Eighth-Generation Farmer Calls PowerCore® Enlist® His Best ‘Standing’ Corn Yet
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For Jackie Russell of Pleasant Shade, Tennessee, farming isn’t just a career — it’s an eighth-generation tradition. His family has worked the same land for more than 200 years, and today, Jackie, his wife Rachel, their son John, and John’s wife Bre are carrying that legacy forward together.
Jackie has worn two hats for nearly six years — both as a NuTech Seed dealer and as a farmer. He thrives on putting new products to the test in his fields and says that’s what first drew him to NuTech. “I love trying new things,” Jackie explains. “I bought NuTech seed from a friend, put it in a test plot, and watched how it performed. Before long, my yields kept improving, so I quit everybody else’s products and went strictly with NuTech.”
Transition to PowerCore® Enlist®
Jackie first tried PowerCore® Enlist® corn in 2023 with just a couple of bags. By 2024, he had several acres in production. What stood out immediately was standability.
“In our test plots last year, we had heavy rains early,” Jackie says. “A lot of varieties lodged or were stuck in the mud. The PowerCore® Enlist® hybrids stood strong. It is the most standable corn I have ever planted.”
That strength carried through the season. Despite July storms, the plants stayed upright and healthy. Jackie says the results confirmed what he had hoped: PowerCore® Enlist® not only yielded well, but it also brought peace of mind.
Performance that Pays
For Jackie, the biggest selling point is risk management. “Standability alone could be worth $50 an acre if I avoid lodging or storm damage,” he explains. “You can’t always put a number on it, but you sure know the value when your crop makes it through.”
Beyond stalk strength, PowerCore® Enlist® offers insect control and flexible weed management options throughout the growing season. That combination, Jackie says, makes a difference. “It’s just more tools in the toolbox for managing your crop — and that gives you confidence in the whole system.”
Keys to Strong Yields
While hybrids matter, Jackie is quick to point out that management plays a big role in the success of what you plant. He stays on top of soil fertility throughout the season. “We want to know what the crop needs and when it needs it,” he explains. Jackie has also adjusted his nitrogen program — combining dry fertilizer at planting with a timely topdress of liquid 32% — to make nutrients more available when the crop can use them most.
He incorporates starter fertilizer at planting, applies late-season fungicides after tassel, and makes careful decisions on where to place new hybrids in his fields. Jackie says. “It’s about paying attention and giving your corn every chance to succeed.”
A Farmer’s Recommendation
Jackie believes farmers should try PowerCore® Enlist®. “If you don’t try new things, you never know the outcome,” he says. “I’m all about the new stuff because the research is there, and NuTech is watching it closer than we are.”
His advice to other farmers is simple: “Give it a chance in your own field. You’ll see the difference in standability, yield, and overall plant health.”
For more information on varieties suitable for your growing area, consult with your local NuTech Seed dealer or visit nutechseed.com
POWERCORE® multi-event technology developed by Corteva Agriscience and Bayer Group. Always follow IRM, grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Bt products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your seed representative for the registration status in your state. Agrisure® technology incorporated into these seeds is commercialized under a license from Syngenta Crop Protection AG.
PCE – PowerCore® Enlist® Refuge Advanced® corn products with HX1, VTP, ENL, LL, RR2. Contains a single-bag integrated refuge solution for above-ground insects. In EPA-designated cotton counties, a 20% separate corn borer refuge must be planted with PowerCore Enlist Refuge Advanced products.
POWERCORE®, Roundup® and Roundup Ready® are registered trademarks of Bayer Group.