such as feedlots. The biggest challenge growers and producers face in toeing the line with NMP regulations is poor record-keeping. Thats where Crop Quests multi-faceted services of collecting and organizing production data and establishing business models for the farm fall in line with the documentation the NRCS requires in its NMPs. Elements of an NMP include site and soil maps; yield mapping; soil, plant, water and organic nutrient analysis; quantification of nutrient sources; and rate, timing and method of application. The data required for an NMP is the same as what were already doing in the normal course of our crop consulting services as we generate detailed weekly producer reports, says Havel. All states, however, advise their farmers and producers to view NMPs not as another regulatory hoop to jump through, but as an opportunity to improve the profitability of their operations. The EPA and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment simply want a better handle on the nutrients being generated and how solid and liquid wastes will be applied to agricultural land that does not exceed the normal crop removal of nutrients, says Waldren. The NMP itself, according to Havel, is a document that shows precisely what and how nutrients will be used on a farm. The function of Randy Waldren the plan, he explains, is to mitigate environmental damage and to maintain the chemical and biological condition of the soil. So, it makes sense for farmers and producers to take advantage of Crop Quests dual capability both to deliver crop consultation that enhances the profitability of a farm or feedlot and to prepare a properly documented NMP that complies with NRCS requirements.

Crop Quest Perspectives

Crop Quest Consultants

On The Move

As a growing company, one of Crop Quests responsibilities is and, overall, has 23 years of experience as a crop consultant from to be sure its outlying offices and territories are staffed with the time he graduated from Kansas State University with a degree highly qualified agronomists and consultants. As Crop Quest in agronomy. Chris grew up in Minneola, Kan., and worked on expands, it remains committed to ensuring its clients will always his grandfathers farm. He is particularly interested in alfalfa and have access to the top people in the industry and that any staff notes the alfalfa crop in Crop Quests Silver Lake territory has transitions will occur seamlessly. expanded exponentially. McInteers family is also Recently Crop Quest has transferred a couple of its key eagerly anticipating the move; they will be managers to management positions in different locations in living in St. Marys just northeast of Topeka addition to bringing on another veteran crop consultant to work where his wife will be a first grade teacher in full time in the Dodge City headquarters. the school district there. Scott Beguelin, the current manager of the SilMonte Hampton brings more than 20 ver Lake operation in eastern Kansas, is heading years experience in crop sciences and south to run the Uvalde, Tex., office. Beguelin has consulting as he joins the Crop Quest worked the Silver Lake territory for 15 years, team in the Dodge City operation. Monte Hampton but says he is looking forward to the move west Hampton has a degree in animal of San Antonio. science and agronomy from Fort Hays I am looking for new experiences and State University. He has taught classes on basic agronomy, to expand my knowledge of other crops, plant physiology, weeds and insects as an instructor at Dodge says Beguelin, who has spent almost Community College in addition to working with producers 20 years as a crop consultant starting through his former work as a crop consultant and an Extension Scott Beguelin out in Hutchison, Kan. Specifically, Agent with Kansas State Research and Extension Service. Beguelin is anxious to get involved with southern crops like Hampton says he knows many farmers and ranchers in cotton, peanuts and sesame after devoting his career thus Southwest Kansas but is eager to meet and work with far to crops such as soybeans, corn, winter wheat, milo and new producers. Although his crop experience is broad, alfalfa. But he has one specialty from the north that he Hampton has worked a lot with wheat, setting up strip and wants to import: sod and turf management. Scott is a plot demonstration trials in field situations. Monte Kansas State University graduate in agronomy. also has a ranching background, and his family Chris McInteer, currently working in the Dodge founded Hamptons Arena where rodeo events have City division, will be taking over for Beguelin as been staged for years. the manager of the Silver Lake office. McInteer has Chris McInteer been with Crop Quest since its inception in 1992

Crop Quest is an employee-owned company dedicated to providing the highest quality agricultural services for each customer. The quest of our network of professionals is to practice integrity and innovation to ensure our services are economically and environmentally sound.

Mission Statement

Crop Quest Agronomic Services, Inc. Main Office: Phone 620.225.2233 Fax 620.225.3199 Internet: www.cropquest.com cqoffice@cropquest.com

Employee-Owned & Customer Driven

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DODGE CITY KS PERMIT NO. 433

Crop Quest Board of Directors

President: Director: Director: Director: Director: Director: Ron OHanlon Jim Gleason Dwight Koops Cort Minor Chris McInteer Rob Benyshek