Why Partnering with an Independent Regional Seed Company Matters

When it comes to yield, success is rarely about one silver bullet. It’s about stacking advantages, starting with the seed itself. At Axis Seed, we believe one of the most overlooked yield drivers happens long before the planter ever rolls: seed quality, testing standards, and local selection.

Quality Assurance That Shows Up at Harvest

One of the biggest advantages of partnering with Axis Seed is our commitment to higher seed quality standards, particularly when it comes to cold germination testing.

The seed industry does not require a standardized cold germ test. That means many hybrids are sold with minimal insight into how they’ll perform under real-world planting conditions, cold soils, variable moisture, and uneven spring weather.

At Axis Seed, all of our corn seed is tested at SoDak Labs using their saturated cold germ method, one of the most rigorous evaluations available. As independent owners, we receive the actual test results for every hybrid and every lot, not summaries or averages.

Because of our internal minimum standards, we routinely receive seed with 90%+ cold germ scores. That matters because higher cold germ scores translate directly into:

• Stronger early vigor

• More uniform emergence

• Better stand establishment

• More ears per acre at harvest

Uniform emergence isn’t just a visual win, it’s a yield win. When plants emerge together, they compete evenly, set ears more consistently, and convert sunlight into grain more efficiently across the entire field.

The Right Hybrid, and the Right Lot, for Every Farm

Those high cold germ scores also give us flexibility. Instead of treating all seed the same, we can match the right lot to each farm, based on planting date, soil conditions, and risk tolerance.

Early planting into cooler soils? We place the strongest cold germ lots there. Waiting for warmer conditions? We can match accordingly. That level of precision simply isn’t possible without direct access to detailed testing data.

Local Testing Beats National Averages

As an Independent Regional Company, Axis Seed isn’t tied to a single genetic supplier. We source genetics from across the industry, giving us a larger genetic footprint to evaluate. But the real advantage is where and how we test.

Our hybrids are tested right here in our geography, under the same soils, weather patterns, and stress conditions our customers face every year. That allows us to identify hybrids that perform consistently, not just ones that look good across a massive national footprint.

National brands often select hybrids that perform “pretty good” everywhere. We focus on hybrids that perform exceptionally well here.

Balancing Offense and Defense for Consistent Yield

When we evaluate hybrids, we’re not just chasing top-end yield. We’re looking for the right balance of offensive and defensive traits that deliver returns across a wide range of conditions.

We specifically select for:

• Ear flex, allowing lower populations to reduce risk while still capturing upside when conditions are favorable

• pH tolerance, ensuring strong performance in both high-yielding ground and tougher soils

• Drought tolerance, because every growing season brings some level of heat or moisture stress

This balanced approach pushes yield higher not just in the best fields, but across the entire farm.

The Axis Seed Advantage

At Axis Seed, independence isn’t a marketing line, it’s a working advantage. Higher testing standards, local selection, detailed lot data, and intentional hybrid placement all stack together to drive stronger stands, more ears per acre, and more consistent yield.

Because when you grow Axis Seed, you are growing seed designed for your geography and backed by real data, you don’t just grow crops.

You..

Grow Your Yield, Grow Your Legacy, and Grow Strong with Axis Seed..