Missouri Ruralist logo

Talc replacements offer promising ROITalc replacements offer promising ROI

What new seed box products are available, and why are they catching on?

Mindy Ward, Editor, Missouri Ruralist

January 23, 2025

3 Min Read
Hands pouring graphite into a seed box
UP YOUR GAME: Using graphite alone improves seed flowability, but farmers are now trying talc replacements to boost seed performance and profitability. Photos by Mindy Ward

Many farmers use talc or graphite for smooth seed flow through planters, but new products offer added benefits like micronutrients or biologicals, improving return on investment.

Adding talc or graphite to the seed box improves flowability, which provides uniform spacing and depth placement. However, companies are developing products that go beyond the basics and enter the sphere of seed and soil health.

“I really like the idea of a talc replacement product,” says Alex Long, northern Missouri field agronomist with Beck’s Hybrid. “I can save money on talc and graphite by using something that already has it in it.”

He urges farmers to look at the data on these types of products to see which ones provide the best payback. Beck’s Practical Farm Research is one place to start.

Results show opportunities

The company tested talc replacements for corn and soybeans. Long outlines a few product results:

GroPak. It includes boron, manganese and zinc, along with talc replacement. In the past two years, GroPak showed an average of $26-per-acre ROI on corn. In a three-year, multistate study in both corn and soybeans, it showed nearly a $9-per-acre benefit.

Seed+Graphite. It is similar to GroPak, but with even better seed flow. Farmers testing report they are getting better seed versus their normal talc product. It resulted in a $43-per-acre ROI with corn. Again, in a three-year study, it produced nearly a $9-per-acre return in soybeans and corn.

Biologicals' place in bean planter

Stride Bio, a product with a biological component, showed impressive results on corn and soybeans in its first year of testing.

Corn results showed it returned $75 per acre in 2023. But Long cautioned against jumping on board after only one year of data.

“We should never make decisions based on one year of data,” he warns. “It is possible that the following two years could be negative. You can’t really predict how a product will perform after only one year.”

While it may still be in the early stages for corn, Stride Bio is a good bet for soybean farmers.

“Soybeans often get better returns from biologicals compared to corn,” Long notes.

Alex Long, Beck's agronomist

Over three years, Stride Bio had an average ROI of nearly $21 per acre.

Long adds that other soybean products with biologicals — such as Revline Hopper Throttle, which also includes an inoculant — show promise with nearly $17-per-acre returns.

However, he cautions that some products with biological components can be pricey, so it’s important to weigh costs against potential benefits.

Takeaways for farmers

Long’s advice for talc replacement with biologicals is to test small areas, compare results and find what works for your farm.

Products such as GroPak and Seed+Graphite are great starting points for corn. For soybeans, consider inoculants like Graph-Ex SA.

By starting small and using research-backed products, Long adds, farmers can stay ahead of the curve and find what delivers real value for their operation.

Read more about:

BiologicalsSeed

About the Author

Mindy Ward

Editor, Missouri Ruralist

Mindy resides on a small farm just outside of Holstein, Mo, about 80 miles southwest of St. Louis.

After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism, she worked briefly at a public relations firm in Kansas City. Her husband’s career led the couple north to Minnesota.

There, she reported on large-scale production of corn, soybeans, sugar beets, and dairy, as well as, biofuels for The Land. After 10 years, the couple returned to Missouri and she began covering agriculture in the Show-Me State.

“In all my 15 years of writing about agriculture, I have found some of the most progressive thinkers are farmers,” she says. “They are constantly searching for ways to do more with less, improve their land and leave their legacy to the next generation.”

Mindy and her husband, Stacy, together with their daughters, Elisa and Cassidy, operate Showtime Farms in southern Warren County. The family spends a great deal of time caring for and showing Dorset, Oxford and crossbred sheep.

Subscribe to receive top agriculture news
Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters

You May Also Like