Agronomic Partners Seed Research Program Distributes Annual 4th Quarter Data
Bloomington, IL (November 20, 2025) First Mid Ag Services, a division of First Mid Wealth Management, has released its annual third-party seed research results, offering farmers essential insights following one of the most variable growing seasons in recent years. With test plots throughout Illinois and into Western Indiana, the company continues to provide unbiased, regionally relevant seed performance data to support farmers’ seed selection decisions for the year ahead.
This year’s growing season placed an even greater spotlight on the importance of choosing the right hybrids and varieties. According to Reid Lichty, Farm Manager and Agronomic Testing Coordinator at First Mid Ag Services, 2025 presented farmers with a unique combination of weather extremes that significantly influenced yield outcomes.
“This year’s growing season has been challenging. In the spring, we saw heavy rainfall that delayed planting in some areas, followed by drought conditions across most of the state from late summer into fall,” stated Lichty. “Good yields were dependent on whether you were in the right area when the rain finally did come. Unlike the 2024 season, the aphid pressure wasn’t as noticeable, but Southern Rust disease took a toll in many areas. This year’s plot results have been all over the board. As usual, a few hybrids and varieties stood out, but there was no clear-cut winner over multiple areas. It really showed that certain hybrids and varieties work consistently in one area and not another, and just how important the correct seed choice for different soil types matters.”
Each year, First Mid Ag Services partners with growers across its footprint to plant, monitor, and harvest replicated and strip plots. The aggregated results, used by clients and growers across the Midwest, underscore how regional weather patterns drive performance differences among seed products.
“The value of independent data continues to grow,” said Brian Thompson, President of First Mid Ag Services. “Our ability to test hybrids and varieties across such diverse geographies allows farmers to evaluate products in conditions similar to their own, especially in volatile weather years like this one.”
The annual results are available in Illinois AgriNews and on the First Mid Ag Services website, where thousands of growers reference the information each year. The publication includes two to three years of performance history, helping farmers identify stable, longer-term trends beyond a single growing season.
First Mid Ag Services manages, brokers, and values Midwest farmland and provides agricultural consultation services, primarily in Illinois and surrounding states. With six regional offices in Bloomington (Principal Real Estate Office), Decatur, Kankakee, Mattoon, Peoria, and Springfield, the team includes 25 farm managers/Illinois licensed real estate brokers who combine their unique skill sets to represent the absentee farmland owners they serve. Visit www.firstmidag.com to learn more.
###
About First Mid Bancshares, Inc.: First Mid Bancshares, Inc. is the parent company of First Mid Bank & Trust, N.A., First Mid Insurance Group, and First Mid Wealth Management Company. First Mid is a $7.8 billion community-focused organization that provides financial services including banking, insurance, wealth management, brokerage, and ag services through a network of locations in Illinois, Missouri, Texas, and Wisconsin, and a loan production office in Indiana. Together, our First Mid team takes great pride in providing solutions and services to our customers and communities and has done so since 1865. This year, we proudly celebrate our 160th anniversary, marking a long history of dedication and service. More information about the Company is available on our website at www.firstmid.com. Our stock is traded in The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC under the ticker symbol “FMBH”. Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender.
Investments and Insurance Products: Not a Deposit | Not Guaranteed by the Bank or its Affiliates | Not FDIC Insured | Not Insured by Any Federal Government Agency | May Go Down in Value.