Crop Input Planning

Mar 03, 2022


Budget planning

The word of the year: Planning.

I want to start this out with a BIG thank you to all who have come in and made commitments and prepayments for your 2022 crop needs. This is a big help to get us off on the right foot with direction on what products to stock for the upcoming spring season. 

As we head into the tail end of winter and turn the corner into spring, I want to take a few moments and comment on an opportunity that still lies ahead in the coming month: planning. Though discussions of planning ahead have happened over and over this past winter, it remains important as we get closer to spring. 

Knowing that plans change and updates are needed, I encourage everyone to set aside time to review your plan with our team. If you have not had a chance to catch up with one of our Premier Agronomists, call today and make that appointment. This season will be a challenging one as we continue to face logistical issues, bottlenecks that delay shipments, and allocations that don’t look to be out of the picture anytime soon. Any advance planning we can do to offset those issues helps get the products and services you depend on to you in a timely fashion. 

Let me stress that we are in good position on a majority of spring needs and prepaid products, so it’s not doom and gloom. That being said, properly planning ahead increases our ability to provide you with your desired products for those last-minute orders. Planning in agronomy can include any of the following products: seed corn, soybeans, alfalfa, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, surfactants, fertilizers, applications, or soil tests. This planning can also include financing for savings or discussions on how to save soil moisture or what the best residual herbicides for corn and soybean weed control may be. With Premier’s help, you can even crunch the numbers of your own crop profit and loss calculations for this year. Our agronomy division has trained and prepared agronomists ready to support you in making up-to-date, informed decisions for all your agronomy needs.  Call your favorite agronomist or local Premier Cooperative location to get the security you need for your 2022 crop year inputs. 

Thank you for your business, and we look forward to continuing to exceed your expectations in 2022.
 

Ken Jahnke

Sales Manager

 
 

Latest Posts

Mar 03,2023
With spring just around the corner, your cooperative is gearing up for another one of our seasonal rushes…spring planting season. Not only will we see our total employee count peak for the year, but nearly every asset in the company will be in use. While many businesses have equipment and buildings that are in use all year long, our grain and agronomy divisions have millions of dollars invested in some assets that only get used for a few months out of the year. It is critical that these assets are fully operational and ready to go when the season starts. Our agronomy operations team has spent the winter months going through all the equipment to make sure it's in good working order, unwrapping and greasing up the new sprayers, trucks and other equipment we’ve purchased this year, updating technology and precision tools on existing equipment, and conducting hours of training on its use and safety. 

In addition, the crop advisors and admin staff have been putting the finishing touches on crop plans and seed orders, wrapping up input financing and nutrient management plans, hiring and training new staff including college interns to help scout fields, and maybe taking a little time away to get rested for what is sure to be long days and short nights ahead. If you’re still looking to finalize plans for this planting season, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our highly trained crop advisors.

Gearing up for spring is not only about the equipment, but also the additional staff needed to provide the products and services our members rely on to help feed the world. Each year we try to fill about 100 full and part time positions at our eleven agronomy locations. These positions can last from six weeks up to eight months. Most seasonal positions involve delivering product to our members or directly to fields to keep our custom application machines running smoothly. If you or someone you know is interested in seasonal or year-round employment, please contact Shayla at our Mt Horeb office or stop by one of the agronomy locations. The hours can be flexible and available up to seven days a week. If agronomy work isn’t for you, ask about openings at any of our other locations including retail associates, plant operations, truck drivers, administrative professionals and more. Premier is always looking to add quality people to our team.

Thank you for your continued support of Premier Cooperative and its staff. Have a great month and stay safe!
Mar 03,2023
Cattle nutrient requirements can vary by season and stage of production. Now is a great time to evaluate your cattle mineral programs and map out a plan to maximize impact.

While minerals are a relatively small portion of the diet, they control many vital functions in cattle and impact everything from cattle reproduction to feed efficiency and overall herd health. That's why it’s so important to make sure the mineral needs of your cattle are being met year-round.
Mar 03,2023
I know many of you have plans in place for a spring burndown herbicide application. If not, here are a few reasons for you to get in contact with your Premier agronomist to do so. Spring burndown applications typically target winter annuals and perennial grasses that overwinter and resume growing as soon as temperatures warm in the spring.  As they get going in the field they immediately begin stealing water and nutrients from the soil, and can create planting challenges. With the onset of resistant weeds like waterhemp, and standby challenges like giant ragweed, it is a best practice recommendation to add a strong residual herbicide to your preplant spring burndown application.  Doing so helps keep populations down and gets ahead of your first early post application. Here are some tips for establishing clean fields that give your crop a strong start.