FARM SCHOOL

An educational series for farmers who want to take their skills to the next level

-  Mark Moore

Are soybean planting dates poised to move forward in the future? Producers are pushing the envelope when it comes to early planting because earlier planting dates often equate to more bushels at harvest.

“Early planting sets a farmer up for increased yield, but that is notguaranteed and is based on the precipitation during the seed fill period,” says Shawn Conley, soybeans and small grains Extension specialist for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Planting soybeans early adds complexity and increased risk to the farming operation, so be prepared to manage this crop different than your normal soybean crop.”

Success with early-planted soybeans must include a variety of factors. While there are benefits, plenty of pitfalls can occur. The key is to remain flexible and adjust when needed.

Early Planting 101:

Push Dates Ahead

“The single most influencing yield enhancer for us is early planting,” says Matt Miles, who farms about 5,000 acres of soybeans near McGehee, Arkansas. While the Mississippi Delta region sees its planters rolling much earlier than in the Midwest, Miles says his planting dates have moved forward by more than a month in recent years.

“About 10 years ago we might have gotten a few soybeans planted in late April, but most of our beans were planted in early May,” he says. “So, we just kept moving that planting date up a few weeks every year.” This year, his soybean planters started rolling March 15.