Jim, I agree w/you down here also. I don't know the reasons, but I see/know of more people that are widening their rows than I do narrowing. Probably for all the reasons you list. Also keep in mind, I believe most all bean seed companies have announced price increases for '07. My guess is that most drilled beans go in @ 200K+, most 15" rows go in @ 165-175K, & most 30" rows go in @ 140-150K. Again, based on local conversation w/seed guys & farmers.

Very seldom do we see good plot info on results though. It doesn't seem to lend itself to practical on-farm application. Even if you have an "interplant" 15" row combination corn/bean planter, it seems hard to get true 30" rows across the board without a lot of work. A few yrs back some claimed you had to buy special beans (branching type) for 30" rows. Now users are saying they're just planting the same varieties and it would be whatever they consider the best bean.

Moreover, this fall....again, most NE IL farmers seem to be again UNimpressed w/bean yields vs corn or wheat returns. I'm not saying anyone is complaing about yields in general, because we realize there is always someone somewhere that is getting close to ZERO bu/A. But, our yield trendline is almost flat for 35+ yrs. This seems irregardless of seed revelations & machinery changes. People keep trying & switching products/methods down here. Flat trendlines is the reason why. I fully realize it may be a "here" thing.