What does it take to grow 324-bushel corn without overspending on fertilizer?
On this episode of the Farm4Profit Podcast, Tanner Winterhof, Corey Hillebo, and David Whitaker sit down with Tyler and Hannah Hunter, owners of Greene County Agronomy in Jefferson, Iowa, to discuss high-yield corn production, plant nutrition, and building a profitable agronomy business.
From reducing nitrogen rates to identifying overlooked micronutrients, Tyler shares what's working on his farm, what hasn't worked, and why every input needs to justify its cost.
Building Greene County Agronomy From the Ground Up
Tyler Hunter grew up farming near Scranton, Iowa, before gaining experience in seed treatment and agricultural retail. In 2014, he launched Greene County Agronomy, with the business becoming fully operational in 2015.
Today, Tyler and Hannah operate a full-service agronomy business providing:
Pioneer seed and crop protection products
Fertilizer and specialty plant nutrition
Custom application services
Crop management and agronomic recommendations
In-season tissue testing and nutrient monitoring
Their investments include a 10,000-ton dry fertilizer facility and a million-gallon heated ammonium thiosulfate storage tank.
Hannah plays a critical role in the business, managing responsibilities behind the scenes and even operating a massive grain cart during harvest.
Growing 324-Bushel Corn With Less Nitrogen
One of the biggest discussions centers on nitrogen efficiency and balanced corn nutrition.
Tyler explains that farmers often concentrate on nitrogen and phosphorus while overlooking other nutrients that can limit yield potential.
Those nutrients include sulfur, zinc, copper, molybdenum, and calcium.
On his continuous-corn acres, Tyler reports reducing nitrogen use from approximately 1.1–1.2 pounds per bushel toward 0.6 pounds per bushel while maintaining strong yields.
He also shares an example of a field averaging 324 bushels per acre of dry corn.
His approach isn't simply about producing more bushels. It's about understanding which nutrients are limiting production and whether correcting those deficiencies delivers a profitable return.
Why Tissue Testing and Micronutrients Matter
Through in-field tissue testing technology from LeafTech, Greene County Agronomy monitors crop nutrition throughout the growing season.
This allows Tyler to identify nutrient trends and make more informed decisions about in-season applications.
His work with AgXplore has also shaped how he approaches plant nutrition.
Initially skeptical of specialty nutritional products, Tyler describes how an early trial with an AgXplore boron product changed his perspective.
Today, his programs may include:
GrowPak AI in-box planter treatments
Customized in-furrow nutrition
Calcium and sulfur applications
Strategically timed foliar micronutrients
Tissue testing to evaluate crop needs
One memorable field observation involved running out of zinc during an application. Tyler later noticed a 17-bushel-per-acre yield difference between the treated and untreated portions.
While that result isn't guaranteed across other fields, it demonstrates why testing individual nutrients can uncover opportunities.
Farmers interested in evaluating their plant nutrition programs can explore the AgXplore Assessment.
Corn-on-Corn Management: Small Details, Big Results
High-yield corn production requires more than choosing the right fertilizer.
Tyler explains how equipment setup and application methods influence his continuous-corn operation.
The discussion covers in-furrow fertilizer, 2-by-2 placement, T-band applications, residue management, tire inflation, and planter closing systems.
He also shares a costly lesson from investing in strip-till equipment. After experiencing inconsistent application performance and disappointing economics, Tyler ultimately moved away from the approach.
His takeaway is simple: Just because a practice works for someone else doesn't mean it will pay on your farm.
Every system, product, and equipment investment needs to be evaluated against its actual return.
Planning for a More Profitable 2027 Crop
Looking ahead to 2027, Tyler plans to continue refining variable-rate fertilizer prescriptions, micronutrient programs, tissue testing, and nitrogen efficiency.
His philosophy centers on using field data, practical trials, and real-world economics to determine what deserves a place in the crop production budget.
Hannah also shares what it takes to operate a growing family business, balance responsibilities, and keep everything moving during the busiest seasons.
And because this is Farm4Profit, the conversation includes plenty of laughs about pilot lessons, giant grain carts, farm labor, and expensive equipment experiments.
The Bottom Line: Profit Matters More Than Yield
The biggest lesson from Tyler and Hannah Hunter is that profitable corn production isn't about applying more products to every acre.
It's about understanding what your crop needs, testing new approaches, and measuring whether those investments deliver a return.
More bushels are great. More profitable bushels are better.
Listen to the full episode to hear Tyler's approach to high-yield corn, his experience with AgXplore, and the lessons learned while building Greene County Agronomy.
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