By Brian Hefty

Do you remember in 2008 when Monsanto said that by 2030, corn and soybean yields in the U.S. would double?  I laughed.  In fact, I still think it is extremely unlikely that by 2030 we will average 300 bushel corn and 80 bushel soybeans.  However, I do believe the technology is already there today for almost any farmer who is willing to make the financial and time commitment for the next 16 years to get his or her individual farm up to an average of 300 & 80.

Let’s face it, though, seed genetics is likely not going to get us there alone.  In order to reach these high yields more quickly than trendline, which by the way would probably put us at 300 & 80 sometime between 2050 and 2080, you will need to do a lot more than just plant good seed.

Things like fertility, organic matter, drainage, pest control, compaction, and plant placement will need to be mastered to reach high yields far more quickly than you should.  In addition to that, you will likely need to use biological products and plant growth hormones to maximize yields.

Dad used to call products like these “foo-foo dust”.  Years ago, he was probably right, because the theory behind them was a lot better than the actual products that reached the market.  Today, though, there is a lot more going on in this segment of the market that should get you excited.

For several years, you have heard Darren and me talking about the TJ Technologies product QuickRoots.  We have averaged between 5 and 10 bushel corn gains with QuickRoots for years, which is pretty good for a $6 investment.  QuickRoots is a combination of beneficial bacteria and fungi.  In 2013, Novozymes bought out TJ Technologies and then quickly moved to form an alliance with Monsanto.  Monsanto was already heavily invested in the biological arena, as is FMC, Syngenta, Bayer, BASF and almost every major player in agriculture.

Many people also lump plant growth hormones into this biological sector, and most major ag companies have also been working with this type of technology for years.  We have used products like MegaGro, Bio-Forge, and several others with success in corn, soybeans and wheat, but don’t be surprised to find plant growth hormones in the “inert ingredients” section of a pesticide or fertilizer label.  Companies are doing anything they can to safely and consistently improve yields, and due to their heavy investments, we look for biological and plant growth hormone use to explode in agriculture.

I was recently at a conference where this topic came up, and here is what I was told.  One of the reasons all the big companies are looking at these types of products is below:

Cost of Development, Regulatory and Labeling for New Products:

  • Pesticide = $256 million
  • Seed Trait = $136 million
  • Biological Product = $5 million to $15 million

So we’ve talked about how biological products and plant growth hormones can lead to higher yields and how they cost far less to bring to market than other technologies.  Off the record, a senior executive in one of the major ag companies recently gave me another reason why it seems like everyone is investing in this product segment.  “Europe wants to ban all pesticide use,” he told me.  “If we don’t develop alternatives to pesticides, we will be out of that market.”  If Europe was actually to ban pesticides, it is very likely that yields would go down dramatically there, which I guess would be good for U.S. farmers.  I do not believe that biological products could ever fully replace pesticides, at least in my lifetime, but that probably won’t stop certain countries from trying to ban proven and safe current technologies.

Even if you don’t think you have used a biological or plant growth hormone product on your farm, you likely have, but companies haven’t publicized these technologies in the past like I expect them to in the future.  I encourage you to learn more about this product segment, as it is growing quickly.  If you put the right biologicals and plant growth hormones to use, you could reach your yield goals quickly.