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TOP Ag Services now sells TerraMax products. From inoculants to turf treatments, this product can be applied in a variety of ways. The following is an excerpt from the TerraMax website: For over 20 years we have been creating defined microbial products to address problems in the agriculture industry. The hallmark of these microbial products has been our proprietary stabilization process to ensure microbes are delivered to the market alive and conditioned to perform the selected function. From our unique Azospirillum-based products to our rhizobia-based products, this stabilization process forms the base solution into which our microbes are placed. This industry first formula allows the bacteria to exist and survive in packaging for up to two years prior to use while maintaining effective populations. Effective delivery to the soil, by way of seed treatment, in-furrow application, tank mixing in a pivot, or side dressing, is accomplished by various application methods with specific formulations for each use. Since our founding in 1998, TerraMax has developed products that offer environmentally sound solutions for plant growers, from row crop agriculture to specialty markets. The main area in which the company has focused its research has been nutritional aids for plants. Go to https://www.topagservices.com/inoculant-store to find some of the products we sale with their info and pricing.

Bayer's plan to launch a new herbicide will hopefully give farmers a new tool to fight against two of the worst weeds faced in ag. Bayer stated in a press release, "Diflufenican has been used for several years in Europe to manage broadleaf weeds in crops like lentils and winter cereals, but this is the first time the product will be used in North America." Diflufenican will fly under the trade name Convintro after EPA approval in several years. It will be labeled for burndown and pre emerge applications. "Unquote" Wendell's Take: Is this product the trait that will be added to the upcoming soybean trait stack coming in a few years? If it is to be used for burndown and pre emergent apps, sounds like it will be able to reduce the reliance on dicamba. While we will always need all the tools on the farm, reducing a more volatile chemistry for a lesser one will significantly reduce usage of the auxin products. Nevertheless, this is exciting and we will be watching closely on information surrounding this news flash. Cited articles: Brownfield Ag News by Kellan Heavican "Bayer releases new product to fight Waterhemp, Palmer Amaranth"

Good day, Here is an excellent article from Beck's Hybrids field agronomist Scott Dickey on wheat disease outlook for 2021. On Monday while we were planting Sale Bros plot (Beck's Hybrids dealer in SE KS near Cherryvale, KS), we walked through an adjacent wheat field to see what issues we could find. It was pretty easy to find Stripe Rust in the field. There were also many aphids in the lower half of the canopy. I did not have a hand lens with me to identify what species, but the numbers were great enough I would have added insecticide to any fungicide treatment made to that field. This particular field was in the Feekes growth stage 7 range. I have seen wheat in other early planted fields near Nevada that appeared to be at Feekes growth stage 8 (the flag leaf is visible but not fully emerged). In Sale Bros field, the heads were becoming well developed and were approximately 6” above the ground. Here is what the Stripe Rust looked like: Many fungicides are very effective at controlling Stripe Rust. KSU documents attached indicate that the best time to apply is in the boot stage. With the conditions that we are experiencing (which are pretty good for Stripe Rust development), I would definitely keep an eye on local fields to make sure this disease isn’t exploding. The pathogen that causes Stripe Rust cannot overwinter here, so it has to “migrate” in like Southern Rust of Corn. BUT, once it is here, it can severely damage fields very rapidly if we don’t keep our eyes open. I have included documents that indicate fungicide efficacy in wheat, insect control in wheat, and a Stripe Rust background document. The following link takes you to a 2011 document from MU that identifies the main wheat aphids in our area and the recommendations for thresholds. As we get later into wheat season, according to this MU document, the primary aphid species that we should really be watching is the bird cherry oat aphid. https://ipm.missouri.edu/IPCM/2011/4/Aphid-Populations-Present-in-Wheat/ If you have any questions, make sure to give me a call. Thanks, Scott Scott Dickey is a Field Agronomist for Beck's Hybrids covering the greater KS area and western Missouri. Scott holds a degree in Weed Science & Biology from Missouri University.

TOP Ag Services LLC has announced the agreement to sell MS Schippers brand of foam cleaner and protection products. These products are a safe and effective brushless cleaner designed for use on all farm related equipment and machinery. Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/17atOBj_W58

"The workshop of character is everyday life." -Maltbie Davenport Babcock Each year Beck's Hybrids along with TOP Ag Services LLC strives to provide farmers with the best tools, resources, and diverse products to increase their bottom line. We understand that developing an effective herbicide program may be challenging, especially when dealing with hard-to-control weeds. So, we are hosting Weed Control Workshops at the TOP Ag Warehouse location. To better suit your busy schedule and yet assist before final decisions are made for 2021 we will have workshops that are flexible on timing, location, and/or delivery. We will be reaching out to you to find a time that best suits you. In the meantime feel free to reach out to us or go to https://www.topagservices.com/weed-control-workshops to watch videos on herbicide systems from Beck's Hybrids Practical Farm Research, schedule your workshop on the calendar, find directions, and more. Talk to you soon!

“Many options are not transparent. They need to be explored and evaluated with care. What you see is not always what you get.” ―J. Grant Howard Irrigation really is paying off this year when the weather was hot and dry during a critical time of corn grain fill. Corn is in the R5 stage. This plot received two fungicide apps. Veltyma at VT & Delaro at R3. We will evaluate disease & ear uniformity this time. Standability is not an issue right now as ample moisture and fertility has prevented any cannablization of stalks. We will dive right in with the reminder of the ratings are 1-5 (1 is most desirable and 5 is least) Disease 6256Q 2 6481AM 2.5 6049V2P 1.5 6282AM 1.5 6274V2P 3.5 6368V2P 3 6374V2P 3 6414V2P 2.5 6557V2P 2 6589V2P N/A 6743AML 3 6774V2P 2.5 Ear Uniformity 6256Q 3 6481AM 2 6049V2P 3 6282AM 3 6274V2P 2.5 6368V2P 2.5 6374V2P 3 6414V2P 2 6557V2P 3 6589V2P N/A 6743AML 2.5 6774V2P 2.5

“Careful evaluation of information that is portrayed as fact is critical.” ―Steven Redhead This plot near Metz, MO was evaluated for late season looks on the morning of August 15, 2020. I was reminded of how close this plot came to death after walking it and seeing the affects present here. After several weeks of 90 plus degree days and warm nights above 75 with no rain the resilience of these products are a testament to the advancement of genetic development. The current stages of the products here is R5 with the early products around ½ milk line to the longest being ¼ or less. Temperatures cooled down a week or so ago, but we have heated back up to the 90s which no doubt is speeding maturity along. The three ratings we will be doing in this corn plot are Disease, standability, & ear uniformity. As a sub rating we will be analyzing stalk strength using the push test. This differs from standability in that instead of lookiing at current stalks on the ground we push stalks to see if there is any stalk rot in the nodes. But, first we will comment on each hybrid. Then, we will dive into the evaluations. Ratings are 1-5 with 1 the most desirable and 5 the least desirable. Comments 5866AM This hybrid would certainly benefit from fungicide. Southern/GLS heavy 5994V2P Poor stalk integrity, nodes had black rot and stalk core cannibalized 5909Q Stay green excellent, beautiful grain 6038VR Stalks dying from drought/heat stress w/ some stalk rot 6049V2P Stay green and disease resistance good 6112V2P Decent grain fill, awesome kernel retention in spite of heat/drought 6274V2P GLS/SR but strong stalks and fighting infection well 6256Q Great grain quality, big ears 18 rounds, high ovule count 6282AM Some ear molds but less tip back than 6274V2P 6374V2P Low GLS/SR, strong stalk, leaf intactness, & grain quality 6368V2P small but strong stalks 6414V2P shorter willowy plant under drought, great ear size & kernels, VL disease. 6481AM Higher end performance, better in HP, weak shank drought, L disease 6557V2P SR but mostly lower leaves, large stalks 6589V2P large leaf & stalk, ear flex 6506VR stiff stalks, uniform ears, above grain Q for Syngenta 6743AML High ovule count, no ear worm, low disease 6774V2P Great stay green & ear fill in spite of hitting heat/drought wrong Disease 5866AM 4 5994V2P 3.5 5909Q 2 6038VR 2.5 6049V2P 2 6112V2P 3.5 6274V2P 3.5 6256Q 2.5 6282AM 2.5 6374V2P 2.5 6368V2P 2 6414V2P 2 6481AM 2.5 6557V2P 3.5 6589V2P 2.5 6506VR 3 6743AML 2.5 6774V2P 3 Stand ability & stalk push test 5866AM 2 2 5994V2P 3.5 4.5 5909Q 2 2 6038VR 3 4 6049V2P 2.5 2 6112V2P 2.5 2 6274V2P 2 2 6256Q 2 2 6282AM 2 2 6374V2P 2 1.5 6368V2P 3 2.5 6414V2P 2 2.5 6481AM 2 3.5 6557V2P 2 3 6589V2P 2 2 6506VR 2 2 6743AML 2 2 6774V2P 2 2 Ear uniformity 5866AM 3.5 5994V2P 3 5909Q 3 6038VR 3.5 6049V2P 3 6112V2P 3.5 6274V2P 2.5 6256Q 3.5 6282AM 3 6374V2P 2.5 6368V2P 3 6414V2P 2 6481AM 4 6557V2P 3 6589V2P 3 6506VR 2 6743AML 3 6774V2P 3

There is no better proof of a man's being truly good than his desiring to be constantly under the observation of good men. -Francois de La Rochefoucauld After plenty of rain to close the more than several weeks of intensely hot temperatures and no rain this plot has come back from being close to death. The now heightened humidities has sparked Southern Rust. The hybrids range from 109 day at ½ milk line to 117 day still being early R5. I did not observe any black layer yet. After a cool couple weeks with rain the weather has returned to sunny and very warm. Temps running in the low 90s today. However, it is interesting to note that with ample soil moisture it is noticeably cooler inside the field than out. Below is my Southern Rust ratings (1 is near spotless, 5 is OSU colored leaves) 6049V2P 2 6112V2P 3.5 6274V2P 3 6282AM 1.5 6374V2P 2 6414V2P 2.5 6589V2P 2.5 6557V2P 2 6774V2P 2.5 6743AML 1.5 Also, added some pics to show the ear sizes in some of the new products that are show cased.

If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? - Albert Einstein In this post we dive into a few observations on our Research Plot and the agronomy studies we are doing here on a Beck's Hybrids corn plot in SW Missouri. For the record there are currently three studies we have started here. Upon which we may add more in the future as the need or interest works out to be. They are for corn the Closing Wheel Down Pressure Study, Seed Planting Depth Study, & Hail Storm Recovery Study. Observations Closing Wheel Down Pressure Study Raised up Float Middle (Normal) Full Pressure -At this time we are not noticing major differences, with this exception. A little too much down force on correctly spaced and aligned closing wheels is better than not enough. Seed Planting Depth Study ¼" loss of 70-80% of stand (maybe due to temp swings and birds) 1" no loss of stand (curious on wind and weather effects on shallow planted roots later) 2" Almost perfect stand, seems to be the sweet spot 3" Loss of some stand on the wetter areas (Perfect stand only in ideal conditions) Hail Storm Recovery Study Simulated Hail date: 05/05/2020 Recovery time as of this post: 7 days (May 12, 2020) Three sections of simulated damage: -stripped or torn leaves (greatly recovered) -hailed out completely (greatly recovered) -large hail stones (50% fatalities, perhaps the simulation was too extreme) Please see the photos below for the date of occurrence to today on the hail storm study: