Industry News

New Company AcreShield™ Launches Yield Optimizer™

Des Moines, Iowa, January 30, 2024 – AcreShield™, a developer of innovative agricultural solutions focused on helping farmers achieve profitable operations, introduces Yield Optimizer™, the first independent seed selector program that arms farmers with objective seed performance data and helps them choose the best hybrids for their farms backed by an industry-first warranty program.
“Yield Optimizer aggregates comprehensive data from respected, independent seed trial plots along with our proprietary seed trial data,” Billy Rose, AcreShield CEO, says. “The outputs we provide represent specific field-level performance for more than 700 seed varieties. Yield Optimizer uses this information to create an extensive list that ranks the top-performing brands and hybrids by yield, specific to a farmer’s location. These unique insights provide farmers with unbiased, verified hybrid yield data to help them make the best seed selection for their operation. We back this with a yield performance guarantee that allows the farmer flexibility to choose any seed they want.

Billy Rose, AcreShield CEO

“Farmers generally don’t get to choose their soil, but they can choose their seed. While weather has a big impact on yields, the selection of the proper seed hybrid is where yields start. Three years of unbiased, scientific seed trial data shows that in the same field, soil and weather conditions, a hybrid selection affects yields by up to 40 bushels per acre depending on the hybrid selected when analyzing the top 30 percent of commercially available hybrids.”

Provides Yield Gap Protection
Maximizing yield through minimizing components of yield risk is a key factor in determining profitable farm operations. Profitability generally depends on getting crop yields close to 100 percent or more compared to historical yields. While crop insurance covers up to 85 percent of a farmer’s historical yield, profits are at risk when yields fall between 85 percent and 100 percent. This 15 percent shortfall is the Yield Gap. (See Figure 1.) Before the innovative Yield Optimizer, there was no cost-effective seed selection program with financial protection to safeguard farmers whose yields fell into the Yield Gap.

Figure 1
Crop insurance covers up to 85 percent of a farmer’s historical yield, profits are at risk when yields fall between 85 percent and 100 percent. This 15 percent shortfall is the Yield Gap. Download image

“Yield Gap is a universal problem to all row crop farmers,” Rose says. “With farm profitability dependent on achieving crop yields of 100 percent or more compared to historical yields, this 15 percent difference in the Yield Gap often determines if a farmer will make or lose money. The Yield Optimizer provides a valuable, unbiased review of seed hybrid performance. There is no marketing component, no manipulation of information. We deliver raw, verified seed trial data analysis to farmers to help them protect their farms and profitability. Yield Optimizer helps solve the problem of Yield Gap happening.” (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2
Customers simply select their location, crop type and maturity range using a secure web portal. The Yield Optimizer algorithm then ranks the top-performing brands and hybrids specific to the farm location. Download image

Yield Optimizer, with the associated Yield Gap protections, is available in a three-tiered offering with introductory pricing at $5.00, $8.00 or $15.00 per acre. The respective Yield Gap protection payments for these prices are up to $25, $56 or $105 per acre. (See Figure 3.) Farmers can sign up during the early sign-up period with introductory pricing valid until March 15. Sign-up will continue at standard prices after this date. AM Best A+ rated reinsurers cover eligible protection warranty payments.

Figure 3
Yield Optimizer seed selector is available in three types with introductory pricing at $5.00, $8.00 or $15.00 per acre for Yield Gap protection of up to $25, $56 or $105 per acre. Download image

Those interested in buying or becoming a distributor of Yield Optimizer can visit www.acreshield.com to learn more.
“You can buy Yield Optimizer on our website today or from our exclusive representatives and distributors,” Rose says. “We’re adding more of them daily for customers who want a personal touch and recommendation.”