Prevent planter pitfalls this spring

Christine Charles<charl122@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

Join the Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series on April 3 for a discussion on planter set-up considerations with Jason Koning from Precision Planting.

A tractor planting no-till soybeans in a soybean field.
Planting no-till soybeans. Photo by Mike Staton, MSU Extension.

Planter maintenance is an investment, not a cost. Annual maintenance is critical to maximizing yield potential by ensuring quality singulation, spacing and uniform emergence with any crop. Join the Michigan State University Extension 2025 Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series on April 3 to hear Jason Koning from Precision Planting discuss critical planter maintenance pitfalls that often get overlooked so your planter is ready for 2025. Immediately following the discussion, Jeff Andresen, Michigan State University (MSU) climatologist, will provide a 15-minute weather outlook.

One restricted use pesticide (RUP) credit (1a, Comm Core, Priv Core) and one certified crop adviser (CCA) continuing education credit (1 CM) are available for this session. Only participants who tune into the live broadcast at 7 a.m. are eligible to receive RUP and CCA credits. Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development RUP credits are only available to Michigan residents.

Sign up for Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series

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The Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series sessions from the MSU Extension field crops team are held every week during the growing season via Zoom. The Virtual Breakfast series keeps attendees informed of in-season updates and issues of concern for field crops. These virtual meetings take place every Thursday morning from 7-8 a.m., March through September 2025. Participants are encouraged to log into the Zoom link 5 minutes prior to the start time to ensure connectivity and receive announcements. The first half of each session includes a timely presentation from a topic expert and the weekly weather forecast. The second half of each session includes time for Q&A’s and updates with MSU specialists and educators.

Participating is easy and free! You can join the live meeting via Zoom using a computer, tablet, mobile device or regular phone line. If you are new to Zoom, simply download the Zoom app and you will be ready to join online every week to see visuals shared by presenters. A call-in by phone option is also available but note that you will only hear the audio portion. RUP credits and CCA continuing education unit are available most weeks for live attendees.

Participants must sign up to receive an email notification with instructions for joining the Virtual Breakfast. You only need to do this once and you will receive the Zoom link and call-in phone number, as well as weekly reminders every Wednesday and Thursday. Participants receiving emails can opt out at any time.

Sign up for Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series

If you cannot participate in the live session at 7 a.m., you can view the recorded version at any time. However, only the live session will be eligible for RUP and CCA credits. Recordings will be closed-captioned and available at the Field Crops Virtual Breakfast webpage and the following MSU Extension field crops team social media platforms: Facebook, Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Twitter/X.

If you are unable to sign up online, call the Montcalm County MSU Extension office at 989-831-7500 .

Follow @MSUEFieldCrops on Facebook, Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Twitter/X for breaking news.

 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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