The mid-summer field season is moving fast, and the pressure is officially turning up. In this episode of the Agronomy Moment, Wendell and Celena step out into the heat to bring you a critical checklist for both your corn and soybean acres right now. We track the movement of Southern Rust out of Texas and break down why your later-planted corn is at the highest risk. Plus, we dive into the exact threshold numbers for Japanese Beetles and Stink Bugs in R3 soybeans, and discuss how to handle the emotional aftermath of recent high-wind storm and green snap damage before writing a check for your fungicide passes.

Ag tech is moving faster than the laws can keep up. In this episode, Wendell sits down with Kayla Jenkins from Beck’s Hybrids to discuss the critical intersection of modern farming, emerging technology, and government policy. We dive headfirst into the rise of AI in precision agriculture, state-level drone legislation threats, and the legal battles surrounding the H-2A program. Kayla shares an inside look from the state capital on how lawmakers view your operation, why public perception is shifting, and what farmers need to do to protect their right to spray, fly, and farm efficiently. Key Takeaways:  Why policymakers are targeting agricultural drones. Breaking down the H-2A farm labor program updates. Gene editing vs. GMOs: Educating the modern consumer. High-oleic soybean oil (SOYLEIC) and the future of domestic seed oils. 👇 Subscribe for weekly, research-backed agronomy advice to keep your farm profitable. 🎧 Listen to more episodes of the Agronomy Moment Podcast on Podbean, YouTube and wherever you listen to podcasts.

The rain is chasing us out of the field again, but not before we pulled the data you need for your mid-summer bean passes. In this episode of the Agronomy Moment, Wendell and Selena are checking out a March-planted 4.9 maturity soybean field right here in Southwest Missouri that is moving much faster than expected. Selena breaks down the exact physical markers of the R3 growth stage (measuring pods on the four uppermost nodes) and why this specific window delivers your absolute highest return on investment for a fungicide pass. Plus, we dive into a critical threat we spotted while scouting: heavy stink bug pressure, a direct yield-loss insect that will ruin your pods if left unchecked.

The rain chased us out of the field this morning, but we’re bringing the scouting data straight to the studio. In this episode of the Agronomy Moment, Wendell and Selena dive headfirst into mid-summer corn diseases, focusing heavily on Gray Leaf Spot (GLS). With prevailing wet conditions keeping humidity high, GLS is actively creeping up the lower canopy. Selena breaks down the exact "Rule of a Quarter" to help you look at your ear leaves and determine if you have enough pressure to justify pulling the trigger on a fungicide pass right now. We also check the trackers on high-threat diseases like Tar Spot and Southern Rust, and discuss why the R1 to R3 window is your absolute sweet spot for maximum ROI.

Recent summer storms have left a lot of corn vulnerable across the region. If you’ve been out scouting wind damage over the last week and are trying to figure out what it means for your final stand, this episode is a must-watch. Today, Wendell sits down with Selena to break down how to accurately assess storm-damaged corn. We cover the cold, hard numbers behind green snap yield loss, how growth stages dictate recovery, and why certain common chemical passes might actually be making your stalks more brittle right now.

As the soybean post-emergence window fast approaches, getting your Liberty® herbicide application right is critical. Because Liberty can be a bit finicky compared to other chemistry, relying on standard spraying habits just won’t cut it. In this episode of Agronomy Corner, Wendell Koehn and Celena dive into the ultimate management "recipe" to eliminate the vast majority of Liberty application failures. While we can’t control the weather curveballs Mother Nature throws our way, we can control our management strategy. From nozzle selection and water volume to hitting the sweet spot for weed size, learn how to maximize your coverage and get an effective kill on tough weeds like pigweed before they get angry and push back.

Learn how to accurately stage corn when lower leaves have dropped off, so you can stay on-label with herbicide applications and keep plants healthy through the season. In this Agronomy Moment episode, Wendell Koehn and agronomist Celena walk through a simple, field-ready method to confirm growth stage from V5 to V7 using a dug plant on the tailgate. In this episode: Why accurate corn staging matters for herbicide labels and management decisions How to dig, split, and read internodes to confirm V5, V6, and V7 What to look for at the crown and soil line when staging When dark or discolored crowns might signal fusarium or other issues A practical example of using stress mitigation + fungicide to reduce late-season problems If you’re walking fields and guessing between V6 and V7 from the row, this short episode shows you how to confirm the stage with confidence.

In this episode of Agronomy Moment, host Wendell Koehn sits down with Kala Jenkins, Government Affairs Advocate at Beck’s Hybrids, to unpack what it really looks like to fight for farmers in state and federal policy circles. Kayla shares her journey from a family farm and hydroponic operation to proactively creating her own advocacy role at Beck’s. She explains her three pillars—relationships, strategic alliances, and education—and how they shape her work with congressional staffers, agencies, and partners across 21 states. The conversation closes with practical ways everyday people in agriculture can engage in policy, from diverse dinner-table conversations to inviting elected officials to the farm.

Can you really check soybean stands with a hula hoop? In this video, Celena and I head to the field to show a simple and practical way to estimate soybean populations using a hoop method that makes stand counts easy to understand and repeat. We walk through: How the hula hoop stand count method works How to find your soybean stand factor Tips for checking emergence and spacing What healthy soybean stands look like in the field Early planted soybeans from late March that are already blooming These beans were planted at the end of March, and we were surprised to already find blooms showing this early in the season. If you enjoy real-world farming discussions, agronomy, soybean management, and simple tools that help make decisions in the field, this video is for you. Drop your soybean populations and planting dates in the comments — we’d love to compare how crops are progressing in your area. #Soybeans #Farming #Agriculture #StandCounts #SoybeanFarming #CropScouting #Agronomy #FarmLife #PlantingSeason #SoybeanFields TOP Ag Services is a Beck's Hybrids seed dealer as well as a franchise partner for Sweetwater Technologies. We provide Hybrid Corn Seed, Soybean Seed, and Wheat Seed. Beck's has access to the best genetics and trait technologies from suppliers worldwide. Through Sweetwater Technologies we have access to industry standard name brand herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and many others! We have access to biological stress mitigators, biological fertility foliar, and many other products in the category of crop protection and stress prevention. Through our business associates Dirks Bros, we offer fertilizer, soil sampling, and a whole suite of crop nutrition solutions. We are the first to market with the best products & provide the latest, most accurate agronomic information through proven research. If you need agronomic assistance or want to be added to these updates, feel free to reach out via the messaging feature or contact us at topagservices.com/contact or call us at 417-684-5301 to be connected with someone who can help you. All information here is for informational purposes only. It is not a recommendation for your farm. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of any content included in this presentation without seeking other professional advice. The contents of this presentation contain general information and may not reflect current agronomic or developments or address your situation. We (Wendell Koehn and all of his affiliates, guests, or assistants) disclaim all liability for actions you take or fail to take based on any content in this presentation.

Welcome back to the Agronomy Moment podcast! In this quick 10-minute update, we are joined by Selena to discuss how the recent heavy rains are impacting young crops and what you should look out for as fields dry out and crops enter the rapid growth stage. In this episode, we cover essential agronomy tips, including stand evaluation, nitrogen planning, and how to identify and mitigate early-season seedling diseases in saturated soils. Key Topics Covered: Stand Evaluation & Nitrogen: Ensuring your young corn and soybeans have the nutrients they need going into the rapid growth stage. Herbicide Timing: Adjusting your passes and watching labels when wet weather delays spraying. Seedling Diseases: How to identify Fusarium, Pythium, and Phytophthora in cool, wet conditions. Solutions & Prevention: The role of seed treatments and how improving field drainage can protect your yields.