How do producers feel about BASF’s new 10 acre bag canola packaging?
I think it’s great for guys that didn’t seed by tsw
If you seed by Tsw, the 50# bag size is generally in your favour. The cost to producers will be more in most cases and the generation who believe 5# is the standard rate will be disappointed when that bag covers 8-9acres at 5#
Using my tsw numbers in the last 4 years I feel it will cost me about 8% more in seed cost. Interested to get an average bag weight. I’ll bet the numbers are not in the producers favour.
For decades we have been advised to seed the healthiest, largest seed with the best seedling vigor and germination. Now these greedy buggers not only want to sell us this undersized seed, but only want to provide us with a set number of potential plants per acre. When we buy corn seed, we expect one plant for every seed we buy. Do we know exactly what percentage of these puny undersized seeds actually make viable plants ?
50 to 70 percent of seeds produce a viable plant
Absolute rip off. They figured out average guy only seeding 4.6 lb / ac so figured this was another way to top up the coffers. Between annual increase of seed prices and this additional 10% upcharge (by losing seed count) Invigor is off the table for me. The release was supposed to happen last year, postponed for some reason. NOT for the farmer as they proclaim. Anyone with a pencil and a calculator can figure that out.
Farmers are their own worst enemy. How do new players in Liberty Link canola system start selling seed at the same price as varieties with many site years of data? If everyone sat back and tried a few acres pricing would have to be more conservative, instead you have farmers rushing out with cheque book inhand validating a price regime.
The traditional seed system was a real lottery as far as TKW. For the most part we couldn't order seed with low TKW. The truck would show up with what we had preordered and that was that. I could cherry pick seed at the seed shed later in the season for a small percentage of our seed needs. If the seed costs go a lot higher on average from before then competition from other seed sellers will increase.
This was a Bayer innovation that BASF acquired with the Bayer-Monsanto take over. Seededing L233p with a low TKW saved 10-20% keeping the plant stand the same. It’s disappointing and I am nervous other seed companies will all take this route to earn more as well. There is no benefit to farmers here.
Bags of similar volume were easy to calibrate with marks inside the seed cart. One marking of four markings, would seed the exact acres determined.
I think this is going to cost me more to seed my canola acres. I generally got 11 acres per bag most years seeding based on TKW.
I was told Cargill is moving to this pricing format on their victory line as well, just not publicizing it.
Dont know how it will be different than before. TSW number still on each bag . Use their recomended rate or figure it out yourself like before.
As an Invigor grower this is going to cost me more money. My seed size normally ranges from 4-4.8 tkw, and I seed accordingly. Extra costs will likely be in the 10-15% range.