THE LEADER AN EARLY RISER’S GUIDE TO WHAT’S BEST AND WHAT’S NEXT IN SEED.

ON TOP OF THE HILL IS A GOOD PLACE TO BEBy: Scott Burditt, Dairyland Seed Field Reporter

Top-O-Hill Farm in Tipton, Mich., is literally situated on the top of a hill. For farmer and seed dealer Chad Whelan, who feels pretty good about life these days, it’s like sitting on top of the world.

“One of the things I like about farming and selling seed is that I have freedom to schedule my life my way,” he says. “I have the time I want to spend with our kids.”

A good work-life balance is not easy to find on a dairy. Chad, his dad, David, and his Uncle Gordon milk 200 cows with a plan to increase to 300 soon. They farm 800 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa, and have one full-time employee. Chad’s younger brother, Joel, helps out occasionally as do other family members. His wife, Kelly, stays home with their kids and manages the farm’s books.

Chad, who also began selling seed for Dairyland Seed a few years ago, expects to expand the farm in the coming year or so and eventually take it over as his dad and uncle move on to other pursuits. Their farm has been in the family for seven generations, since 1834, and Chad hopes his kids will follow in his footsteps.

But right now, he’s all about following them around.

During school sports seasons, Chad arrives to work early so that he can finish by 5 p.m. and be involved in their activities. Some days, he might have to go back to the dairy after attending

a game or event, but that’s fine. There are some things a dad shouldn’t miss, he says.

His oldest is nine years old and the youngest turned one year old in March. Five kids keep Chad and Kelly busy.

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Where the Rubber Meets the Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Outstanding Corn Peformance in 2018 Trials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Meet the Dairyland Seed Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4The Case for Summer-Seeded Hybrid Alfalfa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Introducing the Summer HAY Interns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Corteva AgriScienceTM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Introducing Magnum 8-Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

SUMMER 2019

Chad introduces his daughter, Lawson, to other members of their family.

2 SUMMER 2019

The full commercial launch of the Enlist™ Weed Control System featuring Colex-D® Technology is generating real excitement and gratitude from growers and ag professionals across the Midwest.

We have been advocating the benefits of the herbicide tolerances found in the world’s first three gene molecular stack of 2,4-D choline, glyphosate, & glufosinate for over a half of a decade. Add to that Enlist One™ and/or Enlist Duo® herbicides as the cornerstone herbicide products and combining with any of approved tank-mix partners found at https://www.enlist.com/en/approved-tank-mixes.html your herbicide program and yield success is amplified. Assembling comprehensive weed control programs to beat back troublesome resistant and hard to control weeds will help ensure this technology allows us to put our words into proficient action. Putting these game-changing tools to work on your farm with a safe effective package of genetics combined

with herbicide solutions that demonstrates exceptional crop safety and tremendous efficacy into practice is granted with final regulatory approvals.

To evaluate and educate yourself on the simplicity and efficiency please plan to attend one of the multiple opportunities across the Dairyland Seed footprint this summer. At over half a dozen locations over multiple days, growers can observe for themselves this innovative technology. These local Enlist Technology Demonstrations are led by experienced and knowledgeable Enlist Field Specialists assigned to

Dairyland, as well as your dedicated team of Regional Agronomists, RSMs, and DSMs allowing the opportunity to look, touch, ask, and experience what the Enlist Weed Control System is capable of delivering. Seven different stations at over half a dozen locations across the Dairyland footprint will offer sites showcasing the features and benefits of this valuable system on a 2-acre field site. The following themes and demos will be covered at each location.

• RM appropriate Enlist E3™ soybean demonstration plots

• Enlist soybean tolerance and program approach weed control programs

• Enlist corn tolerance

• Herbicide application best management practices for Enlist

• Equipment cleanout information

• Several spray scenario demonstrations

• Multiple trait herbicide platform comparisons

We anticipate filling up these limited opportunities to the learn and experience what all of the excitement is about, so be watching your mailbox or contact your local Dairyland representative about timing and availability at each location. Finally, the rubber is meeting the road with this technology and preparing to use it to our best advantage is here! Let’s make the most of it!!

WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD By: Rod Moran, Soybean Leader

3 SUMMER 2019

AWESOME CORN RESULTS IN 2018 INDEPENDENT TRIALS!

4 SUMMER 2019

SHELLIE STOUT Shellie Stout is an Account Specialist/Customer Service representative for Dairyland Seed at the Eastern Customer Service Center in Wabash, IN. She is responsible for communicating with District Sales Managers and customers in regards to account balances, pricing, and discrepancies on accounts. She also verifies pricing where applicable and confirms sales programs are working properly.

Shellie became a part of the Dairyland Seed family last summer. Prior to joining Dairyland Seed, Shellie served as the Accounting Specialist with Brodbeck Seeds where she was involved with accounts receivable, bank reconciliation, credit approval, helping the sales team manage past due balances and guide collection efforts and assist Controller/Financial leader with month end general ledger balancing and closing.

Interacting with the customers and the District Sales Managers is one of the best parts of her job. Shellie says, “I love working with our customers, and I am here to help. If I don’t know an answer, I will direct them to someone that can help.”

Shellie has an Associate’s Degree in accounting from the Indiana Business College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from NorthWood University.

Shellie’s hometown is Berne, Indiana. Her grandfather’s dairy farm brings back fond memories of a time when she and her younger brother spent mornings in the milking barn with their grandfather. Shellie adds, “We were too young to help milk the cows, but would stand where

they were led into the milking stalls and wave good morning to them as we called out their names.”

She now resides in Wabash, Indiana with Dwayne, her husband of 16 years, and two children, Dylan, age 13, and Hannah, age 9. Both children are very active in sports and Shellie relishes time spent with the sports teams and school activities. Dylan plays on a traveling baseball team through the summer and plays basketball through the YMCA and his school. Hannah plays piano and is also on a traveling soccer team -- competing both locally and throughout the state.

In her free time you’ll find Shellie relaxing with a book or working in her vegetable and flower gardens. Although she enjoys both types, she prefers the flower gardens. That love for gardening brought her to the Purdue Extension a few years ago where she earned the Master Gardener Certificate.

She attends Lafontaine Christian Church and is a member of Elite Forces women’s group. She serves as Secretary/Treasurer on a state functioned travel soccer club and also coaches the 11U division. As part of the fundraising board, she helps promote the organization throughout the year.

Shellie Stout

MEET THE DAIRYLAND SEED FAMILY

5 SUMMER 2019

Chad grew up on the farm, but it was a part-time job for him until 2008, when his primary job in home construction got hammered by the Great Recession.

He later got into the seed business when his seed salesman, now district sales manager, Grant Reiff, who lives only eight miles down the road from Chad, suggested it would be a good fit.

“Well, my family and I know a lot of farmers in the area. The Whelan name has been around a long time. So Grant and I figured I had enough connections to at least get started,” says Chad.

His grandpa on his mom’s side was an auctioneer in the area, and everybody knew him. His other grandpa was involved in local activities, worked the dairy, and sold seed for a different company back in the day.

Success, however, isn’t all in the name. Chad says he’s pretty competitive with just about everything he does and never really satisfied with where he’s at. He intends to continue building his seed business with Grant’s support.

To do that, Chad spends a lot of time on the phone trying to set up meetings. He avoids cold calling because phone calling is more efficient, and most of his business is word of mouth. He recommends varieties based on each customer’s farming practices and soil types, and he’s fearlessly up front and honest.

“If I don’t have an answer to a question, I have Grant. He’s great

at knowing which varieties will be successful on a farm. He’s a tremendous help and a great guy to work with,” Chad says.

Selling seed offers a nice break from milking cows, fixing equipment and generally just running a dairy. It’s a chance to socialize with other farmers, not to mention an opportunity to pick up best practices from his customers.

“I like seeing what my customers do differently on their farms. I take home new ideas for dairy and crop management, and they learn about seed varieties.”

He sells to dairy farmers and growers, about a 50-50 split. His dairies really like the HiDF corn silage lineup. Growers tend toward DS-9508RA and DS-9900RA for corn, and for beans, DSR-2909/R2Y has been his biggest seller.

When he has free time, Chad likes to go hunting. He was a diehard hunter until the birth of his first child, although a certain person named Kelly might say he still is. He also finds time to coach kids’ football even though the season competes with harvest. But usually you can find Chad working on the dairy, helping farmers with their seed, or following his five kids around. It’s a good place to be in life.

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Riding in the combine, perhaps even driving it, is one way the youngest generation acquires a passion for farming.

Big smiles all around as Chad and Kelly pose with their kids. Boys Gradyn, Bronson, Easton, Holden, and daughter, Lawson.

6 SUMMER 2019

Extreme weather events like extended periods of low wind chills on bare ground, excessive snowfall, multiple in-season freeze/thaw cycles, and mixed precipitation quickly deplete valuable energy reserves needed to not only survive dormancy but also provide that initial growth for Spring. Less-than-ideal Fall conditions didn’t allow for adequate preparation into the winter which proved to be the proverbial nail in the coffin for the majority of alfalfa stands across the upper Midwest.

To add insult to injury, Spring 2019 was exceptionally wet and cool causing severe planting and 1st crop harvesting delays with the true extent of this domino effect yet to be fathomed. Widespread winterkill coupled with slow spring regrowth and an overdue 1st cutting of below-average quality can mean catastrophe for an already stressed forage program. As a result, the demand and price for alfalfa has continued to increase as inventory disappears.

These unique set of problems allow for late-summer/early-fall establishment of alfalfa stands in fallow or prevent-plant acres. In the upper Midwest, August 1st through the 15th is the ideal timeframe to seed in order to maximize the opportunity to build up adequate root reserves of carbohydrates prior to winter and be fully productive the following spring. As you move south into the corn belt states the ideal dates can be adjusted 1-2 weeks later to allow for at least 6 weeks of growth before the average first frost when alfalfa would enter into dormancy.

While this situation certainly isn’t welcome, it does provide the perfect opportunity to consider planting hybrid alfalfa if you haven’t already. The increased uniformity of hybrid alfalfa allows for impressive yields without skimping on quality which can provide a faster return on investment while also replenishing a shrinking forage supply. Dairyland Seed’s HybriForce Hybrid Alfalfa products are tested on-farm to provide realistic performance expectations and give growers a front row view of the profit-driving yield potential they can achieve.

THE CASE FOR SUMMER-SEEDED HYBRID ALFALFA By: Sara Hendrickson, Forage Leader

Since 2000, Dairyland Seed has been testing alfalfa genetics where it matters most…on the farm. The idea of on-farm alfalfa testing was implemented with the release of the world’s first hybrid alfalfa, HybriForce-400. Dairyland Seed interns use specially designed plot harvesting equipment to gather data from each strip. Welcome to our summer interns!

Kaleb Kruse–Western Region: Kaleb is from a dairy and crop farm in Dyserville, IA. Together with his two brothers, they formed KCCK Genetics to build on the dairy cattle genetic foundation his parents started. Kaleb received four agriculture degrees from Kaskaskia College in Centralia IL and currently

majors in Animal Science at the University of Minnesota.

Jonathan Andrews-Eastern Region: Jonathan is from Bremen, Indiana. During high school he showed hogs at the county fair and helped restart the FFA livestock judging team. He’s attending Purdue as a Junior in Agriculture Education with a minor in Animal Science and chaperones for the North Montgomery FFA trips.

Karol Wroblewski–Northern Region: Karol grew up on a small hobby farm in Iola, WI showing pigs, sheep, and dairy with 4-H. His biggest accomplishment was having the Grand Champion

Simmental Steer at the 2018 WI State Fair and being in the Governors Blue Ribbon Auction. He just finished his Animal Science degree at Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) and will graduate from the Agronomy Management Program Spring of 2020.

Stetson Rueth-Wisconsin Sales Intern: Stetson grew up on a family crop farming operation in Neillsville, WI. He is pursuing a degree in Crop and Soil Science at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and is a member of the Crops and Soils Club. After graduation, he has aspirations of staying in the seed business.

INTRODUCING THE 2019 DAIRYLAND SEED HAY INTERNS

7 SUMMER 2019

Corteva Agriscience™ is the only major agriscience company completely dedicated to agriculture. We’ve harnessed agriculture’s brightest minds and expertise gained over two centuries of scientific achievements to enrich the lives of producers and consumers alike.

A COMMITMENT TO GROWING PROGRESSWe bring our global presence, depth of knowledge and diverse resources, so that farms and farmers flourish everywhere, moving our world forward.

THE CHAMPION OF FARMER SUCCESSFarmers are the first to face an ever-changing landscape, while constantly striving for higher yield, resilience and desirability. They need seeds and crop protection products that address their challenges—not just by country or region, but laser-focused down to the acre. We are on the ground alongside them, listening first and then innovating collaboratively to help enable their success. Our priority is the success of the farmer—because when producers thrive, our world thrives.

A NOVEL APPROACH TO INNOVATIONIdeas don’t live within the confines of a specific industry, sector or technology. It’s why we apply an open-source philosophy toward innovation, seeking inspiration from a diverse range of thoughts, ideas and solutions. When combined with our world-class research and development capabilities, ideas are transformed into reality with groundbreaking and sustainable agricultural solutions.

A RESPONSIBLE FOOD SYSTEMWe understand that quality food is the foundation of thriving communities and we work closely with farmers to ensure that the latest thinking and technology are used to grow better food, while sustaining the land and conserving resources.

COLLABORATING ACROSS THE GLOBAL FOOD CHAINWe believe that collaboration with the scientific community and society—from local governments and policymakers to regulatory bodies—plays an integral role as an enabler of global agricultural success. Through our partnerships and ongoing involvement, we are forging a new path—one that is rooted in transparency—that will help to foster trust, confidence, pride and purpose.

TURNING POTENTIAL INTO REALITYDelivering innovation is all about experience—in our case, two centuries of it. With a scale and breadth unmatched in the industry, we bring products to market with speed, efficiency and safety, while improving our environmental footprint.

8 SUMMER 2019

Dairyland SeedP.O. Box 958West Bend, WI 53095-0958

www.dairylandseed.com // 800.236.0163

®, ™, SM Trademarks and service marks of DuPont, Dow AgroSciences, or Pioneer, and their affiliated companies or their respective owners. ©2019 Dairyland Seed.Enlist E3™ soybeans were jointly developed by Dow AgroSciences and MS Technologies.Enlist Duo® and Enlist One® herbicides are not registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Enlist Duo and Enlist One are the only 2,4-D products authorized for use with Enlist crops. Consult Enlist herbicide labels for weed species controlled. Always read and follow label directions.

INTRODUCING

Dairyland Seed has a rich history of providing innovative alfalfa products that can perform in variable growing conditions, soil types, and management styles. The unprecedented cool, wet weather pattern that has lingered over the upper Midwest has caused severe spring planting delays and the need for summer- or fall-seeded crops to tolerate these continued circumstances. Since 2003, Dairyland has offered a version of their best alfalfa products that have the ability to branch their roots in stressful conditions, making them excellent performers in poorly-

drained soils while still being very good options for well-drained and moderately-drained soils.

Now available for the 2020 planting season is Magnum-8/WET, the latest branch-root, high-quality synthetic alfalfa. The newest addition to our Magnum lineup is your best chance for getting alfalfa established in challenging wet soils and boasts the strongest multi-race Aphanomyces resistance in the marketplace. Magnum-8/WET grows very aggressively in the seeding year producing great yields and profitability with an excellent disease resistance package.

Disease Rating Index (DRI) 35/35

Fall Dormancy (FD) 4

Winter Survival (WS) 2.4*

Aphanomyces (Aph) Race 1 & Race 2 HR

Anthracnose (AN) HR

Bacterial Wilt (BW) HR

Fusarium Wilt (FW) HR

Phytophthora Root Rot (PRR) HR

Verticillium Wilt (VW) HR

Pea Aphid (PA) MR

Spotted Alfalfa Aphid (SAA) R

Blue Alfalfa Aphid (BAA) R

Stem Nematode (SN) MR

*Scores determined by new 2017 winter survival rating system. New genetics actual winter survival is equal to or better than previous products.