Steve Wolf, president and owner of S & R Consulting, LLC in Atlanta, Ind., recently announced the sale of S & R Consulting, LLC to Agricultural Research & Testing, LLC from Washington Court House, Ohio.
S & R Consulting provides contract agriculture research services in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky for seed and chemical companies. S & R Consulting does genetic yield testing, as well as the evaluation of foliar treatments, seed treatments, in-furrow liquid and in-furrow granular treatments in two and four row plots (short row, mini-strip, and strip plots).
“While I love my work in agricultural testing, due to some health issues, this just makes sense for our loyal customers and for my family,” Wolf shares. “What makes this easier, is the fact that I actually helped start the owners of Ag Research & Testing in replicated yield testing in 1991.”
Chris Jeffries, president of Ag Research & Testing, LLC, says Wolf has been a close friend and great mentor. “I started working with Steve in 1991, and my organization was able to become the largest independent seed testing company in the eastern Corn Belt,” he says.
Curtis Wolf will remain as research manager, Sam Tweedy will continue as research plot tech, and Cody Handley will become the new research lead.
“I have always been an advocate of more locations, so I plan to double the number of testing sites for 2017, and I plan to keep pricing flat,” says Jeffries, who also has plans to introduce something unique to the seed industry — a farmer testing program, where farmers can independently test seed that they are planting.
Since hybrid performance may change per lot number, Ag Research & Testing will provide stand counts, stalk lodging, root lodging, moisture, CV’s, and Lsd’s as well as conducting warm and cold germination tests, in addition to yield testing. Considering the average cost of a unit of corn in the $250-$300 range, it only makes sense that growers are more aware of the quality and performance of their seed purchases, Jeffries says.
