Small seeds of ideas can often be nurtured and grown into something us

Rhonda Brooks, Farm Journal Editor

© Lindsey Benne

Small seeds of ideas can often be nurtured and grown into something useful and meaningful. That’s what we have accomplished with our 10th annual Seed Guide — and the first edition of Farm Journal that showcases our new design.

This is only the 12th time in our 142-year history we have redesigned the magazine. But at a time when farmers read news on a small screen they pull from their pocket, we knew we wanted to make the look of Farm Journal more relevant for how you live and farm today.

We Asked, You Answered

During the past year, we asked you, through individual conversations, readership studies, surveys and focus groups, to tell us what you’d like to have in a magazine. You replied you wanted shorter stories; more charts, data and photographs; and stories with additional white space and entry points.

We took your requests to heart, and you now hold the outcome of your feedback and our efforts in your hands. As you thumb through the 2019 Seed Guide, you’ll see it is packed with timely, relevant information. There are stories on how seed corn hybrids and soybean varieties are shaping up (click here) and how to address prevented plant acres with cover crops (click here).

For many of you, it might seem like you just finished planting. It’s never too early to start thinking about 2020, though. Make sure you read Sonja Begemann’s story to really think through structured refuge versus refuge in a bag and how that impacts your efforts to hold back resistance. (click here) You’ll also want to check out these stories when you start planning and evaluating seed for 2020.

Farming, like life, is constantly changing and requiring you to adopt new practices and update the old. The magazine business has similar demands. But, as the staff at Farm Journal has done for 142 years, we look forward to continuing our mission of providing you with practical information to help you thrive and grow the crops needed to feed the world.