We can help you determine what pays—and what doesn’t
Solid grain prices make it a lot easier to earn a profit on cash grain. Unfortunately, that’s not the case everyday. The goal now is to grow as many bushels as you can profitably on every acre you farm. In some cases, that might mean switching to better-performing corn hybrids, soybean and alfalfa varieties. It could mean increasing crop nutrients on your best ground, and perhaps cutting back on poorer soils. It means keeping a close eye on disease and insect pressures before investing in costly rescue treatments.
Truth be told, it probably means all of these things. And that’s where the experienced, professional field agronomists at United Cooperative can help. We understand that seed, nutrients and crop protection must all work together to deliver the most profit per acre. Our agronomists draw on data from local WinField Answer Plots, our state university, as well as feedback and results on hundreds of thousands of acres from our own customers to inform our agronomic thinking and recommendations.
The goal isn’t simply to maximize your yields; it’s to maximize your economic return on every single acre you farm.
Agronomy Services
United Cooperative has invested heavily in the people, facilities and equipment we need to serve all of our customers during the hectic spring planting, summer spraying and fall harvest and fertilizer seasons. We pride ourselves on keeping cooperative equipment in top shape, checking and double-checking orders and showing up on time. When you purchase your seed, fertilizer, and crop protection products right here locally, part of the cooperative’s profits are returned to you—our member owners—each year. Even custom application services are eligible for patronage.
We also provide professional services that fall outside of traditional fertilizer application and spraying. These include soil testing, field-mapping, tissue sampling, field scouting and in-season crop imagery. Most of these services are part of our new Soil Management and Rate Technology (SMART) program. However, any farmer or landowner can benefit from these services by making better decisions based on actual data from your farm.
To learn more, talk to a United Cooperative agronomist today, or contact a member of our precision farming team.
Agronomy News
Alfalfa Scouting
6/14/2024 5:55:21 PM
Seth Otto, Agronomy Sales Specialist, goes over how to scout your alfalfa fields and what to look for. ...
Ascend2 Side-by-Side Comparison
3/21/2023 2:11:14 PM
2024: The Year of Challenges
Dec 17, 2024
| United Cooperative-Beaver Dam
As the end of 2024 draws near, most of us can agree that it was a very trying year. The planting window was wide throughout the state, and we can all agree there were very few days when it felt good to be planting. Proper soil conditions were hard to come by with the early season...
Use Response-to-Fungicide Scores to Make Data-Based Decisions
Jul 10, 2024
| United Cooperative-Beaver Dam
One of the considerations you may approach differently this year is fungicide applications. When deciding which acres to spray and which products to use, response-to fungicide (RTF) scores can help you make tailored, hybrid-specific choices based on years of reliable yield data.
...
What Do We Do with Tar Spot?
Jul 08, 2024
| United Cooperative-Beaver Dam
In several areas, Tar Spot has wreaked havoc with corn yield this year as it did in the southwest and the other regions of southern Wisconsin in 2018. Yield reductions can be very severe, with yield reductions up to 100 bushels per acre if Tar Spot hits early and corn doesnt blac...
Letter from the CEO
May 01, 2024
| United Cooperative-Beaver Dam
With 2023 completed, I want to reflect on the tremendous momentum we have experienced this year. Our employees and facilities functioned at a very high level, creating growth, and timely service. I want to thank the employees for their commitment and dedication and our member/own...
Choosing the Right Seed
Studies have shown that the single biggest thing most farmers can do to improve their yields is to choose better seed. Research from right here in Wisconsin shows that corn yields can vary as much as 50-70 bu./acre based solely on hybrid selection.
Fortunately, the agronomists at United Cooperative rely on yield and plant performance data from unbiased local sources, including the annual Wisconsin Corn Hybrid Performance reports, WinField United Answer Plots, as well as our own experience and observations from hundred of thousands of acres farmed by cooperative members. We can help you choose the corn hybrids, soybean and alfalfa varieties that are most likely to perform under your tillage system, your particular soil types and drainage conditions, as well as insect and disease pressures.
We offer a wide range of products from well-known seed producers, including hybrids and varieties that work well within specific weed control systems, including Liberty Link in corn and Enlist in soybeans. Our agronomists are happy to help you compare your yields with results from other farms in your area to see if you can squeeze better performance out of the hybrids and varieties you’ll be planting next spring.
Answer Plot data gives you insights for every acre
It’s your resource for localized insights you can trust to choose the best products for your soil types matched with the right management practices. Answer Plots test and re-tests products in varying field conditions so you and your United Cooperative agronomist can make the right input decisions for your crops.
Click to download PDFs
| Beaver Dam | Chilton |
| Fennimore | Janesville |
| Menomonie | Shawano |
| West Salem | Local Yield Results Book |
Crop Protection
United Cooperative’s agronomy division offers crop protection products from all of the major manufacturers. But protecting your crops is really much more than products alone. It should also take into account crop rotation, tillage practices, corn hybrid and soybean variety selection and other variables. Your United Cooperative agronomist can help you see the big picture, and discuss ways for you to make your crop protection plan more efficient and cost-effective.
Crop Nutrition
Feeding your crops used to be pretty simple: you’d apply the same amount of N-P-K across an entire field, but times have changed. Research has consistently shown that some parts of your fields need additional nutrients, and some need fewer than you typically get with a one-size-fits-all solution.
That’s where your United Cooperative agronomy team can help. If you’re not currently doing any soil testing, that would be a great place to start. If you are soil testing, you might consider pulling more samples from each field, and then creating a field map that includes “management zones” based on yield potential.
Your cooperative has both the equipment and personnel to use variable rate application technology in your fields based on these maps. The result: higher yields on your best ground, the best possible yields on your poorest ground, and sometimes, a lower fertilizer bill. To learn more, visit with your local United Cooperative agronomist today.
Precision Farming
Precision farming is a term that scares a lot of farmers—especially those who didn’t grow up with computers or sophisticated electronics. But, you’ll find that when you work with United Cooperative’s precision farming specialists, you’ll reap the agronomic benefits of precision farming without having to become an electronics expert yourself.
The only two things you really need to get started are a yield monitor in your combine, and a recent set of soil test results. Much of precision farming revolves around getting the right nutrients to your crop, when and where they are needed. By bringing together the yield information you’ve probably already collected, along with your soil tests, our agronomists can show you which parts of your field could benefit from higher levels of nutrients, and where you could cut back without hurting yields.
Almost every farmer who takes this first step goes on to adopt even more precision farming practices. That’s how noticeable the results can be. At every step of the way, there’s a United Cooperative precision farming specialist who’s ready to help.
Agronomy Locations
Agronomy Team
Scott Firlus
Western Region Agronomy Operations Manager
Pat Van Deurzen
Northern Region Agronomy Operations Manager
Jeff Bechler
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Central Region
Andy Beck
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Eastern Region
Steve Bolen
Location Manager/Agronomy Sales Specialist | Central Region
Steve Bolen
Location Manager/Agronomy Sales Specialist | Central Region
Gerry Breitsprecker
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Eastern Region
Evan Brittain
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Northern Region
Shelby Carlson
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Central Region
Pete Clothier
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Western Region
Corey Dean
Location Manager/Agronomy Sales | Eastern Region
Bret Doyle
Location Manager/Agronomy Sales | Western Region
Kris Duffy
Agronomy Sales | Eastern Region
Reece Franke
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Western Region
Keegan Grade
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Eastern Region
Ryan Hafton
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Eastern Region
Nathan Hull
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Eastern Region
Dave Justman
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Western Region
Dennis Klumpers
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Central Region
Kevin Knudtson
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Western Region
Don Lininger
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Eastern Region
April Molitor
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Western Region
Seth Otto
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Northern Region
Pete Page
Agronomy Sales | Central Region
Jared Park
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Western Region
Jeff Rabas
Location Manager/Agronomy Sales | Northern Region
Jeff Raddant
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Northern Region
Jordan Redeker
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Central Region
Sam Redeker
Location Manager/Agronomy Sales | Western Region
Ben Schmidt
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Northern Region
Eric Smith
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Central Region
Justin Storlie
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Eastern Region
Mike Sullivan
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Eastern Region
Chad Van Vreede
Agronomy Location Manager/Agronomy Sales | Northern Region
Chad Van Vreede
Agronomy Location Manager/Agronomy Sales | Northern Region
Nathan Wegner
Agronomy Sales | Eastern Region
Hunter Woulf
Agronomy Sales Specialist | Northern Region
Financing and pre-pay opportunities
Fall is the best time to line up financing for next year’s crop, and to take advantage of special pricing on everything from seed to fertilizer. You can also save money by pre-paying some of your 2021 expenses this year, and then deducting those expenses from next year’s income.The finance team at United Cooperative is experienced in filling out loan applications, identifying discounts you might be eligible to receive on next year’s crop inputs, and meeting end-of-the-year deadlines for pre-pay requirements.
The first step for any new agronomy customer is to complete a simple credit application and return it to our offices. If you have questions or would like additional information, please call (920) 887-1756.