Putting a plan together for your operation in all aspects of the operation
What needs to be included?
Seed
Crop Protection
Crop Nutrition
Rates which are based on the goals and crop rotation of the operation
Technology – our platform is called United Insight
Not always in the farm plan in writing, but it is talked about in the planning process.
Planting data set up correctly and follow it up with yield / harvest data at the end of the year
How do you draft a farm plan?
Paper and Computer to draft farm plans
Drafted by grower
Each grower and operation are unique, some farm plans may be similar, but they are all very customizable and individualized for each operation
Every grower has a different goal
What value does a farm plan bring to the grower?
It allows us to be more efficient and execute in a timely manner
It helps the grower budget
Knows expenses going into the season
It helps UFC bring more value to the growers
If we know ahead of time that we’ll need X number of a product – we can get those products at the best time
Can a farm plan provide growers with their total cost per acre? And if so, how can this help make decisions?
It can be as detailed as we want it to be
We can use it to figure out break even points and cost per bushel
Need to start looking at cost per bushel more often
In this industry, a lot of time, things go unplanned. Would it be better to just “ride the wave” and not burn time planning?
It’s better to be proactive vs reactive
Listen to that podcast here: 1. https://www.buzzsprout.com/179750/733686-planting-profits-proactive-vs-reactive
How do you make sure a plan is achievable and followed? Do you need to spell out the negative impact of not following the plan?
During seed order process talk about seed placement
Answer Plot – we can look at RT scores and know what it is going to cost us if we place the wrong hybrid on the wrong acre 1. Response to Population 2. Response to Nitrogen 3. Response to Corn on Corn
Actually put a bushel value on what making tat wrong decision would be or making the impact of the right decision
Answer Plot is 6-8 years of data on response to scores
If you flip flop a soybean variety that one is high response to white mold and one that is high response to IDC you could lose some major yield
It could really cost you bushels if you make a mistake…
As an agronomist, I am interested in chemical, seed, fertilizer, and technology from a planning aspect. Can these farm plans incorporate items such as fuel consumption or tillage cost to help evaluate machinery or land cost?
We can incorporate as much or as little as you need
Can put it into a budget
Can make tweaks and changes before season vs after the season when it’s too late
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” is a commonly heard quote from Benjamin Franklin. This is the truth in agriculture, if you don’t plan and execute on the plan you may place the wrong hybrid and cost yourself a bunch of yield. What are the available tools for a grower to have their farm plan handy always?
For each operation and grower, it will be different some like 1. Printed 2. Email 3. On an Ipad 4. The best is United Insight –