Brad Roberts

Buying seed for next season can be a tricky process. You have to weigh performance and price for a particular hybrid or variety to make strong ROI-based decisions for your operation, but all too often you lack access to the data you need to make informed choices. It’s important to get the answers you need when making a big investment like this on your farm. Here are five key questions you need to ask this year to make sure you’re buying seed with your bottom line in mind: 1. How does the seed performance potential compare to its price?  You can easily view best-case scenario plot trial data from manufacturers, but you need to know how the hybrid or variety actually performs in the real world across thousands of acres. Not all seeds are going to produce the same yields at the same planting population, so you’ll need to evaluate planting variables that are going to work best for the seeds you buy. When farmers contribute data to FBN®, all farmers in the network benefit. With precision data, farmers are able to review yield performance, seed performance, and optimal seed placement . Ultimately, that data helps farmers make better decisions for their operation.* 2. How does this seed fit into your planting strategy? Your farm and fields are unique, so you’ll want to buy seed that is well-suited to thrive on each unique acre of your operation. While it may make sense to plant one hybrid of corn on certain parts of your acreage, it may be best to plant a different hybrid on another field. Learning how seeds perform under conditions similar to yours can help you make the right seed-buying decisions.  3. Do the seeds include the protective traits you need? Understanding the cost of traits alongside seed performance can help you optimize your seed selection for net revenue , rather than yield alone. Ask yourself if the expected increase in yield by planting seed with a particular trait technology will outweigh the potential cost increase of doing so. Look for overall profit potential in your seed selection, which comes from a combination of high yields (through high-performing genetics as well as trait technology) and reasonable prices. 4. Do the seeds align agronomically with your farm management capabilities? Do you have the equipment and resources required to successfully plant, maintain, and harvest the crops grown from the seeds you’ve selected? If not, you’ll want to consider adjusting your equipment and resourcing strategy for the upcoming season or purchasing alternative seed options.  5. Are you considering genetic diversity across your farm? By ensuring genetic diversity, you’re reinforcing the long-term viability of crops across your operation and supporting their ability to adapt to changing conditions, in addition to supporting future trait development.  There’s a better way to buy seed At Farmers Business Network®, we’re committed to putting Farmers First® and powering the prosperity of family farmers. With the right tools in your hands and seed price and performance data contributed by thousands of farmers, you won’t have to keep buying seed the same way. Here are a few ways to get started selecting your seed for next season:  Check out the seeds available to buy now on FBN Direct® with a full portfolio that includes traited and conventional corn, Enlist E3® traited soybeans, sorghum and hybrid rye at FBN.com/Seed . Try out the new FBN Flex Pick , which enables you to lock in early discounts without having to select specific hybrids or varieties upfront. Without having to commit upfront, you get more time to decide on the right seed for your operation and consult with the FBN team to find the perfect product fit.  Download the free FBN Seed Selection Playbook: How to Use Data to Boost Your Seed ROI to get more tips on selecting the right seed for your operation. Read through the latest seed guides to compare your available options, including the FBN Seed Guide and the Paloma™Seed Enlist E3® Soybean Guide .  * This is an updated post originally published in 2019 with new content written by Brad Roberts on September 20, 2022. Copyright © 2014 - 2022 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, "Farmers First", “FBN Direct” , "F2F", and "F2F Genetics Network" are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc.  Paloma Seed™ products are sold by FBN Direct as a distributor for Warner Seeds™.  PALOMA IS A TRADEMARK OF M.S. TECHNOLOGIES, L.L.C., WEST POINT, IA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. FBN Direct products and services and other products distributed by FBN Direct are offered by FBN Inputs, LLC and are available only in states where FBN Inputs, LLC is licensed and where those products are registered for sale or use, if applicable. If applicable, please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Nothing contained on this page, including the prices listed should be construed as an offer for sale, or a sale of products. All products and prices are subject to change at any time and without notice. Terms and conditions apply. Information and insights provided by FBN are based on submissions from FBN members and in certain cases other third-party information, and its availability and accuracy is not guaranteed *Information and data may not be available for all seed products including some seed products distributed by FBN.

With harvest quickly approaching, have you thought about using a desiccant for your crops? Using a desiccant like FBN® Willowood Paraquat on crops promotes rapid, more uniform crop dry down, helping maximize harvestability. Desiccation ensures a quicker, more complete dry down to maintain crop quality, with a more uniform sample and less issues affecting grade. And because desiccant usage means all areas of the field are dry and ready to harvest at the same time, its application means more acres can be harvested each day in an effort to maximize harvest efficiency. 3 steps for successful desiccant application  1. Use a surfactant Surfactants are adjuvants that reduce surface tension to help facilitate the dispersing, spreading, wetting, or other surface modifying properties of liquids. While many pesticides require the addition of an adjuvant, some do not.  Be sure to read the label thoroughly before applying in case a specific surfactant is required. FBN Direct offers excellent surfactant options, including IN-Zorb™ 90 . 2. Be strategic with application timing Paraquat is typically activated by sunlight, so plan to apply in cloudy weather or during the evening for best coverage.  3. Plan for weed control  Desiccation is not a method of weed control, but rather a harvest aid . If weed control is an issue, FBN has several options as well, and these can be used alone or in conjunction with FBN® Willowood Paraquat . Shop for crop protection products With an incredibly diverse crop nutrition product portfolio,  FBN Direct®  has the desiccant products you need this season. Shop conveniently anywhere, anytime online or through the  FBN® mobile app  with transparent list prices and delivery direct to your farm.  Copyright © 2014 - 2022 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, and “FBN Direct” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. FBN Direct products and services and other products distributed by FBN Direct are offered by FBN Inputs, LLC and are available only in states where FBN Inputs, LLC is licensed and where those products are registered for sale or use, if applicable. If applicable, please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Nothing contained on this page, including the prices listed should be construed as an offer for sale, or a sale of products. All products and prices are subject to change at any time and without notice. Terms and conditions apply. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its label. The distribution, sale and use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. We do not guarantee the accuracy of any information provided on this page or which is provided by us in any form. It is your responsibility to confirm prior to purchase and use that a product is labeled for your specific purposes, including, but not limited to, your target crop or pest and its compatibility with other products in a tank mix and that the usage of a product is otherwise consistent with federal, state and local laws. We reserve the right to restrict sales on a geographic basis in our sole discretion. You must have a valid applicator license to use restricted use pesticides. Please consult your state department of agriculture for complete rules and regulations on the use of restricted use pesticides, as some products require specific record-keeping requirements. The material provided is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for specific agronomic, business, legal, investment or professional advice. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, consult with a qualified agronomist, financial planner, or investment manager. Neither Farmer's Business Network, Inc. nor any of its affiliates makes any representations or warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of the statements or any information contained in the material and any liability therefore is expressly disclaimed.

When you become an FBN® member, you’ll have access to a number of free tools and resources to help you track your farm data throughout the season.  And as you get busier and busier, using these free tools will not only benefit your productivity, it will help you maximize the profit potential of your operation and better understand what’s happening on your farm.  Here are eight ways you can be tracking data as a free FBN member.  1. Track field growth It’s important to understand how your crops are progressing throughout the season. The best tool to do this is included in your free FBN account. Watch a short demo video to understand how to use satellite imagery and change detection maps within your account.  2. Get in-season yield prediction* If you’re like most farmers, you’ll want to gain insight into your field’s yield potential. But how do you determine that? Our in-season Yield Prediction tool uses your own planting data along with historical field data, satellite imagery, weather details and more to give you a more complete picture of what your yield might look like. And throughout the season, the Yield Prediction tool will help you make informed decisions.  In order to take advantage of the Yield Prediction tool, you need to upload your planting data or add the data as a manual entry within your account.  This tool can be accessed within the FBN mobile app as well as the “My Reports” section within your member account. These predictions are updated approximately every six days.  3. Scout your fields During the course of your growing season, any number of issues can arise, which can include: Pest pressure Plant disease Weather events Being able to track which areas of your fields are affected can be critical to your in-season defenses. 4. Track maturity and environment Due to the fact that you’ll likely have different products planted across your operation in varying environments, it’s helpful to have a weather tool at your disposal. The Weather tool can be accessed in your FBN account and allows you to track things like Growing Degree Units (GDU). Data for the weather tool is pulled from 40,000 weather stations, NOAA and NASA data feeds. It also takes into account data that you’ve uploaded to your account.  Watch a quick video to learn more about the Weather tool: 5. Keep tabs on farm activities As the season wears on, you’ll have more and more actions taking place on any of your given fields. One of the easiest ways to track activities like planting, application and scouting activities by date is by utilizing the Timeline feature to quickly review what’s been happening. 6. Collect application data Collecting and storing all of your data in one centralized location will help you keep track of all of your activities. Collecting and storing all of your data enables you to view map layers for visual analysis options, track activities through the Timeline feature mentioned above, edit tank mix information and gain access to the Strip Trial Report that provides information on a variety of test insights.  7. Contribute invoices FBN members have access to tools that help them understand what other members in the network are paying for their products, what they’re paying and what opportunities there may be to secure a similar product for less.**  But how do you share invoices in order to contribute to the network and share this information with fellow farmers?  This video shows you how to add invoices to your account: 8. Clean up application data If you upload application data but leave out some of the key details you’ll need later, you have the ability to edit that data with the Application feature . This will ensure you’ve included all of the right products within a tank mix at the correct rates in which they were applied.  Additional resources If you ever need help uploading data into your account or have other questions, please email data@farmersbusinessnetwork.com and our team of Data Specialists will be happy to assist you.  To access and learn more about these resources there are various levels of contributing data to ensure your account is ready to Power Up Your Farm. Become a member today Become an FBN member today and join a global network of farmers — 43,000+ strong and growing — who are already taking advantage of the opportunity to reduce their cost of production and maximize the value of their crops.  Copyright © 2014 - 2022 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, "Farmers First", “FBN Direct” , "F2F", and "F2F Genetics Network" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc.  *Yield predictions are based on statistical and agronomic models, research and data (including historical weather and agronomic data), and information provided by other FBN members and you, to generate the estimates and other information we provide. These do not guarantee actual results. Our models, data and recommendations may change over time. Individual results may vary, as weather, agronomic conditions and farming practices differ across growers, locations and years. Consult your agronomist and other service professionals before making financial, risk management, and farming decisions. **Information and insights provided by FBN are based on submissions from FBN members and in certain cases other third-party information, and its availability and accuracy is not guaranteed. Information and data may not be available for all seed products including some seed products distributed by FBN.

The strength of Farmers Business Network® is the opportunity to share information, insight, and feedback between you and your fellow farmers. Stay Up to Date This Planting Season We are currently polling members to track Canadian progress for cereal, canola, and soy during this year’s planting season. And luckily, you’ll be able to track those results right here on this page. Locking in on the correct data is important for all of us. Week Ending June 14, 2022 Here's this week's soybean planting progress for 206 farms over 0.66 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending June 2, 2022 Here's this week's soybean planting progress for 223 farms over 0.76 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending May 26, 2022 Here's this week's canola planting progress for 533 farms over 2.59 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending May 16, 2022 Here's this week's cereal planting progress for 521 farms over 2.34 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Copyright © 2015 - 2022 Farmer's Business Network Canada, Inc. All rights reserved. The sprout logo, "Farmers Business Network," "FBN,", "Farmers First", "FBN Direct," "F2F Genetics Network", "Pro Ag", and "Professional Ag Distributors" are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. or its affiliates.

The strength of Farmers Business Network® is the opportunity to share information, insight, and feedback between you and your fellow farmers. Stay Up to Date This Planting Season We are currently polling members to track U.S. progress for corn and soybeans during this year’s planting season. And luckily, you’ll be able to track those results right here on this page. Locking in on the correct data is important for all of us. Week Ending June 13, 2022 Here are the results of this week's soybean planting progress for 2,774 farms over 6.3 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending June 7, 2022 Here are the results of this week's soybean planting progress for 2,346 farms over 5.8 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending June 3, 2022 Here are the results of this week's corn planting progress for 2,975 farms over 7.1 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending May 31, 2022 Here are the results of this week's soybean planting progress for 2,069 farms over 5.0 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending May 25, 2022 Here are the results of this week's corn planting progress for 2,883 farms over 6.9 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending May 20, 2022 Here are the results of this week's corn planting progress for 2,114 farms over 6.3 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending May 17, 2022 Here are the results of this week's soybean planting progress for 2,180 farms over 5.2 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending May 11, 2022 Here's this week's corn planting progress for over 2,075 farms over 5.9 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending May 2, 2022 Here are the results of this week's soybean planting progress for 1,490 farms over 3.1 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending April 28, 2022 Here's this week's corn planting progress for over 2,044 farms over 4.7 million acres. Click here to enlarge the image. Week Ending April 22, 2022 This week we're tracking corn planting progress. Check out the data. Click here to enlarge the image. Copyright © 2014 - 2022 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, Farmers First flag logo, "Farmers Business Network," "FBN," and "Farmers First" are registered trademarks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Terms and conditions apply.

As farmers hit the fields during planting season, it’s a busy time for growers across the country. And while it’s easy to get wrapped up in making sure all of your crops get planted, it’s also a good time to start thinking about all of the data that’s associated with planting.  Are you utilizing your planting data to your advantage? We’ll walk you through some of the benefits of uploading your planting data when you become a member of FBN®. Here’s a snapshot of some of the unlocked features you’ll be able to access as an FBN member.  Customized planting reports Once you upload some of your planting data, you’ll receive a summary of what was planted at your operation on a field-by-field level based on your data . You’ll also find additional available information on seeding rates and weather conditions during planting. Finally, you’ll receive a planting map for each of your fields.  This is a quick and easy way to view key planting information. All of your planting data is carefully organized in a way that will enable you to review what took place at an operation level and for each field. This is a great resource to access throughout the season when you need to recall where things were planted and the environment in which they were planted. It’s also helpful for future seasons when you’ll want to revisit what you did year after year.  In season yield prediction You’ll also gain access to an in-season yield prediction report starting in June that can be accessed via the FBN mobile application. The full report can be found at fbn.com>reports within your account. As well, you can see field by field predictions within the FBN mobile app. The FBN mobile app can be downloaded via the App Store or Google Play .  This report will refresh every few weeks.  Interested in gaining insights as to what your field yield potential is? The In-Season Yield Prediction Tool uses your planting data and historical field data, satellite imagery, weather details, and more to give you a future look as to what your yield might be.  If field boundaries haven’t been loaded, the planting files will create them. This will provide you with access to features that you’ll want to check frequently such as: Weather (precip, soil moisture, soil temp, wind speed) Satellite Imagery Soil Properties and Soil Type maps Field terrain and elevation Planting data is vital to load into your account because when it’s time for harvest and uploading your harvest data, this will match the two different data layers. The first will show products planted and where and how they’re planted. The second will show your yield results for that product. This will provide you with further insights. Without planting data, you won’t truly be able to understand how your products performed. Analysis tools Seed This will display an easy to follow list of products planted, the rate they were planted, yield information and ROI details like cost/a and cost/bu (if other invoices have been uploaded). Planting This tool provides an analysis of how your planting actions may have affected yield, yield by seeding rate, planter speed, crop rotation and tillage practice.  Performance This will give you a robust analysis of the products you planted, field actions taken like crop rotation, seeding rate, tillage, weather, planting dates and overall harvest information.  How to upload planting data There are many ways to enter data into your FBN account. You can store all of your planting files from your planting monitor onto a USB thumb drive and then simply upload them from your computer to your FBN account. If you utilize John Deere or CNH software, you can easily stream your data into the FBN account by quickly initiating an integration between the two systems. Watch this video to learn more: If you’re a Climate FieldView user, you can export your planting data by logging into FieldViewPlus.com , select Data and then Data Manager.  Select the field, click on Actions and choose Export DAT Files.   You can then either upload those files yourself at FBN.com or simply email to data@farmersbusinessnetwork.com You can also manually add a planting layer with just a few quick pieces of information. Learn more about how to add a planting layer by reading this handy list .  Additional resources If you ever need help uploading data into your account or have other questions, please email data@farmersbusinessnetwork.com and our team of Data Specialists will be happy to assist you.  To access and learn more about these resources there are various levels of contributing data to ensure your account is ready to Power Up Your Farm. Become a member today Become an FBN member today and join a global network of farmers — 36,000+ strong and growing — who are already taking advantage of the opportunity to reduce their cost of production and maximize the value of their crops.  Copyright © 2014 - 2022 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, "Farmers First", “FBN Direct” , "F2F", and "F2F Genetics Network" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc.  Yield predictions are based on statistical and agronomic models, research and data (including historical weather and agronomic data), and information provided by other FBN members and you, to generate the estimates and other information we provide. These do not guarantee actual results. Our models, data and recommendations may change over time. Individual results may vary, as weather, agronomic conditions and farming practices differ across growers, locations and years. Consult your agronomist and other service professionals before making financial, risk management, and farming decisions. Information and insights provided by FBN are based on submissions from FBN members and in certain cases other third-party information, and its availability and accuracy is not guaranteed. Information and data may not be available for all seed products including some seed products distributed by FBN.

Have you ever thought about contributing and sharing data with your fellow farmers? Imagine being part of a network of like-minded farmers who contribute and share data with one another. FBN is dedicated to helping farmers maximize their profit potential with a data and technology platform.  But what does that really mean? It means that farmers in our network gain access to insights from a global farmer community to make confident decisions that will impact your bottom line.  So how does it work? And how do you get started?  Here are 4 reasons that you should consider adding invoices and seed labels to your FBN account. 1. Contribute directly from your phone Adding seed invoices, chemical invoices and seed labels into your FBN account is easy. All you have to do is snap a pic of your invoice or label with your phone and upload it directly to your account via the FBN mobile app.  2. Unlocks value for you When you submit chemical invoices, you’ll get access to chemical price transparency. When you submit seed invoices, you’ll get access to seed price transparency.  When you submit seed labels, you’ll receive a personalized report on other brands selling your varieties and b) access to "Same Variety As" feature in Seed Finder. Now, you’ll get valuable insights into what you’re paying vs. what your neighbors are paying for both chemicals and seeds.  You’ll also have access to analyze your ROI right from your FBN account with digital tools that will help identify your cost per acre and cost per bushel.  Looking for a tool that will provide information on seed price transparency or find seed products that are labeled as something different? The Seed Finder tool gives you access to seed price, performance and one of the largest agronomic information databases in agriculture. All of this information is powered by millions of acres of real farm data.  Become an FBN member today Learn more about how to use the Seed Finder tool when you contribute data to the FBN network: The Yield Potential tool will not only help you identify the possible yield output of products that have been uploaded into our network but also will showcase the potential revenue opportunities of each product, specific to your fields.  3. Centralize your operation data While many farmers are storing data on thumb drives, spreadsheets, notebooks, many are still leaving data unused within their equipment monitors.  Uploading and contributing data to FBN offers a great opportunity to collect and centralize your farm’s data. From there it can be put to good use by tracking and formatting your data with the reports and tools found in your FBN account.  4. It’s free Joining FBN is free and becoming a member has a lot of benefits. As an FBN member you’ll have access to some of the industry’s most powerful data analysis tools, reports and insights.  As one of the industries only crowdsourced, farmer-driven, networks of data, we strive to bring you resources that add a layer of information to the decisions you make.   To access and learn more about these resources there are various levels of contributing data to ensure your account is ready to Power Up Your Farm. What are you waiting for? Become an FBN member today and join a global network of farmers — 36,000+ strong and growing — who are already taking advantage of the opportunity to reduce their cost of production and maximize the value of their crops.  Copyright © 2014 - 2022 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, "Farmers First", “FBN Direct” , "F2F", and "F2F Genetics Network" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. 

The strength of Farmers Business Network® is the opportunity to share information, insight, and feedback between you and your fellow farmers. Stay up to date this planting season We are currently polling members to track U.S. progress for corn and soybeans during this year’s planting season. And luckily, you’ll be able to track those results right here on this page. Locking in on the correct data is important for all of us. Week ending June 1, 2021 This is the last week we're tracking soybean planting progress. Check out the data. Week ending May 24, 2021 Week ending May 20, 2021 Week ending May 13, 2021 Corn planting progress Soybean planting progress Week ending May 6, 2021 Week ending April 29, 2021 Share your feedback Keep an eye on your phone for our Poll SMS messages and please respond with your feedback.