From soybeans that exceeded expectations to a corn crop heavily shaped by nitrogen management, southern rust, and local variability, this episode delivers local agronomic insights to help growers plan for a successful 2026 season.

01:04 — Meet Mike Bronski

Mike shares his background, including nearly a decade with Pioneer, his prior retail agronomy experience, and a glimpse into his personal interests (including snowmobiling).

02:38 — Snapshot of the 2025 Growing Season

Mike breaks down the 2025 season by crop—highlighting impressive soybean performance, localized white mold pressure, and more variable results in corn due to nitrogen management and weather.

05:13 — Corn Management: What Worked and What Didn’t

A deep dive into nitrogen timing, placement, manure valuation, disease pressures, and the year’s “death by a thousand cuts” effect across multiple pathogens.

08:53 — Biggest Challenges & Bright Spots

Fertility emerges as the top challenge, while strong stand establishment becomes one of the year’s major wins.

12:30 — Weather’s Influence on 2025 Outcomes

The group unpacks how cool early weather, delayed GDUs, mid-summer heat, and a fast finish affected maturity, test weight, and harvest moisture across the state.

21:18 — Regional Differences Across Wisconsin

Disease patterns varied dramatically, especially southern rust near the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers. Mike discusses disease heat maps and where proactivity outperformed ground-truth scouting.

23:12 — Southern Rust: What Growers Need to Know

Mike explains why southern rust exploded in 2025, the conditions that enabled it, and how growers should think about hybrid selection in 2026 without overcorrecting.

27:06 — Product Standouts: Soybeans

Top performers include 004s, 9806s, 8308s, 05G60s, and the powerhouse 16Z25—with placement notes, white mold considerations, and where varieties shined.

32:26 — Product Standouts: Corn

From early maturities to full-season power players, the team breaks down high performers like 78150, 70834, 85199, 87340, 92399, 9466, 96567, 98125, and 02405. Surprises, placement tips, and disease interactions included.

45:16 — Planning for 2026

Key recommendations include:
– Don’t make knee-jerk decisions based solely on 2025
– Prioritize fundamental fertility
– Leverage variable rate seeding
– Maintain seed treatments
– Strengthen weed control strategies

49:39 — Looking Ahead

Mike reflects on what keeps him inspired—Wisconsin growers, teamwork, resiliency, and the pace of genetic and agronomic advancement.

51:22 — Final Takeaways & Wrap-Up

Erica summarizes three core lessons: avoid recency bias, focus on foundation agronomy, and remember that weather remains the ultimate wildcard. The hosts close with gratitude and a safe-harvest sendoff.

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Hosts Alex Weldon (Pioneer Territory Manager, Northeast WI) and Aricka Wech (Pioneer Field Agronomist, Southwest WI) sit down with Haily Sand (Nutrient Management Specialist and GPS Specialist with Source Laboratories), to talk soil tests, nutrient prioritization and practical ways to stretch fertility investments without sacrificing yield.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

🌽 A quick 2025 harvest recap: corn, beans, and field conditions across Wisconsin

🧪 Why soil testing this fall is more important than ever in a tight-margin year

📉 How to decide when (and what) fertilizer applications are truly worth it

🧭 The nutrients to prioritize: why potassium is the “gatekeeper” of the plant

💰 Liming strategies and why lime is “the cheapest fertilizer”

🌧️ Managing nitrogen losses and the role of stabilizers or split applications

💩 Using manure effectively in fall fertility plans

🌱 The ROI of cover crops: cost today vs. soil health tomorrow

📊 How soil test trends, yield maps, and technology can guide smarter fertilizer planning

🔁 Evaluating whether your farm is building, maintaining, or mining fertility

This episode offers local, data-driven advice to help Wisconsin growers make every nutrient and dollar count.
 

#fertility #nitrogen #potassium #soil #nutrients #yield #soiltest

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In this episode of Pioneering Wisconsin’s Ag Future, Pioneer Territory Manager Alex Weldon and Field Agronomist Aricka Wech sit down with nutritionists Pete Draymond, Duane Splain, and Eric Starting to discuss an emerging opportunity in dairy nutrition: feeding high oleic soybeans to dairy cows.

High oleic soybeans are gaining attention for their nutritional benefits, potential to improve cow performance, and impact on milk quality. The group dives into:

• How high oleic soybeans fit into dairy rations
• Nutritional differences compared to conventional soybeans
• On-farm results in milk yield, butterfat, and protein
• Challenges with sourcing, processing, and logistics
• Economics compared to bypass fats and other protein sources
• Future adoption trends and consumer demand

👉 Learn more from the Pioneer Agronomy Team: pioneer.com/podcasts

👍 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with another farmer.

#Pioneer #Agronomy #DairyNutrition #Soybeans #Farming

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In this episode of Pioneering Wisconsin’s Ag Future, hosts Alex Weldon and Aricka Wech sit down with Bill Mahanna, Pioneer’s Global Nutritional Science Lead, to dig into the challenges and opportunities of the 2025 corn silage harvest.

Bill shares practical strategies for harvest timing, high chopping, bunker management, and inoculant use, while also offering insights on fermentation, dry matter losses, and the importance of working closely with your nutritionist this fall. 

Listen for tips on 👉 
✔️ When to harvest for maximum starch
✔️ High chopping & chop length strategies
✔️ Preventing dry matter loss & heating
✔️ Using inoculants to preserve feed quality

This episode is packed with timely, actionable advice to help Wisconsin dairy farmers prepare for silage harvest.

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The conversation digs into key insect and disease pressures—including corn rootworm, tar spot, gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf blight, and the emerging threat of southern rust—along with management strategies for today and hybrid selection decisions for next season. Aricka also shares observations on white mold, SDS, and weed escapes in soybeans, plus tips for spotting nutrient deficiencies in corn and beans.

Your To-Do's according to Aricka and Alex:

✔️ Scout, scout, scout—stay ahead of insects & disease

✔️ Evaluate fungicide timing & impact

✔️ Start planning hybrid & rotation strategies for 2026

Make sure to like and subscribe for more from Pioneering Wisconsin's Ag Future!

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In this episode:

• Common weed challenges and how to tackle them
• The benefits and application strategies of DuraCor®, Remedy®, and new Nova Graz™
• How to preserve desirable species like white clover
• Building a sustainable pasture management program
• Why timing and species-specific solutions matter

🔗 Explore more at corteva.us.com! 

 

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Listeners will learn how as-planted data unlocks actionable insights for variable rate seeding, scouting, and real-time decision-making. Ryan also discusses how predictive modeling is helping farmers better manage ROI, crop health and yield potential—plus what new innovations are on the horizon for Wisconsin growers.

🌱 Top Takeaways:
- How to use data to make in-season decisions that matter
- The future of reduced stature corn and non-GMO hybrid wheat
- Why never quitting on crop management—even in a tough year—can pay off

Subscribe, share with a fellow grower, and join us for a special bonus episode soon on Corteva’s range and pasture division! 

 

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Jeremy shares practical tips on pre- and post-emergent herbicide applications, weed control timing and stewardship of Enlist® herbicide technologies. They also explore strategies for managing volunteer corn, insights into the Replenish soybean system and new product innovations coming in 2025 and beyond.

Key Takeaways

• Pre-Emerge: Stay the course — no need to panic yet. Consistent application will pay off.
• Post-Emerge: Tailor applications based on weed species and growth stage. Target optimal weed height to ensure crop safety and minimize yield loss due to weed pressure.

Stewardship Guidelines

• Adopt a Systems Approach: Use multiple modes of action (MOA) and layer residuals. Don’t rely solely on Enlist® chemistry, especially with Enlist-tolerant corn.
• Follow Best Practices:
  • Use a crop oil concentrate (COC)
  • Maintain proper carrier volumes
  • Choose the correct nozzles for coverage and drift control
• Tank Mix Strategy: Combine Enlist® One+ Liberty® for superior weed control. They perform best when used together.

Weed Management in Plenish® Soybeans

• With Roundup Ready® as the only trait technology currently available, aggressive management is essential.
• Layer residuals and plan for multiple passes.
• Stay on a 30-day spray calendar to maintain control throughout the season.

New Products Discussed 
Soybean Herbicides:
Enversa™ – https://www.corteva.us/products-and-solutions/crop-protection/enversa.html

Kyber® Pro – https://www.corteva.us/products-and-solutions/crop-protection/kyber-pro.html

Sonic® Boom - https://www.corteva.us/products-and-solutions/crop-protection/sonic-boom.html

Corn Herbicide:
Resicore® Rev - https://www.corteva.us/products-and-solutions/crop-protection/resicore-rev.html

Wheat Herbicide:
Tolvera®  - https://www.corteva.us/products-and-solutions/crop-protection/tolvera.html

 

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed from Jeremy Hunt are his alone and his alone, not those of Corteva. 

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Sam unpacks what biologicals really are, how they fit into the yield equation (genetics × environment × management), and how Corteva's NEXTA™ Biologicals are uniquely designed to help crops manage environmental stress—ultimately leading to better yield potential. From drought tolerance to hormone balance in plants, this episode dives into the science behind the products and the practical benefits for corn and soybean growers.

Plus, learn why EPA registration and product transparency matter in a crowded marketplace with over 1,200 biologicals options, and how you can seamlessly integrate NEXTA™ products into your existing management system.

Whether you're just starting to explore biologicals or looking to fine-tune your agronomic edge, this episode is packed with takeaways you can put to use this season.

Tune in to hear:

• Why not all biologicals are created equal
• How NEXTA™ helps “weatherproof” crops during stressful conditions
• Where to start if you're ready to add biologicals to your program

To learn more about NEXTA products: http://pioneer.com/us/products/nexta-biologicals.html

🌽 Visit pioneer.com/podcasts for more episodes and agronomic insights. 

🎧 Don’t forget to rate, review, and share with a fellow grower!

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North Stars Podcast: In this episode of the North Stars Podcast, hosts Alex Weldon and Aricka Roberson discuss the Pioneer Agronomy Summary book and local field trials throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. Joining the pair are Mike Gronski and Nick Schimek, Pioneer Field Agronomists. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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