How Much Can You Pay to Combat Weeds?
As a farmer and business consultant, one of my top decision points is cost per bushel. I don’t care if the farm is paying for your boat, children’s college fund or herbicides (today’s topic), I want to know what it is costing you per bushel — and how it fits in the overall cost of production.
Farmers throughout the developed world are exceptional in killing weeds if weather, application restrictions and resistance allow for it. We might be guilty of letting the optics of weed control tie into “good farm management,” while not considering economic impacts or integrated weed management protocols, however.
CONSIDER YIELD IMPACTS
To know if your weed costs are delivering on ROI, first consider yield impacts. From emergence until V2, an aver-age of 0.5 bu. were lost each day application was delayed, according to research by Bob Hartzler of Iowa State University.
Two weeks later when the corn was at V5, more than 15 bu. per acre were lost during each day of competition. That adds up at today’s high corn prices.
For reference, my corn herbicide program was $68.78 per acre in 2022, which is, ironically, 10 bu. of corn today. This includes a pre-emerge and postemerge pass, both with a residual herbicide.
If prices are the same for 2023, it will represent 5.8% of my corn cost of production. At an insurance projected average production history of 215 bu. per acre and an average sales price of $6.20, this is 32¢ per bushel in my projected $5.53 per bushel cost of production in 2023.
That number assumes I have good weed management and good yields. What happens if I let weeds get big and miss my application window? With today’s prices for corn and soybeans, it does not take long to meet an economic threshold.
In my corn study, 10 days at 0.5 bu. per day is 5 bu. of potential yield loss. Five bushels at $6.20 is a $31-per-acre loss. Even if I cut my herbicide costs in half, this is a big gamble, with more downside potential.
With commodity prices where they are, I often hear people wondering if they can afford to continue to pay these input prices? I pose back, can you afford not to?
I am not saying to blindly pay the price you are presented. There are basic agronomic truths that will kill weeds and keep your economic return in check without breaking the bank.
5 Steps for Quality Weed and Fiscal Management
- Request multiple price points and quotes for 2023 herbicide passes.
- Have multiple application plans ready to go in case weather changes or you need to adjust for pre- or postemerge.
- Take care of weeds when they are small and below economic thresholds. Use residuals when applicable.
- Know your cost of production and how your herbicide costs affect it.
- How important are optics to you and your landowners?
Read More
2023 Looks Like a Tough Year to Control Weeds
New Weed Species Confirmed in Iowa Fields a Second Time
400 Farmers Shared Their Weed Nemesis, Does Yours Match?
Combat The Bullies of the Plant World (Weeds) With This Checklist
