News from the FIRST Program


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DTN/Progressive Farmer | Trials Offer Unbiased Comparisons of Seed

While many entities perform yield trials every year -- from governments and universities to seed companies and individual farmers -- FIRST has a unique ability to evaluate the performance of numerous seed products in an apples-to-apples comparison.

August 31T06:00:00, 2025

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2025 Digital Yield Tour - Minnesota Minnesota Corn Yields Could Average 199.1 BPA in 2025, Challenging Records

Despite a year when localized heavy rains again left many fields with drowned-out spots, Minnesota is positioned to challenge the statewide average corn yield record, according to 2025 DTN Digital Yield Tour estimates from Aug. 1.

August 12T06:00:00, 2025

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New FIRST manager promotes information access for all farmers

Farmers need good information to make good decisions, and seed companies need strong partners with reputations of integrity to help prove their products’ performance. FIRST is uniquely positioned to meet both of those needs.

June 12T06:00:00, 2025

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Press Release | FIRST & EarthOptics Announce Soil Analysis Collaboration

Famers Independent Research of Seed Technologies (FIRST) and EarthOptics, the leader in soil digitization and predictive agronomy, announce a collaboration in which EarthOptics will be the sole provider of Soil Sample Analysis for the 2025 FIRST Trials.

February 5T06:00:00, 2025

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AgUpdate | Soybean results show bounce back from wet start

For top soybean honors in the three-state area, a Winterset, Iowa, plot hit 85.6 bu./acre, FIRST reports showed.

November 30T06:00:00, 2024

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AgUpdate | Corn yields consistent despite precip roller coaster

Overall, corn results were quite comparable to 2023 numbers and impressed FIRST field managers. In its 28th year, FIRST provides objective comparisons of seed genetics for U.S. corn and soybean farmers.

November 23T12:00:00, 2024