Characterizing the Decision Process in Setting Corn and Soybean Seeding Rates

Abstract

Selecting optimal corn and soybean seeding rates are difficult decisions to make. A survey of Ohio and Michigan farm operators finds that, although generally keen to learn from others, they tend to emphasize their own experience over outside information sources. Soybean growers declare university and extension recommendations as more important than do corn growers. In response to direct queries and in free comments, growers place more emphasis on understanding the agronomic and technological problems at hand than on adjusting to the market environment. Given the decision environment, we argue that these responses are reasonable.

Uncertainty and learning in a technologically dynamic industry: Seed density in U.S. maize

“…One could add, furthermore, that farmers' skepticism toward the recommendations of seed companies may be due to imperfectly aligned incentives (farmers can lose by under seeding or by over seeding, whereas seed sellers' profit only increases with seed density). Indeed, Hennessy et al (2021) find that maize farmers place the most weight on their own experience with a variety in determining the best planting rate, and the recent rise in distributed farmer networks (such as the Farm Business Network) have been driven in part by farmers' need for information beyond what is provided by seed sellers and their own experience.…”