Meristem® products taking cost out for a profitable future
Recent field trials in Indiana have demonstrated substantial financial gains for farmers using Meristem® products. In the 2025 “Take Cost Out Plot,” farmer Heath Lehner achieved an 11-bushel yield increase in soybeans while simultaneously reducing input costs, resulting in a net advantage of approximately $175 per acre compared to traditional practices.
“With the cost savings and increased yield, we were around $175 per acre ahead on the Meristem side of the plot.” — Heath Lehner, Wabash, Ind.
WABASH, Ind. (AgPR) Dec. 18, 2025 — Yield was up, cost was down and the profitability for soybeans is looking brighter after the results from Heath Lehner’s Meristem® Take Cost Out Plot.
“In the combine it was pretty clear that we had an 11-bushel difference on the Meristem side of the plot than we did on the traditional side,” Lehner said. “We were able to cut around $68 in phosphorus, and we dropped a tillage pass.”
The 2025 Take Cost Out Plot compared traditional farm practices with a full Meristem program on two 40-acre side-by-side plots. The costs of farmer standard seed treatment, 250 pounds of potash, and a tillage pass were taken out for the Meristem side.
“With the cost savings and increased yield, we were around $175 per acre ahead on the Meristem side of the plot,” Lehner said. “It’s reassuring to know we can save money, increase our yields, and keep the health of the soil to where it needs to be, all with a strong return on investment.”
Watch the video here: https://bit.ly/4j2qRbY
On April 12, the Meristem plot received an application of Excavator® AMS with Cyclestrike™ LR to break down residue and release nutrients for the soybean crop. Both sides of the plot were planted May 12 with the same variety. Right from the start, Hopper Throttle® MaxStax™ Soybean advanced planter box treatment copack on naked soybeans performed well. The initial stand count for the Meristem side was slightly better and the canopy closed faster.
“They came back to spray some of the weed escapes in the traditional side of the plot in August after we got a rain. They did not have to spray the Meristem side,” Lehner said. “So, we actually saved a pass there as well because the Meristem side closed the row a little faster and canopied sooner.”
The Meristem plot received drone applications of: Harvestshield™ Complete (July 3), Homestretch® NKB-S Evo and Revline® Late-Season (August 2). Fungicide was not applied on either side.
The Lehner Take Cost Out Plots in 2025 clearly demonstrated how the Meristem program helps farmers produce more bushels for less.
“This kind of take cost out success is exactly why Meristem Crop Performance was started,” said Mitch Eviston, Meristem founder and CEO. “Our patented Bio-Capsule Technology™ puts these products where they need to be, when they need to be there to maximize farmer profitability.”
About Meristem Crop Performance
Meristem® Crop Performance, Inc. helps farmers produce more bushels for less cost per bushel. Meristem is the global leader in delivering live, in-field biologicals through the patented Bio-Capsule™ technology platform. Meristem significantly reduces waste and increases productivity in crop input systems through accelerated access to innovation, improved supply chain efficiency, and advanced concentrates. Learn more at www.meristemag.com.
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