Pioneer recognizes customers, partners at banquet
BROKEN BOW - Nearly 100 local corn growers and their Pioneer representatives gathered for the 2023 annual Pioneer Corn Banquet Feb. 8. Territory manager Warren Coulter said the banquet is a time to not only share information but also to thank customers for their partnerships with test plots and for their business.
Pioneer has 45 to 65 corn test plots in the territory each year and five to 10 soybean plots.
“We appreciate what you do to improve your farm and the farms around you,” Coulter said in his welcoming message. “We gain a lot of information to help with the next year,” Coulter explained.
Scott Dugan, Pioneer territory field agronomist, gave a brief overview of 2022. He said many people compared 2022’s dry conditions to 2012 however, there was one big difference. “2011 had moisture. We came out of 2021 with very little moisture,” he pointed out.
In addition to dry conditions, Dugan said wind was a big factor with consistent winds of up to 27 mph in April and May with some winds up to 70 or higher. “I’m a native Nebraskan,” he said, “And this was the first year I wanted to get out of Nebraska.”
Challenges in 2022 also included clumped residue in fields, hard soil, a freeze in May (even after some producers had turned on pivots), hail, heat stress and insects.
“There were a lot of problems with emergence,” Dugan stated. “There was replant after replant after replant in some cases.”
On the plus side, Dugan said solar radiation came at the right time for grain fill. “Yields were good, given the challenges of the year,” Dugan said.
Coulter asked plot producers to stand and then called out the years in five year increments. Left standing at the 45-yearmark were Don Cantrell of Cantrell Farms and Marty Petska of Akstep Farms.
Pioneer presented awards for the top three yields in test plot for soybeans, dry land corn and irrigated corn for 2022. They are:
Soybeans Highest Plot Average: First place, 88.9 bu/ac, Carl and Nathan Larson; Second, 84.0 bu/ac, Coleman Farms; Third, 81.6 bu/ac, Steve Kaps.
Dryland Corn Highest Plot Average: First place, 162.4 bu/ac, Silver K Farms; Second, 98.8 bu/ ac, Boyd Cool; Third, 97.4 bu/ac, Lane Schmidt.
Irrigated Corn Highest Plot Average: First place, 292.6 bu/ac, Knapp Cattle Co.; Second, 291.2 bu/ac, Akstep Farms; Third, 283.9 bu/ac, Jefferes and Sons, Inc.
Lining up for a photo, Boyd Cool of Callaway commented that he has been farmer for 80 years. “I upset my first tractor when I was eight,” he said.
Four producers were welcomed into the 300-bushel club for corn harvest. They were Knapp Cattle Co., Stam Bros., B&D Giffin and Heath Schake.
Jay Knapp and his son, Adam, farm near Ord. Asked what it takes to produce 300 bu/ac, Jay said, “You’ve got to plant it and you’ve got to harvest it,” then he added with a grin, “And be a little lucky.”
He was also asked about the heavy snow the area received in January. “It’s going to help pin down the residue. That was really a problem last year.” He added, “The best beans I ever raised got snow. It was after planting but before emergence and they were the best beans I ever had.”