In August, Corn+Soybean Digest got an exclusive invitation to attend a John Deere employee and dealer educational event focused on demonstrating the latest economic and agronomic information on corn and soybean production.

Called the LEAD (Leading Economic and Agronomic Decisions) Event, the company highlights better ways to farm through story-telling and visualization founded on real observations and research.

John Deere strives to convey the agronomic benefit and possible economic gain while comparing outcomes of current farming methods and technologies with fresh approaches, equipment configurations and technologies.

The day-long session featured four key areas:

1)      Higher soybean yields with earlier planting dates and narrow rows, and economic savings with lower population rates.

2)      Sizing and positioning residue from harvest through planting for best emergence, early growth and ear count in corn-on-corn.

3)      Responding to a corn crop’s need for nitrogen based on crop stage and spatial variability.

4)      Importance of good coverage from spraying applications for weed, disease and insect control.

Click through this photo gallery to learn what John Deere reps relayed to the groups at a site near Ames, Iowa.