Soybeans
The new product also addresses other key issues in soybeans like frogeye leaf spot and septoria brown spot.
With contributing factors ranging from insect pressure to disease and environmental stressors this season, agronomists say farmers face hard decisions on when to combine their crop in affected fields.
With the loss of Chinese demand, U.S. ag is searching for its next “shining star.” Researchers at Iowa State may have found it for soybeans: the road beneath your feet and the refineries needed to fuel your truck or car.
With China currently not buying U.S. soybeans, trade missions have taken on a whole new level of importance.
The microbial product works as part of an integrated strategy to address SCN, the No. 1 yield-reducing pest problem in soybeans. Farmers routinely see yields cut by 5 bushels or more per acre in affected fields.
Herbicides and defoliants are commonly used by farmers in southern regions to quicken the harvest period and reduce the risk of shatter loss and poor test weights. Now, Midwest growers and researchers are looking at how to use the practice.
China, the world’s biggest buyer of soybeans, has yet to book any U.S. soybean cargoes from its autumn harvest.
The crop is drying down rapidly, given the weather conditions across much of the country. Agronomists are concerned farmers will combine fields too late and advise starting at 13% moisture or even higher.
Steve Censky, CEO of the American Soybean Association says, “China imports more soybeans than the rest of the world combined and so you can’t make up the loss of the China market by gaining a little bit here or there.”
Even with talk of shrinking soybean yields due to the dry weather pattern that shut out rain for much of the Midwest and Mid-South in August, one fact remains: China still isn’t buying U.S. soybeans.
The Chinese government is continuing to instruct importers to avoid purchasing U.S. soybeans. Until that changes, soybean prices are likely to remain low.
China, the world’s largest soybean buyer,is turning to Brazilian cargies amid trade tensions with the U.S. and ongoing negotiations.
Marion Calmer is renown for his corn harvesting innovations. The fourth-generation Illinois farmer also has a wealth of practical knowledge about how to take more beans to the bin — and freely shares some of his insights and ideas here.
President Trump is urging China to buy more U.S. soybeans as they face a shortage, but analysts say quadrupling soybean orders is ‘highly unlikely.’
Some growers are considering rescue treatments with post applications of products. But as the calendar turns to August and the crop enters reproductive stages, that can be a risky undertaking at best, agronomists say.
As soybean exports face increasing uncertainty, the United Soybean Board says it’s focused on drumming up more domestic demand.
An up-and-down early growing season in the Upper Midwest left many soybean farmers with small, stressed soybean plants. Find out what the carbon penalty is and learn strategies to beat it and save the crop.
Many early-planted soybeans in the Midwest are in the R2 to R3 growth stages now, ideal treatment timing for most disease issues. Agronomists offer three reminders to help you make the call — plus a fourth tip on herbicide rescue treatments.
With product and application costs totaling between $30 and $40 per acre, farmers will be taking a harder look at where they make the investment this season.
Vietnam has a 100 million people and a growing middle class looking to add protein to their diet. With limited soybean crushing capacity, the country currently depends on soybean meal imports for their livestock and aquaculture feed needs.
“Sunlight drives photosynthesis, which drives starch production, which drives yield,” explains Ken Ferrie. If sunlight hits the ground, it’s wasted, so maximizing sunlight capture requires closing rows as quickly as possible.
Maximizing ROI is Brian Scott’s No. 1 goal as he evaluates planting populations on his northwest Indiana farm. In 2024, the sweet spot was 100,000 seeds per acre, which cost $53 per acre in seed and yielded 76 bu. per acre.
As the trade war heats up, the reality is China is still the top export destination for U.S. farmers, even if the country isn’t buying as many soybeans as 2018.
Many seed beans were hammered by heat and drought at harvest last year, leading to variable seed quality this season. Knowing your warm/cold germ scores and using seed treatments at planting can help you get the crop off to a stronger start, especially early soybeans.
Look for the sensitive areas in your fields now, advises Steve Pitstick, who farms 50 miles west of the Chicago suburbs. Be proactive and be informed, he adds, so making product use adjustments won’t be a huge lift this season.
When growing soybeans, the first thing farmers need to explore is where they can get those “free bushels,” says Randy Dowdy. One of the most important factors to consider is planting date, specifically the need to plant early.
Fred Below has given each of his “six secrets for soybean success” a bushel-per-acre value. Working together, they can help farmers grow yields 80-bu. or more per acre.
A new map from the SCN Coalition can give you an idea of whether the pest is in your county. Soil testing this spring will confirm whether the pest is in your fields, dinging yields and dollars.
New data reveals 31 counties in 10 U.S. states, 10 rural municipalities in Quebec and three counties in Manitoba and Ontario reported the pest for the first time from 2020 through 2023.
The grower currently broadcast applies P and K ahead of planting but is considering moving to strip-till applications like he uses in corn.