Being in seed sales in Wisconsin your right - it is plenty early to be dropping off seed books and trying to get meetings set to discuss 2011 inputs BUT - if we don't a few things happen:
#1 - Depending on the size of the grower you may lose out on some large savings with early pay discounts or promotions - even the smallest of acres can help boost their bottom line by early purchases.
#2 - If we wait until harvest or after we are the last one at the farm gate and growers will feel as though you put them off - unless you have the relationship with an agronomist/sales specialist that understands when you start doing your farm plan AND the sales agronomist communicates by farm visits throughout the growing season.
#3 - Seed that has a proven track record will sell out early - I mean within days of being available your sales people will wholesale as much as allowed to have it available for the early purchasers/early commitments - literally once December rolls around some desired hybrids are no where to be found until growers start returning product or wholesale products are released early spring.
#4 - This is probably more directly related to Wisconsin but once harvest is done - deer season looms and good luck meeting with a grower that deer hunts until after deer hunting season!!!
#5 - If you work with a cooperative or the like your sales person will most likely be giving not only seed pricing but also fertilizer and chemical pricing with outlook information going into the following year.
#6 - Communication is the key of life - if you have several sales people calling on you this fall - let them know you have an e-mail to give you a heads up on discounts and promotions and let them know when an appropriate timeline for your farm is - no one likes to be turned away on a sales call - they really will listen!
Good luck I hope your harvest is bountiful and safe!
Penny
