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Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Look back to see what’s new:

As we put 2023 on the shelf, there are several things we can reflect on to make 2024 more profitable. Two key factors helped shaped surprisingly good yields across Latham Country in 2023. First, nights were cooler than the year before, and the corn plant had a reprieve from the intense heat and drought. Second, genetics and plant characteristics have “migrated” north as the growing season has changed year over year.

Let’s take a closer look at how genetics and plant characteristics have changed and what Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is doing to address these changes. Southern genetics have always been able to tolerate drought and heat better than their counterparts in the north. As the growing season extends throughout the years, southern genetics are being bred into northern germplasm which results in “tougher” products being brought north. Latham’s Research and Development program tests products south and north of their area of adaptation to fully vet these new genetics. The added spend is well worth the investment for Latham customers as we gain first-hand experience with these products across multiple environments.

Along with the shift in genetics and maturities, Latham is seeing a shift in technologies. We are seeing a shift in corn rootworm technology with the launch of VT4PRO^™ with RNAi Technology. This technology brings three above-ground modes of action and two below-ground modes of action, including RNAi Technology. RNAi technology offers a specific mode of action which attacks the gut of the rootworm differently than all other modes of action. This technology is also featured in SmartStax^® PRO with RNAi Technology. If rootworm protection is not in your plans, Latham hybrids featuring PowerCore^® Enlist^® are taking the market by storm. The Enlist^® corn trait allows for the ultimate weed management flexibility with tolerance to glyphosate, glufosinate, 2,4-D choline, and FOP herbicides in corn. Enlist® herbicides stay on target and have lower volatility than both dicamba and traditional 2,4-D formulations. Use Enlist herbicides to control late season emerged broadleaf weeds such as waterhemp and Palmer amaranth. PowerCore® trait technology brings long-lasting insect control against key above-ground susceptible insects.

Latham Seeds offers a full portfolio of the latest traits and technologies, but we know it all comes down to yield. Here is a small sample of what you can expect from Latham’s corn portfolio.

LH 3775 VT2 PRO RIB, 87 RM:

+ 4 bu over DKC41-55 across 18 locations

+9.3 bu over P9193AM across 13 locations

LH 4438 SS PRO RIB, 94 RM:

+ 1.5 bu over DKC45-65 across 12 locations

LH 4866 TREC RIB, 98 RM:

+17.9 bu over DKC47-85RIB across 10 locations

+17.9 bu over P9624AM across 23 locations

LH 5336 PCE RIB, 103 RM:

+11.2 bu over P0421AM across 26 locations

+5.9 bu over DKC55-54 DG VT2P across 26 locations

LH 5815 VT2 PRO RIB, 108 RM:

+10.8 bu over P0622Q across 10 locations

LH 6306 PCE RIB, 113 RM:

+1.1 bu over DKC64-34 across 8 locations

+9.9 bu over P1197AM across 15 locations

LH 6445 VT2 PRO RIB, 114 RM:

+6.9 bu over DKC64-34 across 7 locations

+13 bu over P1197AM across 7 locations

Contact your local Latham representative to find out more information about these and other top-performing Latham corn hybrids or call 1.877.GO.LATHAM.

steve-sick

January 11, 2024

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, General, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Celebrate January as “Souper” Bowl Month

It’s hard to think of something more comforting than a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter day. We all have our favorite soup recipes, and I’m pretty sure each bowl has a favorite memory behind it.

My favorite soup growing up was – and still is – my mom’s beef vegetable soup with homemade dumplings. I also enjoy my mom’s hamburger soup. Mom is a great from-scratch cook who doesn’t measure, so I’m thankful for The Pioneer Woman’s recipe for Hamburger Soup. I’ve added more favorite soup recipes over the years while interviewing Latham® Dealers for my blog. I made sure many of these got included in the Latham Seeds commemorative cookbook.

If you haven’t seen the soup recipes for cheeseburger, wild rice or sausage & squash . . . well, grab a copy of the cookbook and see for yourself why these are new must-haves in your menu plan. A few copies of the cookbook remain, so order now if you still need one. Email jennym@lathamseeds.com for ordering details.

Because there’s always room for soup, we want more recipes! Help us celebrate National Soup Month by sending us your favorite soup recipes.

Complete this online form and you’ll automatically receive a soup ladle from Latham Seeds! Better yet, you’ll be entered to win a fabulous Ninja Foodi Cooker, which has EIGHT cooking functions for soup (and many other things).

Send us just one recipe and you will feel like a souper star! We can’t wait to see your family favorites.

Submit Recipes Here.

shannonlatham

January 5, 2024

Food & Family, General, Recipes, Soups, Winter
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

This Family Still Makes Christmas

Being resourceful was something Mandy (Maurer) Danner learned at an early age while growing up on her family’s farm in Royal, Iowa. Her parents, Lori and Jeff Maurer, enjoyed repurposing old farm equipment and household items to preserve memories and “decorate on a dime.” Family photos adorn the kitchen walls, framed in windows salvaged from an old hog barn. A bowl her great grandma used to make homemade bread hangs nearby. An old wooden ladder was turned into a unique, decorative shelf.

During the holiday season, finding new uses for old items was something the whole family took part in by literally “making Christmas.” Mandy, who is one of three Maurer kids, recalls everyone drawing names and then personally making a gift for that person. It became a special tradition that her dad and grandpa continue today, whether it be fireplace mantles or hand-crafted coffee tables for Mandy and her brothers, Kevin and Mitch. Their 82-year-old grandpa also makes each great grandchild a barn.

One of Mandy’s most cherished “make it Christmas” gifts is a beautiful kitchen table, made from wood her parents saved from felled trees on one of the first farms they ever bought. That table reminds Mandy of the love and care her family always showed – and passed along – through meaningful gifts that will last a lifetime.

A table full of memories.

Mandy’s grandpa created this gates for our operation.

“Together my dad and grandpa have made many things, but my favorite and most treasured is the kitchen table,” says Mandy, who has two children with her husband, Cole Danner who is the regional sales manager for all C&B Operations’ Iowa stores.

The Danners also raise purebred Red Angus cattle. A love for showing cattle brought Cole and Mandy together when they were students at Iowa State University and members of the Block & Bridle Club. Their son will show his first heifer in 2024, and they couldn’t be more excited for the upcoming show season.

Now that she and her siblings have children, Mandy says it’s a bit harder to do the “make it” each year. She’s grateful that her dad and grandpa are continuing the tradition.

When they gather together, the Maurer and Danner families enjoy easy-but-hearty meals like their beef stew that are perfect on cold, winter’s nights.

shannonlatham

December 22, 2023

Beef, Food & Family, General, Soups
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Tips for Choosing the Hybrid Maturity
As farmers make their final seed purchasing decisions, some may wonder if the hybrids they selected in early fall are still the right ones today. The Latham Team will gladly help put your mind at ease.

Let’s begin by reviewing a few product selection basics. Most selection decisions begin with relative maturity (RM). These ratings are relative to physiological maturity and largely driven by a combination of growing degree days (GDDs) and planting date. When building a plan for the upcoming growing season, identify the GDD range and average required for a hybrid to reach physiological maturity (black layer) in your geography.

Planting multiple hybrids of varying maturity will reduce risk in three main areas:
1. Agronomics (emergence, stalk strength, disease tolerance)
2. Harvest management (harvest moisture)
3. Genetic diversity (yield, drought tolerance)
About 60 to 70% of a farmer’s portfolio traditionally is focused on the core RM zone (i.e. 100-day RM) with 10 to 20% focused on earlier RM and the remainder on later RM. Remember, there is typically more yield variability within a given RM group. Spreading risk across a wider maturity range is especially important given the moisture limitations across the Upper Midwest.

Grain moisture at harvest also increases steadily with increasing relative maturity. On average, grain moisture at physiological maturity increases by 0.25 to 0.5% with each one-day increase in relative maturity. Selecting hybrids of appropriate maturity is important for a balance between yield potential and managing grain moisture at harvest, which ultimately grows more corn.

The Latham Team is here to help you feel confident about your seed decisions. After harvest each year, we share results from our own research. We hire third-party companies to plant and harvest Latham Elite trials, so our Product Team members can observe products and take notes at a greater number of locations. As a result, we have recently tripled the number of trials conducted on both corn and soybean products in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota!

Once we identify experimental products from the Elite Trials that meet Latham Seeds’ standards AND fulfill our customers’ needs, we release them for sale. Check out multiple years and multiple locations of Latham® performance at LathamSeeds.com.

Yield pays. Latham delivers on that promise, just as we have for more than 75 years. Feel free to contact your local Latham Seeds representative or call 877-GO-LATHAM (877) 921-3428.
steve-sick

December 14, 2023

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, Data, Fall, General, Growth Stages, Season, Soybeans, Tech Tuesday
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Food Adds Flavor to Family Traditions

Traditions are near and dear to many families, especially during the holidays. The Dawes family of Adel, Iowa, has carried on a unique family tradition for more than 25 years. Every Christmas they gather for a warm meal at their grandparents’ house followed by an annual family cribbage tournament. Now four generations take part in the heated competition, as older family members reminisce about games from years’ past.

The Dawes Family

From playing cribbage to working together on the family farm, values of teamwork and integrity were instilled in Beau and his brother, Colby. Beau grew up just three miles from where he now lives and says the home farm is where his favorite memories took place.

For example, Beau drove to the field for the first time with his grandpa. His grandma would pile all the grandkids into the front seat of the old farm pickup and let each of them have a turn driving. They would pretend to go through the McDonald’s drive-through, so there was no damage to the crops. He found himself on other side of his favorite memory more than 25 years later, teaching his kids the same “skill.”

Beau and his wife, Amie, are the proud parents of three: Leah, Blake and Lane. Amie stays busy with kids’ activities plus working full time as a physician assistant in a high-risk obstetrics office. She and Beau’s mom bring family favorite meals to the field during harvest and planting season.

Beau farms with his dad, Nick, who became a Latham® dealer in 2000. Beau handles the day-to-day operations related to row crop operation, and Nick runs his own cow-calf herd on the side of their farm. After working for 11 years as a mortgage underwriter in downtown Des Moines, Beau traded in his suit coats and ties for polo shirts and caps. Then, in 2001 he became a full-time farmer and took over his dad’s Latham Seeds dealership. Beau hopes that some day a fourth generation will continue the family tradition of farming.

As an exclusive Latham Dealer, Beau takes pride in personally checking on his customers. He really appreciates working with a family-owned seed company. Beau says the Lathams look out for their people and treat them like family.

“I appreciate knowing that John Latham will make time to walk a field with one of my customers,” said Beau. “That shows a lot about the culture of Latham Seeds and the positive experience they are willing to provide for their customers.”

The Dawes family values time spent together, especially playing games and sharing meals. Today they’re sharing one of their favorite recipes that’s perfect for busy times throughout the year.

shannonlatham

December 8, 2023

Food & Family, General, Poultry, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Traditions for All Seasons

Family traditions always seem to come out during the holidays. But we all have special rituals we do throughout the year together, too. Maybe it’s for birthdays, such as cupcakes for breakfast (yes, it’s a thing). Maybe you make a point to celebrate your kids’ first or last days of school in a unique way.

Christmas, however, brings its own magic to the mix of family traditions. These are activities that connect one generation to the next, keeping memories alive for decades.

As a family-owned business, Latham Seeds is a huge believer in making memories with loved ones all year long. Our traditions run deep, but – like yours – they shine especially bright this time of year.

One of our favorite traditions as a company is the annual Christmas potluck, which we just wrapped up earlier this week. This is when employees bring a favorite dish to pass, and we all share a meal together. We also reserve time on this day for every employee to put a custom-made ornament on the tree in our office lobby. The ornaments are etched with the first names of each Latham employee.

We also mix up the Christmas potluck fun with an annual Ugly Sweater contest. This brings out the most creative expressions for all of us to see! There’s always “that one” who tops them all.

Sandie with her festive sweater!

The Grinch made an appearance!

John and Shannon decorating the tree.

Last year Quinten Bohlman won with a reindeer hat. In years’ past we’ve been delighted by other holiday cheer — like Rod Fesenmeyer’s memorable Donner costume!

This reindeer hat is a fun memory!

If you can’t win the ugly sweater contest, you can certainly go for our Christmas trivia Kahoot game, which is exactly what Fred Wilz did to win a beautiful wreath.

Fred new his trivia which landed him a wreath!

A holiday potluck wouldn’t be complete, of course, without food. Enjoy this recipe for sweet potato casserole — appropriately provided by Latham driver Steve Sweet.

May you and your family embrace all your holiday traditions this year, no matter how big or small!

shannonlatham

December 4, 2023

Food & Family, General, Recipes, Sides
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Nothing fishy about this soy success story

Guest Blog by Aaron Putze, Iowa Soybean Association

When soybean farmers say their “real” customers are pigs, they truly mean it.

That reference to the importance of swine rations in driving demand for soy, however, is in no way a slight to other important markets.

That includes those with fins, scales and gills.

As developing countries strive to feed their growing populations more protein, fish is increasingly on the menu . . . and not just species harvested from streams, rivers and oceans.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, global average consumption of fish and other seafood reached a record high of 20.5 kilograms per person in 2019. That amount is expected to increase as the quality and affordability of fish improves.

Enter Iowa and U.S. soybean farmers.

To meet the growing demand and taste for quality, farm-raised fish, professional feed using ingredients other than fishmeal and fish oil are coming into vogue. Soy is the most-used protein source in aquafeeds worldwide. According to the Global Seafood Alliance, soybean meal, soy protein concentrates, and soybean oil are increasingly go-to feed ingredients required for many farmed species.

Soy Fish Feed

Research funded by soybean farmers has played a key role in developing this win-win demand driver. More appetite for sustainably produced and healthy fish is a boon to soybean demand.

In addition to developing soy-based feeds ideally suited for hungry fish and shrimp, soybean farmers have also played a key role in developing new ways to produce farm-raised fish. They are advancing educational activities carried out by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) to train people in developing countries on how to manufacture professional feed using soy.

Iowa soybean farmers take great pride in the role they’ve played in developing better methods and feed for producing fish.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Soy Excellence Centers (SECs) were launched by USSEC in 2019. They offer professional training in a variety of curriculums including feed milling, soybean processing and refining and poultry, dairy, swine and fish production.

More than 6,500 trainees have participated in SECs. One such center operates in Egypt – a facility I was able to see firsthand during a trade mission to the country of 110 million earlier this year. Better training, fish feed and production methods have had a profound impact. The metric tonnage of farm-raised fish production has increased from 600,000 in 2005 to nearly 1.5 million in 2019. Production is projected to surpass 2 million metric tons by 2030.

Aaron Putze in Egypt at a Soy Excellence Center

Farm-raised fish account for almost 80% of Egypt’s seafood market, up from 50% in 2012. Tilapia is the choice of 80% of Egyptians. Other fish species include catfish, sea bass, mullet and carp. Shrimp production is gaining in popularity as farmers seek to diversify and capture greater premiums and profits.

Harvesting Tilapia in Egypt

Give the people of a country a fish, and they’ll eat for a day. Teach them how to produce fish (and poultry and milk), and they’ll eat for a lifetime.

That’s the power of soy and Iowa’s soybean farmers.

Aaron serves as Chief Officer of Strategy and Brand Management for Iowa Soybean Association. You can reach Aaron at 515-975-4168 or aputze@iasoybeans.com.

All this talk of fish made us hungry for a yummy Friday recipe! Check out this Lemony Shrimp Scampi Linguine from The Iowa Food and Family Project.

Webspec Admin

November 1, 2023

Agriculture, Crop, General, Industry News, Soybeans
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Empty Nesters Make Room for Hobbies

Steve and Jodi Roelofs live in a garden spot of Minnesota.

The couple raised their family in a farmhouse next door, where Steve grew up and still raises hogs. That house serves as Steve’s farm office and Jodi’s workshop. The former kitchen and living room are filled with projects in various stages of re-purposing, including chalk-painted chairs to be sold at Hilltop Florist and Greenhouse in Mankato, where Jodi has worked for more than 20 years.

Jodi studied graphic arts at South Central College in Mankato where she met Steve, who studied ag production. She says she began working part-time at flower shops when her kids were small because it allowed her to enjoy adult conversation and provided her with a creative outlet. The scale of Jodi’s gardens grew along with her children.

The Roelofs are the proud parents of four sons: Tony, Christopher, Bryant and Matthew. Jody recalls good times serving as a 4-H leader from the time their oldest son was 10 years old until their youngest son graduated in May 2017.

“We had so much fun at the fair with our kids,” said Jody, who grew up on a Minnesota dairy farm and belonged to 4-H.

The Roelof Family

Now these empty nesters have adjusted to a new way of life. When their oldest son went to college, the family stopped farrowing. Jodi had been working in the farrowing barns, so this change gave her the opportunity to return to work in a floral shop. Steve and his brother, who had been farming together in a family corporation, decided to split the operation. Steve raised feeders and his brother raised the finishers.

The Roelofs in 2005 stopped farrowing and transitioned to a wean-to-finish operation. Since 2010, they have been custom finishing feeder pigs.

“This arrangement works well for us,” Steve says. “We’re responsible for the day-to-day care of the feeder pigs but we don’t have to assume any of the risk.”

Raising pigs, as well as selling Latham® brand seed, complement the family’s grain operation. Both enterprises allowed the Roelofs to cut expenses while increasing income to allow their son an opportunity to farm.

“We really liked the idea of working with a family-owned seed company,” Steve says.

The Roelofs enjoy outdoor activities all year long, from snowmobiling to water skiing. They also enjoy family dinners — especially this recipe for Crunchy Pork Chops.

shannonlatham

October 27, 2023

Food & Family, General, Pork, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Like Farming, Cooking is a Multi-Generational Love

The Jacobsen family has been producing corn, soybeans and pork on an Iowa farm for almost as long as Iowa has been a state.

Doug and Carolyn Jacobsen began growing seed beans for Latham Seeds in the 1970s. They were the third generation to work the family’s Iowa Century Farm. Their son, Corey, and his wife, Kim, began growing seed beans in 1986 when he rented his first farm near the century farm.

While studying Ag Business at Iowa State University (ISU), Corey helped plant four crops and maintained his breeding-to-finish swine operation. He traveled home each weekend to do chores and made countless other trips whenever needed for breeding or farrowing. After graduating from ISU, Corey worked at Brenton Bank in Clarion and then at Dows United Bank & Trust, where he retired as bank president in 2000.

That’s when he started farming full time with Kim, who retired as a high school math teacher and coach at Clarion-Goldfield Dows.

Corey and Kim credit 4-H for laying the groundwork for future farmers, as well as for their three boys: Ben, Matthew and Caleb.

“Through 4-H, our boys learned skills they use on the farm such as welding, woodworking, small engines, along with the communication and record keeping,” Kim says. “We feel blessed that they grew up on the farm learning the value of honesty, hard work and sacrifice to accomplish goals. We couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Family favorite recipes are often passed down through generations. The Jacobsens are doing just that with these sausage and cheese egg roll wraps.

shannonlatham

October 18, 2023

Breads/Breakfast, Food & Family, General, Pork, Recipes
Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds

Multiplex Gene Editing: How It’s Transforming the Future of Farming
At a time when the world’s population is increasing, cropland is decreasing and climates are changing, it’s more important than ever to equip farmers with new technology and tools to take the guesswork out of planting decisions. One such tool is multiplex gene editing, which quickly adjusts a plant’s DNA to improve its resiliency and to use fewer natural resources like land and water.

Multiplex gene editing turns up the volume on regular gene editing by implementing multiple types of edits to plant genomes. For example, vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts and kale all started from different parts of the same wild mustard plant — but didn’t fully develop into their own varieties until breeders chose to amplify certain traits. Today’s corn is no different, having been bred from a plant that looks nothing like corn looks to us now.

Farmers recognize benefits from multiplex gene editing more quickly because no government agencies are involved. Additional benefits include:
- More uniform seed size, which increases planting efficiency.
- Increased water utilization.
- Changing the leaf shape, which allows for better light interception and photosynthesis to improve yields.
With a high-performing lineup designed specifically for your field, Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds is well-positioned to increase yields — year after year.

Contact Latham’s product team or your RSM/DSM for more details on multiplex gene editing and other pioneering advancements that we’re working on for your future!
steve-sick

October 12, 2023

Agronomics, Corn, Crop, General, Industry News, Seed Technology, Soybeans, Tech Tuesday