JUNE 2019 SEEDWORLD.COM / 47 WHEAT GROWERS IN the Eastern half of the United States may be tempted to cheat on prepa- ration for their winter wheat crop. But cutting back on a necessary agronomic practice is false economy even for a crop that is oft regarded as a stepchild. If you are going to make an effort to plant a wheat crop, at least give it a fighting chance to perform up to its genetic potential. Growers often plant their winter wheat as soon as they can after soybean harvest which is frequently before the Hessian fly-free date. As a result, the new crop is subject to considerable insect pressure. The most cost-effective control for Hessian fly and other seedling pests is seed treatment. When ordering seed treatment, the grower needs to understand what products are being applied. Some are for suppression; others are systemic and provide coverage for up to 45 days. When wheat is planted early the new crop needs longer- acting protection. Some varieties have better Hessian fly resistance than others, but early stage seedling protection will help the crop get off to a strong start. It will be healthier and in better condi- tion to become well established before winter. The best seed treatment product and appli- cation rate is a function of what variety is being planted, what pests are a threat and the local plant- ing environment. The best application rate varies depending on the pest threats. Growers and treat- ment applicators should work together to select products and rates. Wireworms are an evolving problem. Sooner or later we believe wireworms will become a wide- spread problem, so it’s important to continue to evaluate fields to determine their presence and pressure. In areas where wireworms already have a significant presence, higher seed-applied insec- ticide application rates are justified. As a minimum, all wheat seed should be treated with a fungicide at a recommended rate. Even in situations where it may be tempting to cut inputs to save on costs, cutting back on seed treatment doesn’t pay. Don’tCheatonYourWheat JEFF WEBER NUFARM AMERICAS SEED TREATMENT LEAD, EASTERN REGION. jeff.weber@nufarm.com www.nufarm.com/ SOMETIMES TAKING ON a life of their own, teams can be very dynamic and be a driving force in helping com- panies meet new goals and deliver real-world solutions to the challenges and complexities before us. “Nine out of 10 companies agree that the problems confronting them are now so complex that teams are essential to provide effective solu- tions. To achieve superior perfor- mance, companies need to tap into the full range of skills and expertise at their disposal,” according to a report by Ernst & Young. The most successful teams use what I call the 3-C strategy: Culture. Communication. Challenge. Culture is important, and you must recognize and understand the culture of your own company. We know team members must fit the culture of our organization. Some folks are inherently not team-oriented. In an organization, such as Oliver, where it is about the collective effort leading to the collective result, you need folks who will fit into that type of culture. Being able to bring folks along in your collaborative, team-oriented culture is critical to building our team. Another key element in building a strong team is communication. This not just about communicating every- thing that is known; it’s about creat- ing systems and processes such that there is a flow of information neces- sary for our team’s success. A simple way to think about this is having each team member consider what infor- mation they need to know and what information they need to share with whom. Then, you need to create the forums where information sharing can occur. Internally, we do this through regular team meetings, project meet- ings and stand-up huddle meetings at the start of the day or as needed. The last element — what I see as maybe the most critical piece — is challenging a team to grow. This should require folks to get out of their comfort zones, to try things differ- ently, or to do things that they have not done before. If we are always comfortable, we are not growing as individuals. With this challenge, we also have to remember that some- times things will not go as planned. It’s important to create learning opportunities from these situations. We do this by debriefing, trying to understand what did not go as planned, and what we can collectively do differently going forward. By focusing on culture, commu- nication and challenge, teams can focus on the mission at hand. Putting the right teams together with the 3-C strategy can give you a competitive advantage, and who’s not after that? CoretoCreatingPower TeamsIsthe3-CStrategy JOE PENTLICKI OLIVER MANUFACTURING VICE PRESIDENT/COO joe.pentlicki@olivermanufacturing.com olivermanufacturing.com