News from Your Federated Agronomists | January 9, 2018
2018 Product Service Policy
Federated's Communication Tool & Policy Outline
It’s time to sit down with a Federated Agronomist and discuss Federated’s Product Service Policy (PSP). This important document outlines the responsibilities of both growers and Federated for “safe, sound chemical practices” in the application of crop protection chemicals and/or fertilizer.


Of special note this year is #6 under Federated’s Pledge, with regard to Xtend® soybeans. “Federated will not spray the following crop protection products: Xtendimax®, Engenia®, FeXapan™, or any approved dicamba for Xtend soybeans.”
 
Carlson explained that with the drift and volatility issues in the past year with the dicamba products, even with the new restrictions and limitations placed on applicators in MN and WI, “we feel that there is too much risk associated with off-target movement in crop, post-emerge.” (And he highlighted the consequential need to make a strong weed management plan for soybeans.)

“We’d like to go through the PSP with growers so that the growers’ and our responsibilities are clearly communicated,” said Kevin Carlson, Federated’s senior agronomist. The PSP clearly defines the parameters of custom application for crop protection products and fertilizer, and by adhering to it, problems are quickly identified and resolved.

“We like t o take a planned approach to custom application,” said Carlson. The PSP helps Federated manage its application business better, and minimizes the potential for error. Fields change, neighboring crops change, ownership changes – “we need to talk through these things on a yearly basis,” he added.

Set a time to discuss the PSP with your Federated Agronomist soon, and get your signed (and required) PSP on file before spring application begins.
Palace™ - A New Name for a Cost-Effective Product
“It’s not a new product, but rather a new name,” said Kevin Carlson, Federated’s senior agronomist. “Palace™ is a private label premix of Dual II Magnum® plus Calisto® that has a wide range of application flexibility, from pre-plant to post-emerge in the corn market,” he said.

Its flexibility is one of the reasons why Federated chose this as a preferred product. It is safe on a pre-emerge or pre-plant basis because of the Dual II Magnum and Calisto on any corn . It is also flexible for Round-up Ready® (RR) or Liberty® corn on a pre-emerge and post-emerge basis.

“We want to control weeds in corn early,” Carlson noted, and that is a primary message for growers. “Corn doesn’t like competition,” he said, so it’s important to control weeds early. On RR corn fields, Palace can be tank mixed with Buccaneer Plus® for early post-emerge application.

“We can’t jeopardize weed control, even with tight budgets,” said Carlson. Palace has a very competitive price point that allows growers to combat weeds cost-effectively.

According to the Palace fact sheets, it provides:
  • dual modes of action,
  • good activity on waterhemp and Palmer amaranth,
  • soil residual and foliar applied weed control,
  • control of 50+ broadleaf weeds and grasses.

View the pre-emerge facts here , and the post-emerge info here. Contact your Federated Agronomist to learn more about Palace, a cost-effective product for fighting weeds in corn.
Managing Nitrogen with SuperU ®
Effective nitrogen (N) management plans require strong fertilizer choices, and SuperU® stabilized nitrogen fits the bill, according to John Swanson, Federated agronomist at the Ogilvie location.

SuperU is:
  • a granular urea fertilizer that maintains a 46-0-0 analysis,
  • a blue granule that is uniform for spreading,
  • treated all the way through, not just as a coating,
  • soluble in water identical to urea,
  • available to the crop once it is hydrolyzed.

SuperU also:
  • contains a urease inhibitor (NBPT) to control volatilization losses for 10-14 days or more,
  • contains a nitrification inhibitor (DCD) to reduce the potential for denitrification and leaching,
  • maintains a higher level of ammonium nitrogen (which is the positively charged and more stable form) for a longer period of time, and
  • also leads to greater potential for ammonium feeding of the plants. 

The combination of these properties reduces N losses in pre-plant applications, and can also be of benefit on light textured soils in side-dress applications.  See SuperU fact sheet.

Swanson noted that “although SuperU costs more than urea, in tough times, it is more important to be able to utilize every bit of nitrogen we put out there, and be as efficient as possible, to get the highest yields out of the inputs we are applying.” Increasing yields is the most effective way to offset low crop prices. Hear more from Swanson in the SuperU video on the Koch Agronomy website .

Contact your Federated Agronomist to learn more about SuperU, a strong choice that can reduce N loss into both the environment and the soil while positively affecting yield.
Swanson-SuperU video link
Federated Focus: A Service, A Person
Financing: One Part of the Business Relationship Specialist’s Job
Keith Steiner
Keith Steiner, Federated’s business relationship specialist, reiterated the reminders of the past two months: financing is available through Federated to take advantage of lower interest rates and prices.

A Service. While growers can apply for crop input loans anytime through the end of winter, the sooner the better, since loan approval simplifies planning for spring planting. Steiner said, “Interest rates for CFA [Cooperative Finance Association, with whom Federated works] are between 4.75% and 5.25% -- variable rates depending on what inputs will be purchased from Federated.” These competitive interest rates come with a loan maturity/due date of March 15, 2019.

A Person. Keeping tabs on interest rates and helping growers find the best options for their input financing and purchases is just one aspect of Steiner’s role at Federated Co-ops. His job, centered in the accounting department, is somewhat that of a generalist who serves both growers and Federated’s C-store customers.

“I’m the guy people call to set up accounts or fix something,” said Steiner. The main aspect of his job is dealing with customers for the credit side of ag, or for the C-stores, and he also works with financing for agronomy customers.

Steiner also works with Federated’s inventory in each of Federated’s three areas of business: ag, energy, and retail. “I do the computer part of that,” he said, logging in products and setting up items in the system – including seed and crop inputs.

“When the agronomy locations have a question, they call me,” he said, “with questions on customer accounts, item codes, etc.” Steiner is the go-to guy for questions relating to computer systems (as they relate to customer interfaces). “I try to help answer questions and get things corrected,” he said.

With nearly four years under his belt at Federated, this University of North Dakota grad has found his niche. “I try to keep everybody happy – from customers to co-op workers – and make sure things are correct so that things run smoothly,” he said.

Steiner will be the first to say that getting ready for spring starts with getting crop inputs and financing lined up while there’s still snow on the ground. Contact Keith or your Federated Agronomist to get started.
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