AMES, Iowa – Specialty grain opportunities are giving Midwest corn and soybean producers the chance to earn a premium by growing high-quality grains and oilseeds.
But with those premiums come requirements that strict identity preservation practices be used when growing and harvesting these crops.
Planter clean-out video. A new video is available to help farmers protect the identity of these specialty crops during the planting process.
Iowa State University Extension, Pioneer Hi-Bred International and the Iowa Grain Quality Initiative have teamed up to develop the Planter Clean-out Procedures for Corn and Soybeans video.
“Planting is the one step in the production process where a grower can do the most to control the identity of grain and oilseeds,” said Mark Hanna, ISU agricultural engineer.
Step-by-step. The program provides an overview of why planter clean-out is important, general planter clean-out procedures and specific clean-out procedures for several planter types.
“Actual clean-out procedures for a number of the planters range from one or two minutes up to three or four extra minutes per row unit,” said Hanna. “So, even for a 12-row planter we might be talking about just an extra half hour or 40 minutes.”
The VHS video is $20, plus shipping, for Iowa residents and $25, plus shipping, for all others.
Other guides. Field friendly planter guides outlining specific clean-out procedures for the planter types featured in the video also are available.
Planter types and ordering numbers are: brush mechanism (Kinze and John Deere) PM 1902; Case IH 1200 Series PM 1903; Case IH central seed hopper PM 1904; finger mechanism (John Deere and Kinze) PM; 1905 grain drill PM 1906; John Deere vacuum PM 1907; White air PM 1908.
The cost of each guide is $2, plus shipping.
To order. The video and guides can be ordered by calling the extension distribution center at 515-294-5247.
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