Thursday February 23 Ag News

Nebraska Farmers Union Strongly Opposes Efforts to Dismantle Nebraska’s Unique Public Power System

Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) testified in strong opposition to LB547 brought by Senator Dan Watermeier before the Natural Resources Committee today.  NeFU also strongly opposed LB657 and LB660 brought by Senator Justin Wayne heard by the Natural Resources Committee February 16th.

NeFU President John Hansen described the three bills as a package of bills brought to Senators Wayne and Watermeier by private sector special interests designed to unbundle and deconstruct Nebraska’s reliable, efficient, low cost, public power system.  “While describing their private approach as consumer choice, they are in reality undermining our public owned and controlled system of electrical utilities.  As owners and voters, we vote for the boards that control our public utilities. Replacing a phony choice for real control is a very bad horse trade.  The benefits of ownership and control far outweigh and offset any claimed benefits by out of state business interests,” said NeFU President John Hansen.

Hansen noted that the data clearly shows that all classes of Nebraska electric power users are not only getting reliable energy and first class service, they are paying less for their energy than most states, and less than states served by privately owned utilities with so-called consumer choice.  “The reason NeFU was such a strong advocate in the formation of our public power system was because rural Nebraska was literally left in the dark by the private sector.  Electrical services came to many rural communities in the late 1940’s, long after Omaha and Lincoln had electrical services.  While our public power system is an enormous asset to all Nebraskans, it is an even larger asset for rural Nebraska,” Hansen said.

“Our unique public power system is a kind of publicly owned cooperative.  Public power operates so well because our comprehensive system shares resources in times of need and works together to serve the overall interests of everyone in our state, both urban and rural users and owners.  When ice storms or tornadoes strike, our public power system helps their neighboring systems recover and restore services.  The good neighbor system we now have works very well, Hansen said.

“Our state’s unique public power system has operated so well for so long it is easy for us as owners of our own system to take its many benefits for granted.  We encourage all Nebraskans to contact members of the Natural Resources Committee to let them know that we still appreciate the advantages of our unique public power system, and urge them to oppose and indefinitely postpone (kill) LB657, LB660, and LB547,” Hansen said. 



Deere Opens Strategic Technology Office at ISU

Deere & Company has opened a strategic technology office in the Iowa State University Research Park, growing its on-campus presence in recognition of the world-class research, education, and talent development capabilities at Iowa State.

"We are delighted that John Deere is establishing a physical presence at the ISU Research Park," said Dr. Steven Leath, president, Iowa State University. "This is a significant step forward in creating a world-class research park and fortifying our university-industry partnership model to promote top talent and innovation."

Teams working at the Deere ISU location will focus on developing integrated solutions for John Deere's Agriculture & Turf and Construction & Forestry Divisions. One key area of concentration will be in precision agriculture technology.

The office will allow John Deere to leverage the work of ISU students and its research and to develop a talent pipeline in support of the company's business objectives.

"Working with Iowa State University helps John Deere continue its leadership in precision agriculture and many other areas of technology that are important to our customers," said John May, Deere's president of agricultural solutions and its chief information officer. "This new office at ISU will conduct groundbreaking research, engage future leaders of our industry, and will add to the extensive innovation and research capabilities that John Deere has invested in around the world," May added.

Deere's strategic technology office at ISU will collaborate with the company's business units to complement John Deere's global network of technology and innovation centers. This effort expands Deere's recent work with ISU that has included funding some activities at the university's research farm.

The Iowa State University Research Park offers corporate partners a unique model for leveraging the strong capabilities of the university and its students.



West Central Iowa Leads in Corn Production

The West Central District was Iowa's largest corn producing district in 2016 with 419 million bushels according to estimates released by the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. The Central District was 3.75 million bushels behind the West Central District.

Kossuth County was the largest corn producing county with 68.4 million bushels produced. Pottawattamie, Crawford, Webster and Sioux rounded out the top five. Other counties producing more than 40 million bushels were Hamilton, Franklin, Woodbury, Plymouth, Hardin, Benton and Clinton.

Cherokee led all counties with an average of 219.7 bushels per acre. Ida, Scott, Shelby, and Cedar counties rounded out the top five with yields over 215 bushels. Sixty of the 99 counties surpassed the 200 bushel mark in 2016.



Plymouth Leads Soybean Output at 13 Million Bushels

In 2016, four Iowa counties produced over 10 million bushels of soybeans, led by Plymouth County, with 13.0 million bushels according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Kossuth (12.8 million), Pottawattamie (11.1 million), and Sioux (10.1 million) also topped the 10 million bushel threshold. Woodbury (9.9 million) rounded out the top 5.

Soybean yields were highest in the northern two-thirds of the state, where all the districts averaged over 60 bushels per acre. The Northwest District produced the highest district average yield at 63.2 bushels per acre.

Statewide, one county (Cherokee) broke the 70 bushel per acre barrier with an average of 70.1 bushels per acre. Forty-eight other counties averaged over 60 bushels per acre. Ida (68.1), Plymouth and Lyon (66.7), and Sioux (66.4) counties rounded out the top 5. No county recorded an average yield less than 50 bushels per acre. Clarke County, at 50.3 bushels per acre, had the lowest yield in the State.



USDA Livestock Slaughter Report:  Record Low Veal Production for January

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.29 billion pounds in January, up 6 percent from the 4.06 billion pounds produced in January 2016.

By State:   (million lbs - % of Jan 2016)
Nebraska .......:     660.1            103      
Iowa ..............:     591.4            101      
Kansas ...........:     453.2            108      

Beef production, at 2.12 billion pounds, was 8 percent above the previous year.  Cattle slaughter totaled 2.58 million head, up 9 percent from January 2016.  The average live weight was down 11 pounds from the previous year, at 1,370 pounds.

Veal production totaled 6.3 million pounds, 5 percent below January a year ago.  Calf slaughter totaled 46,600 head, 12 percent above January 2016.  The average live weight was down 39 pounds from last year, at 235 pounds.

Pork production totaled 2.15 billion pounds, 3 percent above the previous year.  Hog slaughter totaled 10.1 million head, 4 percent above January 2016.  The average live weight was down 1 pound from the previous year, at 284 pounds.

Lamb and mutton production, at 12.3 million pounds, was 9 percent above January 2016.  Sheep slaughter totaled 177,000 head, 10 percent above last year.  The average live weight was 138 pounds, down 1 pound from January a year ago.



USDA Cold Storage January 2017 Highlights
Total red meat supplies in freezers on January 31, 2017 were up 2 percent from the previous month but down 9 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were down 5 percent from the previous month but up 1 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were up 11 percent from the previous month but down 16 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were down 22 percent from last month and down 77 percent from last year.

Total frozen poultry supplies on January 31, 2017 were up 3 percent from the previous month and up slightly from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were down 4 percent from the previous month and down 6 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were up 22 percent from last month and up 17 percent from January 31, 2016.

Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on January 31, 2017 were up 3 percent from the previous month and up 5 percent from January 31, 2016.  Butter stocks were up 34 percent from last month and up 16 percent from a year ago.

Total frozen fruit stocks were down 6 percent from last month but up 24 percent from a year ago.  Total frozen vegetable stocks were down 7 percent from last month but up 4 percent from a year ago.



USDA Forecasts Higher Soy, Lower Corn Acres

USDA projects soybean acres will grow to 88 million acres planted this spring, up 4.6 million acres from last year, while corn planting will be 90 million acres, down 4 million from last year.

In a broader perspective, USDA projects farmers will have high overall production, slightly lower overall acres and higher exports. Still, USDA forecasts lower overall income for farmers in 2017. That was the first major forecast from the USDA Outlook Forum on Thursday by USDA Chief Economist Bob Johansson.

Corn acreage will decline by 4 million acres even though corn prices will increase slightly to an average of $3.50 per bushel, up about 3% from the 2016-17 marketing year.

Soybeans will see an average price of $9.60 per bushel for the 2017-18 marketing year, up roughly 1.1% from the current marketing year. Still, soybean acres will gain on corn because the price ratio for soybeans is projected at 2.6 times that of corn, based on the February futures prices. If the numbers hold through the rest of the month, they will be the most favorable price spread between soybeans and corn since 1997, Johansson said.

At 88 million acres, soybean planting will be 5.5% higher than 2016 and will ensure another record acreage for the soybean crop this year.

Wheat acres are projected to fall to 46 million acres, down 8.3% from last year. All-wheat acres are continuing to decline, which will help boost the average wheat price, projected at $4.30 per bushel, up 12% from the current marketing year.

Overall total acres for the eight major commodity crops are projected at 249.8 million acres, down 1.4% from the 2016-17 marketing year.



IGC Sees 2016-17 Global Grain Output at Over 2.1B Tons

The International Grains Council said Thursday it expects global grain production to top 2.1 billion metric tons for the first time as it raised its production forecast amid favorable weather.

The IGC increased its monthly output forecast for 2016-17 to 2.102 million tons from 2.094 million tons, which would be a 5% increase year-over-year.

Forecasts of giant harvests in many grain-growing regions have led the IGC to raise its production forecast in nine of its last 10 reports.

"Australia accounts for much of this month's adjustment, including record harvests of wheat and barley, while prospects for maize (corn) improved in South America," the IGC said.

The IGC upgraded its corn production forecast to 1.049 billion tons from 1.045 billion tons and its soybean forecast by 2 million tons to 336 million tons. It left its wheat production forecast of 752 million tons and its rice forecast of 482 million tons unchanged.

It said the upward revision in expected production will be nearly matched by a corresponding hike in its consumption forecast. As a result, its forecast for year-end global grain inventories was raised by just 1 million tons to 508 million tons.

Looking further ahead, the IGC said growing conditions for 2017-18 winter crops that have already been planted in the northern hemisphere "remained mostly favorable."



Farm Credit Reports Year-End Financials

The Farm Credit System reported combined net income of $4.8 billion for the year ended December 31, 2016, as compared with $4.7 billion for the prior year. The system also reported combined net income of $1.3 billion for the fourth quarter of 2016, as compared with $1.2 billion for the fourth quarter of 2015.

"The System continues to execute its mission of lending to rural America despite headwinds arising from low prices for certain commodities," remarked Tracey McCabe, President and CEO of the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation. "Credit quality remains solid and System institutions remain well capitalized."

Combined net income increased $160 million or 3.4% for the year ended December 31, 2016, as compared with the prior year. The increase resulted primarily from an increase in net interest income of $432 million and a decrease in the provision for income taxes of $22 million, partially offset by increases in the provision for loan losses of $160 million and noninterest expense of $99 million and a decrease in noninterest income of $35 million. Net interest income increased 6.2% to $7.4 billion for 2016, as compared with $7.0 billion for the prior year.

The increase in net interest income resulted from a higher level of average earning assets, partially offset by a lower net interest spread. Average earning assets grew $24.7 billion or 9.0% to $299.6 billion for 2016, as compared with the prior year. Net interest margin decreased six basis points to 2.49% for 2016, as compared with 2.55% for 2015. The decline in the net interest margin was due to a decrease in the net interest spread of nine basis points to 2.31% for 2016, as compared with 2.40% for 2015.



Heinen Puts Soybean Farm Bill Roadmap on Record at Senate Ag Field Hearing

The American Soybean Association (ASA) laid out its initial approach to the upcoming farm bill negotiations in a hearing today before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry in Manhattan, Kan.

Testifying on behalf of ASA, Lucas Heinen, who farms in Everest, Kan., and serves as the president of the Kansas Soybean Association, pointed to the state of the farm economy as the most compelling signal of the need for a robust risk management framework in the farm bill. Citing falling prices for soybeans and the reduced cost of the 2014 Farm Bill as compared to original estimates, Heinen noted that ASA will push to fund farm bill programs to the level needed to adequately address each program’s needs, even if that means increasing funding.

“I understand that the conventional view in Washington is that the cost of farm programs and other parts of the farm bill will need to be reduced again, just as they were in the 2014 farm bill. This is not acceptable to producers,” said Heinen.

Heinen continued by detailing four key areas in which soybean growers will seek to make headway in the farm bill negotiations, including a strengthening of crop insurance and a continuation of the Agriculture Revenue Coverage option decoupled from planted acreage and with a shift to the use of yield data from USDA’s Risk Management Agency, as well as support for current conservation programs, including EQIP and the Conservation Stewardship Program, agricultural research, and Energy Title programs focused on biodiesel and biobased products.

Heinen also underscored ASA’s commitment to increased funding for the development of export markets in the bill. “We strongly support doubling mandatory funding for the Foreign Market Development program and the Market Access Program to spur promotion of U.S. agricultural exports,” he said. “Funding for these programs has been frozen for over ten years while our foreign competitors are massively outspending us on market promotion.”

Closing his testimony, Heinen repeated ASA’s call to maintain the traditional relationship between producer- and consumer-focused programs in the next bill. “There is a relationship between the need to provide assistance to those who produce food and those who consume it, when either needs that assistance,” he said. “This bond explains how Congress has been able to come together and enact farm bills for over 40 years.”



Kansas Dairy Farmer Lynda Foster Tells Senate Action is Needed to Address Dairy Safety Net, Other Important Ag Issues

Dairy farmers need Congress to make improvements in the dairy title of the farm bill this year, and not wait until 2018 when the current bill expires, according to testimony delivered here today by Kansas dairy farmer Lynda Foster.

In a field hearing Thursday on the campus of Kansas State University, Foster told members of the Senate Agriculture Committee that “dairy farmers deserve better” than the current Margin Protection Program (MPP), created in 2014 by Congress. “We need Congress to act swiftly this year and make the necessary changes in order for our industry to be able to protect ourselves from the bad year that could arrive at any time, even in years where experts are predicting higher margins.”

Foster is a third-generation dairy farmer and owner of Foster Dairy in Ft. Scott, Kansas. She testified on behalf of her cooperative, Dairy Farmers of America, as well as the National Milk Producers Federation, of which DFA is a member. Her full testimony can be found here.

The MPP, designed to assist farmers during periods of distressed milk prices or high feed costs, has failed to provide the level of protection envisioned in its original form. This has resulted in decreased participation in the program and dissatisfaction among dairy farmers across the country, Foster said.

“All we are seeking is a program that provides a safety net for dairy farmers when they need it most – something that delivers on the risk management promises dairy leaders and Congress committed to,” said Foster. “In order to do that, we must make adjustments to the program.”

In her remarks, Foster highlighted NMPF’s current effort to change the MPP. One of these changes includes restoring the formula for calculating feed costs to the one developed by National Milk in 2014. After NMPF worked to develop a model to reflect average feed costs for dairy cows, Congress subsequently cut that formula by 10 percent because of what turned out to be inaccurate projections by the Congressional Budget Office on program costs. This error resulted in a flawed calculation of dairy margins, and a much less useful program, Foster said.

Foster also discussed the critical need for proactive policies to help address farm labor demands. Citing a 2015 report prepared by NMPF and Texas A&M University, Foster said 51 percent of all dairy farm workers are foreign-born, and losing that labor would be devastating to the entire dairy industry, from farm to grocery store shelf. It’s why, Foster said, DFA and National Milk are urging Congress to address immigration reform “in a way that addresses agriculture’s needs for a legal and stable workforce.”

What has also changed considerably over the last decade is trade’s impact on dairy, said Foster. The industry went from $1 billion in exports in 2000 to $7.1 billion in 2014. Knowing the impact future trade policies could have on the health of the dairy industry, she said, it’s imperative that the United States protects the progress it has made when negotiating future agreements, or reassessing existing ones like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Foster also thanked the committee for their work on child nutrition programs. Milk has been a key component in school meals for decades, Foster said, but consumption has decreased because children are limited in their drink options. Foster encouraged the Senate to pursue policies that would expand milk offerings in the school lunch program.




Commodity Classic Education Showcases Mississippi Watershed Collaboration

Sharing knowledge is key to the Commodity Classic experience, and this year's attendees will have an opportunity to discover what efforts are being undertaken to address water management challenges within the Mississippi River Watershed. Harald (Jordy) Jordahl, Director of America's Watershed Initiative (AWI) will lead a discussion of private sector partners who are working together to craft meaningful improvements that look at the social, economic and environmental stability of the Mississippi River and its major tributaries.

"The demands on the Mississippi River watershed are growing due to increasing demands for water and productivity, crumbling infrastructure, habitat loss and the expansion of the hypoxic 'dead zone' in the Gulf of Mexico," said Jordahl. "But finding solutions to these challenges is even tougher because the watershed includes parts of 31 states and thousands of local governments and agencies. Any improvements to America's watershed will require different groups and users - both private and public - to work together." The discussion will focus on the collaboration to promote innovation and best practices, direct investments aimed at developing a 'New Watershed Economy,' and efforts to raise the grade of the Mississippi River Watershed Report Card by 2020. Jordahl will be joined by Max Starbuck from the NCGA and Larry Clemens, Agriculture Program Director for The Nature Conservancy.

This Learning Center Session takes place March 3 from 1:45 - 2:45 p.m. room 214 AB at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.



Soy Growers Urge President Trump to Require Establishment of Under Secretary of Trade, Foreign Ag Affairs

Soy growers are urging President Donald Trump to support the provision contained in the 2014 Farm Bill requiring the U.S. Trade Secretary to establish an Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs.

The American Soybean Association (ASA), along with other agriculture groups sent a letter to Trump this week, emphasizing the importance of international trade to the U.S. economy and highlighting how the Under Secretary would help bring unified high level representation to key trade negotiations with senior, foreign officials and within the Executive Branch.

“Trade currently accounts for more than 25 percent of U.S. farm receipts, and the production from one out of every three acres planted is exported. Our vast and efficient export system, including handling, processing and distribution of our food and agriculture products, creates millions of U.S. jobs and helps feed hundreds of millions all over the globe,” the groups state in the letter. “Our $17 billion net trade balance in agriculture and food products in 2016 represented the single largest contribution to our balance of payments.”

But the groups said despite the success, the trade structure has remained the same since its last reorganization in the ‘70s at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“The U.S. agriculture and food industry is ideally positioned to experience significant growth in the decades ahead given projected population growth of an additional 2.5 billion people by 2050. Yet with these opportunities will also come significant changes to keep existing foreign markets open and gain access to new emerging markets for U.S. farm and food products,” the groups state.

The ag groups added the creation of this Under Secretary position would help modernize USDA’s trade structure and streamline management.

“We believe it is vitally important for U.S. agriculture to fully capitalize on the long-term, increased global demand for farm and food products in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Overseas markets represent 73 percent of the world’s purchasing power, 87 percent of the economic growth, and 95 percent of the world’s customers,” they said. “We can take a major step towards that goal by ensuring that the trade structure at USDA is effectively positioned to address the trade challenges and enormous opportunities that await us in the decades ahead.”



Sorghum Becoming Smart Choice for Peruvian Importers

Peruvian livestock may soon feast on U.S. sorghum, thanks to work last week by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) to detail the economic and nutrition advantages of the crop during a conference in Lima.

From a trade perspective, Peruvian importers can purchase U.S. sorghum without an import tariff, per the existing free trade agreement between the United States and Peru, an immediate advantage against corn of any origin.

In addition, U.S. sorghum has little or no tannins, a purposeful plant breeding shift that maximizes the nutrient digestibility of sorghum in livestock and provides a considerable advantage over sorghum from competitors like Argentina and Brazil.

U.S. sorghum also is less susceptible to breakage, contains fewer mycotoxins and has a longer shelf life in hot and humid conditions. As a result, sorghum is a cost effective addition to rations for broiler chickens and laying hens, requiring only slight dietary adjustments that do not increase cost.

During a recent conference, a similar event last year and visits to key decision makers during the summer, Dr. Carlos López, nutritionist and professor at the Autonomous University of Mexico, explained how to adjust the formulation of poultry diets to take full advantage of the nutritional qualities of sorghum.

For example, high tannins reduce the nutritional advantages of sorghum for livestock, so López scientifically demonstrated decades of performance feeding animals tannin-free sorghum varieties planted in the United States, breaking down a strong misconception based on unfavorable results decades ago.

With all these factors combined, USGC staff and consultants estimate the Peruvian poultry industry would reduce input costs by an estimated $10 million if buyers there shifted 30 percent of feed consumption to U.S. sorghum.

“In Peru, previous experiences with high-tannin varieties created a huge barrier,” said Luis Bustamante, USGC marketing specialist for the Western Hemisphere. “Attendees realized Peru has great opportunities to use sorghum and that it is a smart supply decision for the poultry companies of Peru that aspire to form a world-class industry.”

Meeting attendees represented 95 percent of the Peruvian poultry industry as well as representatives from universities, trade, dairy and swine industries. This wide participation showed the strong interest in the grain among local buyers and end-users.

“We received very positive feedback from potential importers on their intention to buy sorghum,” said Alvaro Cordero, USGC manager of global trade. “Local traders informed us that they are receiving requests for quotes for the product in a regular basis.”



New study of antibiotic use on farms and antibiotic resistant Salmonella pathogens shows the need for more robust farm to fork research

A team of interdisciplinary scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina and the Charleston VA Medical Center Research Service recently reviewed published literature for evidence of a relationship between antibiotic use in agricultural animals and drug-resistant foodborne Salmonella infections in humans, commonly known as salmonellosis. According to the 2013 CDC Antibiotic Resistance Threats Report, two of the eighteen pathogens that are of concern in the United States may have a direct link to agriculture — one of them being Salmonella.

Foodborne illness from both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella is estimated to sicken 1.2 million Americans annually (CDC, 2013). The study — conducted by veterinary and nutrition scientists and an infectious disease physician — reviewed 104 articles in the U.S., Canada, Denmark, Scotland and Ireland over the past five years and has been published in [volume 57, issue 3] of Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. Animals included in the reviewed studies were chicken, turkeys, pigs, beef cattle, and dairy cows.

The overall prevalence of Salmonella and drug-resistance found in the systematic review aligns with recent National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) reports. The 2013 NARMS report showed that 81% of the Salmonella from human infections carried no resistance to any antibiotic, while Salmonella resistance rates in animals vary by the antibiotic tested. The findings of this systematic review did lead the team to important concerns about Salmonella and demonstrated that more research in this area is needed. For example, six articles showed increased antibiotic resistance in organisms derived from animals, not retail meats, used in conventional farming, versus those from antibiotic-free operations. No studies were found that followed animal-associated antibiotic resistant isolates from farm to retail products.

Lead scientist Kristi Helke, D.V.M., Ph.D. remarked, "While there were some studies worth noting in our review, it is most apparent that there is a greater need for a more robust data collection system and heightened publication expectations in the U.S. for transparency in antibiotic usage in both animals and humans. There is still much more research to be done. The agriculture and health care industries must work hand-in-hand with the scientific community, government regulatory agencies and human health community in order to ensure safe, humane, and affordable food sources to the public."

Richard A. Carnevale, V.M.D., Vice President for Regulatory, Scientific and International Affairs at the Animal Health Institute (AHI), who funded the study said, "On January 1, the agriculture community took an important step in promoting the effectiveness of antibiotics by being in full compliance with new FDA mandates—Guidance 209 and 213—which eliminates the use of medically important antibiotics for growth promotion purposes and requires approval by a licensed veterinarian for all remaining uses in feed through the veterinary feed directive. The proper public health focus—in both humans and animals—should be on using antibiotics only when necessary to fight disease. We support this research and more research like it to promote a positive impact on public health."

Principal investigator on the study, Bernadette Marriott, Ph.D., stated, "Our research results underscore the need for both veterinarians and physicians to work together as we advance toward solutions to concerns about antibiotic resistance."



Syngenta identifies key strategies to fight weed resistance  

As corn and soybean growers deal with an expanding and intensifying threat of resistant weeds, Syngenta is recommending strategies for managing weeds that begin early in the season. 

“Pigweeds have greatly affected our herbicide choices,” said Philip Nelson, a corn grower in Windom, Kansas. “In fact, we now apply herbicides ahead of time to keep the weeds from growing. It’s getting really hard to kill a pigweed at any stage of growth, but you can still kill the sprout and keep it from becoming a problem.”

As growers adopt more sustainable tillage programs and weed resistance to different modes of action expands, the importance of applying the right herbicide at the right time can't be overstated. Overusing the same herbicides without a programmed approach can lead to resistance. 

“It’s important for growers to always monitor their weed-management practices, because subtle weed escapes in a field can be a signal that there may be resistant weeds emerging,” said Dane Bowers, Syngenta herbicide technical product lead.

According to Bowers, if growers notice weeds surviving in fields, even in small numbers, they should consider changes in their management plan to help stop resistance in its tracks. 

“We have been on a herbicide resistance merry-go-round,” Bowers said. “We hop on one horse, or chemistry, and ride it until we wear it out, then we select another horse for the next ride. It is time to step off the merry-go-round and develop resistance-management strategies.”

To avoid getting caught in a cycle of resistance, growers can turn to pre-emergence applications of powerhouse combination technologies, like Acuron® and Acuron® Flexi herbicides for corn and BroadAxe® XC and Boundary® 6.5 EC herbicides for soybeans. These herbicides contain multiple effective modes of action and active ingredients that work together to control tough weeds before they emerge. 

“Using tank-mix partners or premixes with multiple effective modes of action in each application during the growing season can help reduce the selection pressure caused by using a single mode,” said Bowers, who also encourages growers to use residual herbicides whenever possible to help keep their fields clean all season long. 

Syngenta has developed Resistance Fighter® to help growers effectively manage resistant weeds through education, local recommendations and a strong portfolio of herbicides. Syngenta also recommends the following strategies to fight weed resistance: 

•        Start with clean fields. Help control emerged weeds before planting by applying a burndown herbicide plus a pre-emergence residual herbicide.

•        Employ crop rotation. This practice will extend the range of available herbicides and agronomic practices.

•        Rotate herbicide-tolerant traits. Alternate herbicide-tolerant traits or use herbicidetolerant trait stacks for more efficient rotation. This approach enables growers to rotate their herbicide applications and reduce selection pressure on resistant biotypes.

•        Always apply herbicides at the full, labeled rate and correct growth stage.  This ensures the most effective control of weeds in fields.

•        Prevent weed escapes from producing seed. Consider spot herbicide applications, hand removal of weeds or other techniques to stop weed-seed production.  

•        Do not tolerate any weeds in the soil bank. Not allowing surviving weeds to set seed will help decrease annual weed populations and prevent major weed shifts. 

•        Clean equipment. Always clean tillage, seeding and harvest equipment when leaving fields that are infested with herbicide-resistant weeds.

•        Utilize good agronomic practices. Consider narrow rows, increased plant populations and other practices that promote crop growth and competitive ability.