Seed: Ask A Good Question; Get A Good Crop

Jan 10, 2017

Good questions to ask your soybean seed supplier

You only get one chance to select your soybean varieties, and there's a lot to consider. Below, University of Wisconsin soybean specialist Shawn Conley, Ph.D., offers five questions you should ask your seed dealer to help you get the information you need to select the right varieties for your acres.

1. What yield data is available?

Ask for a diverse set of yield data. In addition to knowing how well the variety performed in your area last year, it’s important to look at performance data across a variety of environmental conditions. Rapid genetic turnover, coupled with weather variability, makes it critical to select varieties that perform well across environments.

2. What is the source and level of disease resistance?

Know you field history and ask about the level of resistance for key diseases. It’s also important to understand the source of resistance for key diseases, such as soybean cyst nematode, as some traits are more effective than others.

3. What seed treatment options are available?

Ask about seed treatments that can help protect varieties that may be susceptible to key pests and diseases.

4. What herbicide-tolerance traits are available?

Discuss your weed pressures and herbicide-resistance issues you face to help determine the right herbicide-tolerance traits to fit in your weed-management plan.

Video: When is Sustainable Packaging Coming in the Canadian Agri Food Industry? 3 Critical Perspectives

Canada’s regulatory landscape on single-use plastics is complex but a recent ruling by the Federal Court of Appeal sided with the government’s intent to eliminate single-use plastics. What does this mean for the Canadian agri-food industry? How can companies find the right balance between regulatory compliance and implementing costly alternative solutions? What are retailers and consumers saying about sustainable packaging? This webinar features Joshua Goodman, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Sobeys; Marie-Anne Champoux-Guimond, Director of Sustainability, Keurig Dr Pepper Canada and Glenford Jameson, Canadian Food Lawyer, G.S. Jameson and Company

This 60-minute webinar brings together three industry leaders to examine the opportunities, challenges, and realities of the path forward. In this session, you will gain insights into:

•Canada’s regulatory roadmap and timeline on eliminating single-use plastics

•Current end-of-life solutions for plastics and alternative packaging solutions

•The need to have a corporate strategy that aligns with reality at the retail shelves

•How major brands and retailers are pivoting

•Supply chain considerations

•Common misconceptions