Always a chance to learn

There is something to learn from each growing season, especially the one we just experienced.

Last year was extremely unusual with a wet spring leading to corn planted in June and harvest dragging on to the end of the year. The season actually turned out better than many expected.

“We need to weigh all of those things,” said Randy Wilken, president of ProHarvest Seeds.

Here in 2020, Wilken feels the biggest thing is soybean herbicide traits. There has been interest in the eastern part of the state surrounding the new Enlist platform for beans.

“There are some new products out there but still in the back of our mind, we are a little bit cautious,” Wilken added.

Wilken feels water hemp will continue to pose a challenge to growers since it can gain resistance to pretty much any herbicide within a few years and it could be several years before any new chemistry hits the market. This means we all need to learn how to properly use all of the weed-fighting tools in our toolbox.

ProHarvest continues to take the seed business very seriously.

"Seed is, in my opinion, the one input that can impact the output the greatest,” Wilken explained. “If you don’t start with a good seed, you are at a disadvantage from the get-go.”

Wilken is glad to see the company’s sales numbers grow which is an indication of customer trust.

The Central Illinois Farm Network visited with Wilken during this year’s Midwest Ag Expo at Gordyville.