• place Update
Channel® Seed Brand
  • About Channel
    • Field Check Up Series
    • Sign Up - Email & Text
    • Become A Seedsman
    • Channel Financing
    • OnPoint Publication
  • Products
    • Seed Finder
    • Harvest Results
    • Trait Technology
    • Acceleron® Portfolio
    • Crop Protection
  • Tools
    • Grain Marketing
    • Population Optimizer
    • Profitability Calculator
    • Climate FieldView™
    • Channel ePay
  • Agronomy
    • Agronomy Library
  • Find Your Seedsman
search close
  • About Channel
    • Field Check Up Series
    • Sign Up - Email & Text
    • Become A Seedsman
    • Channel Financing
    • OnPoint Publication
  • Products
    • Seed Finder
    • Harvest Results
    • Trait Technology
    • Acceleron® Portfolio
    • Crop Protection
  • Tools
    • Grain Marketing
    • Population Optimizer
    • Profitability Calculator
    • Climate FieldView™
    • Channel ePay
  • Agronomy
    • Agronomy Library
  • Find Your Seedsman
print
November 20, 2019

2019 Fantasy Farming Challenge

TRIAL OBJECTIVE

  • In 2013, the Monmouth Learning Center created an educational competition for area high school agriculture programs.  Since that time, the Fantasy Farming Challenge has grown each year.  In 2019, we had 22 participating schools from Illinois.  Through this program, thousands of high school students have had the opportunity to learn more about crop production and the agriculture industry. 
  • The Challenge begins in February when students in the participating schools attend a presentation where they learn about basic corn production, the key decisions a grower must make every season, and the risks and costs associated with those decisions.  From there, the students must design a corn production “field” and make the following key decisions:
    • Select a corn product from a list of several different genetic families and trait packages 
    • Whether to add a soil insecticide
    • Planting date (early, mid, or late) 
    • Seeding rate
    • Row spacing (20 or 30 inches) 
    • Pounds of nitrogen/acre
    • Timing of nitrogen application (all preplant or split between preplant and in-season application) 
    • Whether to apply a foliar fungicide
    • Most of these decisions have a cost associated with them, and there are several fixed costs for each plot based on equipment, fuel, herbicides, land rent, etc. 

  • Once their decisions have been submitted, the Learning Center staff plants each school’s plot, implementing the production decisions of the students.  During the season, each school takes a field trip to the Monmouth Learning Center to see their plot and learn more about agronomy as well as career opportunities in the industry.

  • At the end of the season, all plots are harvested, yields are adjusted to 15% moisture, and the grain is sold on the cash market.  There are two prizes given out: one is awarded to the school who produces the highest yield, and one is awarded to the school who returns the highest profit based on their decisions. 

RESEARCH SITE DETAILS

Figure 1. Average yields and net profits of the different plots in the 2019 Fantasy Farming Challenge.

 

UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS

Figure 1. Average yields and net profits of the different plots in the 2019 Fantasy Farming Challenge. Figure 1. Average yields and net profits of the different plots in the 2019 Fantasy Farming Challenge.
  • Corn maturity and trait package were not major factors with regard to yield.  However, when analyzing profitability, the VT Double PRO® RIB Complete® corn blend trait packages tended to be the more profitable choice.  This was not surprising as these plots were planted on soybean stubble, so corn rootworm was not a factor.

  • Nitrogen management was also critical this year.  Schools that went with ‘front-heavy’ applications of nitrogen tended to yield and perform better.  Cutting back on nitrogen rates resulted in much lower productivity.

  • For the most part, early planting outperformed later planting.

  • The top five schools (yields) were within 6 bu/acre of each other but were separated by as much as $62.79 in net profit/acre. 

  • The plot with the highest per-acre cost was 6th in yield.  

  • Similarly, the plot with the lowest per-acre cost ranked 18 out of 22 in overall profitability.

KEY LEARNINGS

 

  • These are excellent lessons for students in that the goal of a farmer is not just to produce high yields, but to do so efficiently and profitably.  Continuing to add inputs does not guarantee higher yield and cutting costs does not necessarily lead to better profitability.

  • It is very seldom in this competition that the highest yielding plot is also the most profitable, but in 2019 that was the case.  Congratulations to the students at Riverdale High School in Port Byron, IL for putting together the winning plot!  Thank you to all schools who participated, and we look forward to conducting this competition again in 2020!

Figure 2. Students from the Riverdale High School Agriculture program designed the highest yielding and most profitable plot in the 2019 Fantasy Farming Challenge. Figure 2. Students from the Riverdale High School Agriculture program designed the highest yielding and most profitable plot in the 2019 Fantasy Farming Challenge. Figure 2. Students from the Riverdale High School Agriculture program designed the highest yielding and most profitable plot in the 2019 Fantasy Farming Challenge.

1017_R1

Was this page helpful?
Thank you! Your feedback has been submitted.
  • Contact Us
  • ePay
  • Financing
  • Merchandise
  • Stewardship
  • Future Technology
  • Channel® Protexus™
  • Food Grade Corn
  • In the News

Privacy Statement       Conditions of Use        Site Map

This website may contain “forward-looking statements” based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at http://www.bayer.com/.

The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. This product has been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship.

XtendiMax® herbicide with VaporGrip® Technology is part of the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System and is a restricted use pesticide. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. It is a violation of federal and state law to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. XtendiMax® herbicide with VaporGrip® Technology and products with XtendFlex® Technology may not be approved in all states and may be subject to use restrictions in some states. Check with your local product dealer or representative or U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency for the product registration status and additional restrictions in your state. For approved tank-mix products and nozzles visit XtendiMaxApplicationRequirements.com.

NOT ALL formulations of dicamba or glyphosate are approved for in-crop use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans or cotton with XtendFlex® Technology.

B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your seed brand representative for the registration status in your state.

IMPORTANT IRM INFORMATION: RIB Complete® corn blend products do not require the planting of a structured refuge except in the Cotton-Growing Area where corn earworm is a significant pest. See the IRM/Grower Guide for additional information. Always read and follow IRM requirements.

FOR CORN, EACH ACCELERON® SEED APPLIED SOLUTIONS OFFERING is a combination of separate individually registered products containing the active ingredients: BASIC plus Poncho®/VOTiVO® Offering for corn: metalaxyl, prothioconazole, fluoxastrobin, clothianidin, Bacillus firmus I-1582. ELITE plus Poncho®/VOTiVO® Offering for corn: metalaxyl, clothianidin, and Bacillus firmus I-1582; prothioconazole and fluoxastrobin at rates that suppress additional diseases. BASIC Offering for corn: metalaxyl, prothioconazole, fluoxastrobin, and clothianidin. ELITE Offering for corn: metalaxyl, and clothianidin; prothioconazole and fluoxastrobin at rates that suppress additional diseases. BioRise™ Corn Offering is the on-seed application of either BioRise™ 360 ST or the separately registered seed applied products Acceleron® B-300 SAT and BioRise™ 360 ST.  BioRise™ Corn Offering is included seamlessly across offerings on all class of 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 products.

FOR SOYBEANS, EACH ACCELERON® SEED APPLIED SOLUTIONS OFFERING is a combination of separate individually registered products containing the active ingredients: BASIC Offering: metalaxyl, fluxapyroxad, and pyraclostrobin. STANDARD Offering: metalaxyl, fluxapyroxad, pyraclostrobin, and imidacloprid.

Commercialization of XtendFlex® soybeans is dependent on multiple factors, including successful conclusion of the regulatory process. The information presented herein is provided for educational purposes only, and is not and shall not be construed as an offer to sell. Soybeans with XtendFlex® Technology contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate and dicamba. Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Monsanto Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs.

The distribution, sale, or use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. Not all products are approved in all states.

In the following states, purchase and use of HarvXtra® Alfalfa with Roundup Ready® Technology is subject to a Seed and Feed Use Agreement, requiring that products of this technology can only be used on farm or otherwise be used in the United States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. In addition, due to the unique cropping practices do not plant HarvXtra® Alfalfa with Roundup Ready® Technology in Imperial County, California, pending import approval and until Forage Genetics International, LLC (FGI) grants express permission for such planting.

Forage Genetics International, LLC (“FGI”) is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). FGI products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with FGI’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. HarvXtra® Alfalfa with Roundup Ready® Technology and Roundup Ready® Alfalfa have pending import approvals. GROWERS MUST DIRECT ANY PRODUCT PRODUCED FROM HARVXTRA® ALFALFA WITH ROUNDUP READY® TECHNOLOGY SEED OR CROPS (INCLUDING HAY AND HAY PRODUCTS) ONLY TO UNITED STATES DOMESTIC USE. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Growers should refer to http://www.biotradestatus.com/ for any updated information on import country approvals. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization.

Roundup Ready® Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate. Roundup Ready® 2 Technology contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate and dicamba.  Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Contact your seed brand dealer or refer to the Monsanto Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs.


Insect control technology provided by Vip3A is utilized under license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG. Harness®, Roundup PowerMAX®II, TripleFLEX® II Herbicide and Warrant® Herbicide are not registered in all states and may be subject to use restrictions. Balance Flexx, Corvus, Degree Xtra, Harness Xtra and Harness Xtra 5.6L are Restricted Use Pesticides. Not all products are registered in all states and may be subject to use restrictions. Degree Xtra® is a restricted use pesticide and is not registered in all states. The distribution, sale, or use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. Check with your local dealer or representative for the product registration status in your state. Channel® and the Arrow Design®, Protexus™ and Seedsmanship At Work® are trademarks of Channel Bio, LLC. Climate FieldView™ services provide estimates or recommendations based on models. These do not guarantee results. Consult your agronomist, commodities broker and other service professionals before making financial, risk management, and farming decisions. More information at http://www.climate.com/disclaimers. FieldView™ is a trademark of The Climate Corporation. HarvXtra® is a registered trademark of Forage Genetics International, LLC. Herculex® is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Agrisure Viptera® is a registered trademark of a Syngenta group company. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® is a trademark of BASF Corporation. Respect the Refuge and Corn Design® and Respect the Refuge® are registered trademarks of National Corn Growers Association. Acceleron®, Balance®, Balance Flexx, Capreno®, Corvus®, CSI™, Degree Xtra®, Delaro®, DiFlexx®, DroughtGard®, Harness®, Laudis®, NemaStrike®, RIB Complete®, Roundup Ready 2 Technology and Design™, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup®, Roundup PowerMAX®, Roundup WeatherMAX® SmartStax®, Trecepta®, TripleFLEX®, TruFlex™, VaporGrip®, VT Double PRO®, VT Triple PRO®, Warrant® XtendiMax® and XtendFlex® are trademarks of Bayer Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2019 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.

Legals