The grain is in the bin. Dirt has been worked. It’s time to think about next year’s crop. Seed is where it all starts. Nothing is more foundational for profitability than selecting the right seed.

Professional farm managers face unique challenges in seed selection. Managers oversee smaller parcels for multiple clients, each with different conditions and different farming practices. This requires a strategic approach for selecting seed to minimize risk and maximize yield.

Farm managers work with many farmers and can see firsthand what works and what doesn’t across different conditions. Local, operator-led trials provide valuable context-specific insights that broader trials may miss.

Seed reps offer expertise and familiarity with available hybrids, but research — both on the farm and in the office — ensures decisions are data-driven and not solely based on sales pitches. Balance seed rep recommendations with independent plot data, and you’ll make more informed choices.

2024 research plot results

First Mid Ag Services partners with 40 seed companies every year to test hybrids across multiple plots, assessing performance in different environments and publishing results online. Here’s a quick look at some 2024 results:

North Central (LaSalle, Henry, Peoria, Iroquois and Warren counties)

In replicated trials across these counties, NuTech and Asgrow hybrids led in yield and economic returns.

South Central (Champaign, Logan, McDonough and Mason counties)

Southern (St. Clair, Marion and Gallatin counties, and Posey County, Ind.)

Steps to evaluate seed

First Mid Ag Services farm manager Tyler Roth shares the four criteria he recommends when selecting seed:

1. Yield as the North Star. Yield remains the top priority, but it’s not the only consideration. A high-yield hybrid might not always suit a specific farm, especially if it has vulnerabilities like poor disease resistance.

2. Hybrid characteristics. Consider traits like stock quality, drydown capability, and whether a hybrid is offensive or defensive. These characteristics help determine which hybrid will thrive under specific challenges, such as disease pressure or variable weather.

3. Soil type and farm conditions. Different soil types — from clay to loam — demand specific hybrids. Matching hybrids to their environment is key to maximizing productivity.

4. Risk management. Managing risk is a critical element of seed selection. Using multiple hybrids on larger fields ensures diversity; if one hybrid underperforms, others can offset the loss. For high-risk hybrids with strong potential, managers test them on limited acreage before wider use. Balancing reliable performers from previous years with new, potentially better hybrids is key.

Reaching consistent 300-bushel corn and 100-bushel soybeans is the target on the horizon. Modern hybrids push yield boundaries, and some growers have already hit 300 bushels in certain fields. Advancements in breeding, adoption of new traits and trends like early soybean planting are helping move toward these goals.