News & Information for Your Farming Operation
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Discovery plot tour sign
RSVP Soon 
for Discovery 
Plot Tours 

Discovery Plot Days begin in less than two weeks. RSVP soon to your Federated Agronomist. The following topics will be featured this year.
  • The Do's and Don'ts of the RR 2 Xtend Soybean System
  • Adding Value with a Soil Sample
  • Fall Fertilizer Programs
All Discovery Plots start at 10 a.m., followed by a steak dinner at noon. 
 
Monday, Aug. 22
Osceola - Craig, Janet & Neil Gustafson Farm

Tuesday, Aug. 23
Isanti - Paul & Janet Bostrom Farm

Wednesday, Aug. 24
Princeton -  Larry & Sharon Wilhelm Farm

Thursday, Aug. 25
Rush City - Cramaur Farm

Friday, Aug. 26 
Hinckley - Nathan Nelson Farm

Monday, Aug. 29 
Foley - Lezer Farm

Tuesday, Aug. 30 
Albertville - Lenneman Farm

Wednesday, Aug. 31 
Ogilvie - Steffen Farm
August 9, 2016
Roundup Ready 2 Xtend Soybeans
A New Way to Fight Broadleaf Weeds

Late July brought much-awaited news: Roundup Ready (RR) 2 Xtend® soybeans cleared the final grain channel approval for food and feed use in the European Union. This means "we have full market approval," said Kevin Carlson, Federated's senior agronomist.
 
waterhemp in soybeans
Waterhemp in soybeans.
As waterhemp, giant ragweed, lambs quarter, and other weeds are
not being controlled by glyphosate applications, this approval gives growers a "very attractive solution" for that problem in 2017 and beyond, Carlson said.
 
Though the industry awaits EPA approval for over-the-top post spraying of dicamba, "Federated will be selling Xtend soybeans for 2017," said Carlson. The dicamba formulation is still moving through the EPA process, but its producer, Monsanto, believes they'll have a product available in 2017. Consequently, "roughly 20-40% of [Federated's] seed supply will be in the RR 2 Xtend trait," said Carlson.
 
Carlson pointed out that these soybeans will be a very good solution for those growers who are struggling right now with late-season broadleaf control (another reason to scout fields throughout the season). However, he also noted that growers who are interested in trying RR 2 Xtend soybeans should call Federated soon. Supply will likely be a challenge, and "we anticipate that seed with this trait will be gone by spring," said Carlson.
 
See this link for further information on RR 2 Xtend soybeans -- and be sure to attend one of Federated's upcoming August Discovery Plot Days (see note at left) where this topic will be discussed.
 
Federated also has a Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybean plot and will hold a tour on Sept. 7. The plot covers a wide range of Federated's geography: "We have soybeans in the field from 0.8 to 2.1 maturity (group 0 to 2.0)," said Carlson. More info to follow later this month.
 
And as always, you can talk to your Federated Agronomist to learn more!
Alfalfa Seeding: Don't Wait Until Fall

Late summer is a great time to seed alfalfa, and the window is closing fast. "Next to planting in the dry soil, planting too late is the biggest cause of [alfalfa] seeding failures," said Bob Marquette, Federated agronomist at the Albertville location.
alfalfa plant
"Quite typically in our area," said Marquette, "fall seeding should be done by Aug. 15. It's a game time decision [to plant later than Aug. 15] because of the moisture. That's usually the key."
 
While this year has been good moisture-wise, the concern is heat -- and then frost. It's important to evaluate when it will germinate. "Alfalfa needs at least 45 days of good growing conditions to build up adequate carbohydrate reserves," he said, before a killing frost.
 
The first thing to do before deciding to plant alfalfa in the late summer is soil testing for potassium, phosphorous, boron, and sulfur. "If your soil test says you are in the proper pH level, you are good to go," said Marquette.
 
The optimum pH level is 6.8, and any liming to bring it to the desired level should be done 6 to 24 months before planting alfalfa.
 
Advantages and disadvantages of later summer alfalfa seeding:
  • Good to follow summer grain harvest.
  • Fall seeding yields three crops in the first year, as opposed to one with spring seeding.
  • Potential moisture shortage and/or extreme high temperatures can prevent germination.
  • Frost damage from early frost, or if planted too late.
Contact your Federated Agronomist to discuss your late-summer alfalfa planting plans or concerns.
alfalfa field Alfalfa Seed Choices
HarvXtra: What is it?

For either late-summer or spring seeding, Federated recommends HarvXtra™, a reduced-lignin Roundup Ready alfalfa seed, according to Craig Loen, Federated agronomist at the Osceola location. HarvXtra is among the results of over three decades work by alfalfa breeders to develop "new technologies that improve forage quality," he said.
HarvXtra offers benefits that make it an excellent choice.
  • Higher yield potential and forage quality.
  • Longer interval between cuttings without compromising quality, allowing for one less cutting per season, which means:
    • flexibility in case of weather events;
    • fewer wheel tracks, thereby improving stands and persistence potential; and
    • lower harvest costs.
Loen said, "Research has shown that HarvXtra in three cuttings can out yield the four-cut system by approximately 1 ton/ac., with similar or better quality."

The question of standability of a reduced-lignin alfalfa comes down to this," according to Loen: "There are different genes in the plant that regulate lignin; the technology determined the correct gene and reduced the production of that particular lignin." One might ask, "Will the HarvXtra lodge?" Loen said, "No worse than the alfalfas in the system currently."

Growers can choose their cutting schedule based on their desired outcome with HarvXtra.
  • Cutting in the 25-28-day interval increases forage digestibility.
  • Cutting in the acceptably delayed 32-35-day interval improves tonnage while maintaining forage digestibility.
And because HarvXtra alfalfa includes the Roundup Ready technology, weed pressure can be eliminated.

Federated will supply two versions of HarvXtra Alfalfa seed in 2017: HVX Driver and HVX Harvaton. Loen said, "They both will have a fall dormancy rating of 4 and winter hardiness rating of 2."

Additionally, HVX Harvaton will include the wet-soil-disease package to fight against the disease pressure of Aphanomyces root rot (races 1 and 2), similar to Croplan's Rebound® 6.0 alfalfa, while maintaining high quality and tonnage.

Contact your Federated Agronomist to learn more about HarvXtra alfalfa seed. And remember late-summer alfalfa seeding should be underway now (see article above).

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