That looks like a cool trip, farming_cat. Did they feed you good?
Tom
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Turns out Beck's has a cafeteria for all of their employees to eat at. They claimed they don't charge anyone to eat there, but I'm sure that makes the entire thing a business expense and they write it all off of their taxes. So we ate whatever was on the menu that day which happened to be BBQ brisket. So I would say they fed us pretty good.
Do you think there is an objective difference between Beck's and other seed companies like Channel, Ohlde, Pioneer?
The majority of Beck's genetics started with something from the likes of Monsanto (Dekalb, Channel, etc.) and Corteva (Pioneer). They use these genetics and breed in other traits that they like. None of Beck's hybrids will have a cross of genetics between Monsanto and Corteva. That would break their contract agreements and Beck's would essentially be no more. Ohlde is much the same as Beck's except much smaller. Ohlde most likely breeds hybrids to excel in Central Kansas. Whereas Beck's are bred to excel where there is substantially more rain fall. However, Beck's has research sites all across the corn belt, so they probably have a few hybrids very similar to Ohlde. Hybrid selection all comes down to which hybrid is best for your location, soil type, and crop management style. Some companies don't necessarily always have a hybrid that fits a farmers particular case, but another company might. Beck's head agronomist admitted that the 109-115 day corn hybrids are where Monsanto excels and everyone else is playing catch up.