Sep 16, 2021
When we launched the F2F Genetics Network® in 2018, our goal was to focus on helping growers maximize their profit potential. By offering transparent, no-zone prices on our high-performing seed, we were able to give farmers a better return on investment.
In just 3 years, over 2700 farmer-members have planted hundreds of thousands of acres of corn, soybeans, sorghum, and alfalfa purchased from the F2F Genetics Network.
We’re excited to give our members the confidence to grow products that not only perform well but help grow their bottom line. And that only happens because of the data-backed, farm-tested insights that the FBN® Network provides.
When we entered the seed market, it was refreshing for many farmers who had been dealing with established seed companies. Especially because FBN was offering transparent, data-driven information from a network of independent breeders who were able to drive down the cost of seed.
Unique offerings and the ability to improve product performance sets the F2F Genetics Network apart from the crowd.
Breathing fresh air into an industry that had a lot of established players meant people were optimistic about our portfolio.
Some of the early concerns we heard from growers was that seed was expensive and the prices weren’t transparent.
Many growers weren’t sure how the products they purchased were going to perform and whether the prices they were paying for traits was worth the value.
“You know, we’re still new but farmers are getting exposed to FBN and the quality of our products. They’re seeing a transformation and the journey that we’ve been on, where we started and how we continue to always be focused on ROI per acre in order to maximize profit but without sacrificing performance.
Growers are starting to see how we’re adding more value and that’s the key to helping farmers be successful.”
German Muttoni, FBN’s Director of Seed Category Management
Growers were also expressing discontent with the current seed offerings on the market. Choosing which seed to purchase is one of the most important decisions farmers make — especially when it comes to price.
“One of the things we’ve seen is that seed prices have jumped dramatically over the past few decades. As a percentage of revenue, seed prices are a significant cost to growers. While crop protection and fertilizer prices have gone up significantly, seed prices have surged higher and higher.
Because of that surge, we wanted the F2F Genetics Network to really benefit growers and give a better return on investment to our member farmers. It was a refreshing way for growers to maximize their profitability from a new player in the market,” said Matthew Meisner, FBN®’s VP of R&D and Data Science.
“We are still conscious of what farmers are paying and we’re trying to provide products that are of value or have economical cost but are also high quality. For that reason, we’ve got a tight portfolio that is very targeted towards products that perform,” says Brad Roberts, FBN’s Senior Product Marketing Manager of Seed and Digital Technology.
One of the biggest changes we’ve seen year over year in the business is performance.
“We’re definitely seeing better performance this year. Things look a lot different then previous years and we’re looking as good as anybody else out there in the field. No, we’re not going to be 20 bushels above everybody else but we’re being competitive and bringing the ROI,” said Steve Sick, FBN’s Breeding Project Lead.
We continue to invest in digital phenotyping and genomic selection and ensure that we’re using the latest technologies to accelerate the genetic need as quickly as we can.
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As our network of farmer members continues to grow, so do the data-driven insights that only FBN can provide.
“We get to learn directly from our farmers, what’s working and what’s not working. We learn together and that’s something really special. It’s a game changer. The data that comes through our farmer network really helps farmers to be more profitable and learn more about their operation,” says Muttoni
“Leveraging data from our network has always been part of our mission. This data helps growers decide what’s best for their operations. Being able to understand performance, environment, economic, and weather variables only serve to help growers. Getting even more rigorous about optimizing seed placement based on real world farmer data is invaluable for our members,” says Meisner.
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.
As we move forward, we’re excited to focus on our breeding program and expand into new regions. At the same time, we’re continuing to collaborate with independent breeders and help smaller breeders get their products to market.
“We’re assembling brand new genetics and we’re offering a platform for breeder network members to combine their genetics. Our focus is either working with people they don’t know or with internal FBN genetics to produce hybrids that would have never ever been found or utilized before, just through the FBN platform. It’s a really unique model in the industry. We’re bringing a lot of genetic diversity into the mix. Companies that have never worked together before have completely different breeding targets that they work toward. We’re bringing them together and it’s providing a unique set of germplasm with the different technologies that we offer,” said Sick.
Looking to the future, we’re working to ensure that we’ll be able to offer major corn and GM traits that have patents expiring soon.
At Farmers Business Network®, we’re committed to putting Farmers First® and powering the prosperity of family farmers.
Want quality genetics at a fair price? Take a closer look at the F2F Genetics Network seed portfolio.
Copyright © 2014 - 2021 Farmer's Business Network, Inc. All rights Reserved. The sprout logo, “Farmers Business Network”, “FBN”, “FBN Direct” and "F2F Genetics Network" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Farmer's Business Network, Inc. F2F Genetics Network seed products and other seed products distributed through 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, if applicable. Individual results may vary and are dependent upon additional factors, including but not limited to weather, agronomic conditions and practices, and commodity prices. Terms and conditions apply.
Sep 16, 2021