Current supply chains are slow. And while delays in product are real, seed must be planted, nurtured and grown. Livestock must be fed, managed and harvested. Why? Because no matter what is happening in the world, people still need to eat.
The toll the supply chain is taking on the American farming community can be felt from wavering fuel and seed costs to the skyrocketing fertilizer and nutrient market. How can cooperative farmers best navigate this time when decisions about preparing soil for the next planting season is critical to ongoing success? ServiTech says growers should take a step back and consider leveraging the expertise of a skilled agronomist.
The past two years have brought challenges beyond Covid-19 including complexity of imports and product availability. This has added extra layers of stress and uncertainty for growers who need proven data to grow their operations. ServiTech utilizes a team of professional agronomists and in-house lab staff to create a reliable relationship and help its customers increase their bottom line.
“One thing is for sure, growers have to move boldly into the next season and be willing to implement practices they may have been reluctant to use in the past,” Randy Royle, Chief Lab Officer for ServiTech, says. “Partnering with ServiTech gives our customers analysis and precision data to help their operations by increasing yield and saving them money.”
An expert ServiTech crop advisor will put boots in your fields, discuss your goals, take soil samples and provide detailed, objective opinions backed up by lab testing to navigate the essential details for your 2022 crop inputs. Along with extra advice and more precise information, growers can receive a written plan of input needs, potential replacements for herbicides if product shortages become a problem, and if necessary, can even help present plans to their financial institution and more.
Tanner Lawton, ServiTech customer from Jefferson, Iowa says his family farm was ready to make a change and consult with a new provider for soil samples. ServiTech’s Rob Swieter began working with the father and son team Tom and Tanner Lawton to create a plan to zone sample specific acres and grid sample the remaining acres of their farm.
“We generally sample in the fall and have made the switch to sampling in the spring to allow time for the expert ServiTech agronomists to make recommendations that we can follow through in the fall on time,” Tanner Lawton says. “We also just transitioned to strip-till and Rob has been influential with his variable rate recommendations as well as different options that ServiTech offers to help grow our yields.”
Trying new things especially in a year full of risk seems like a bit of a leap, but no farmer goes into this line of work without a certain level of tenacity. This year, precision is key, and leveraging a ServiTech expert that has access to rapid soil and environmental testing will give growers the exact info needed, as well as how and when to best apply fertilizer – which may be the difference between profit and loss.
“With the advice of the correct partner, you can know down to the penny what the cost of production is for your business,” Royle says. “Imagine knowing ahead of time what your fertilizer or herbicide cost will be per acre or identifying the areas on your grid that need something different than others. A ServiTech agronomist can save you money, with the goal of increasing your bottom line at the end of the season.”
Lawton says the farm’s bottom line has increased due to expert soil samples and quick turnaround from ServiTech agronomists.
“Not only were we able to start making strips with variable rate fertilizer recs early in the fall, we were also able to buy our product early before prices got out of hand,” Lawton says. “I am sure the further we get into our time with ServiTech we will also see yield pick up as we fertilize with the right product, at the right rate, where it is needed most.”
To learn more contact ServiTech at (800) 557-7509.