Published in the South Dakota Soybean Leader – Summer 2020

Farming is all about adjusting and adapting to changing circumstances. There are so many things outside of a farmer’s control, that the ability to react to shifting conditions can make a big difference in profitability and long-term viability. That adaptability also applies to agribusinesses.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown many aspects of life into disarray and has changed how most people and companies operate, including Mustang Seeds. Ordinarily, summer is a busy time of activities and events for growers to find out how products are performing or to get an idea of new products coming down the pike. As we’ve all seen, so far, 2020 has been far from an ordinary year.

“In a normal year, you could expect to see Mustang Seeds at a variety of plot tours, customer events, farm shows like Dakotafest and Farmfest, county fairs, or in a parade,” says Mustang Seeds Sales Manager Eric Brandenburger. “Due to COVID-19, many of these events have been cancelled.”

That’s where the adaptability comes in. Mustang Seeds is taking some alternative approaches to share information with growers this summer because knowledge helps farmers make informed decisions and few decisions are as impactful as selecting the right seed.

“We have to be creative this year to safely stay in front of our customers,” Brandenburger says. “Following the recommended guidelines, we will still meet with customers, just not in the same large event formats. We will also be introducing self-guided plot tours at select locations. This will enable customers to tour our plots and using a QR code, access data on each corn or soybean in our lineup. They will also have a chance to register for one of the incentives we will be giving at each plot.”

Plots will feature the latest in Mustang Seeds’ wide range of soybean traits and genetics. Farmers who take a self-guided tour can register for a smoker to be given away at each of the 17 plot locations. One grand prize, a smoker grill combination mounted on a trailer called a chuckwagon, will also be given away.

Farmers can enjoy the convenience of self-guided tours that easily fit into busy summer schedules. However, growers who are interested in learning more about seed performance from the experts, there are options for them as well.

“In addition to the self-guided tours, we will also offer personalized plot tours for interested customers,” Brandenburger adds.

Because Mustang Seeds offers a wide range of soybean seed options, it’s important that farmers learn about all the products that are available and see how they perform in real-world conditions.

‘Mustang Seeds offer a choice of traits including conventional, GT soybeans, Roundup Ready 2 YieldSoybeans, LibertyLink GT27, Enlist E3, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend, and coming soon, the new XtendFlex soybeans,” Brandenburger explains.

Each year, farmers throughout the upper Midwest battle difficult weeds like waterhemp, kochia and giant ragweed. Pending approval, Xtendflex® soybeans will offer farmers another choice to help manage those challenging weeds.

“XtendFlex soybeans are tolerant to dicamba, glyphosate, and glufosinate,” Brandenburger says, “giving the grower more options for tough weed control.”

The methods for meeting with farmers and sharing information may have changed, but Mustang Seeds is committed to meeting the needs of current and future customers. To learn more about our seed options, our self-guided plot tours or to schedule a one-on-one meeting with a Mustang Seeds representative, visit us online at www.mustangseeds.com or contact your local sales representative.