Retail Products

Rethink Your Herbicide Strategy In High-Residue Systems

Wed, 13 May 2026 17:24:08 GMT

Waterhemp and other tough weeds are forcing farmers to rethink how they use herbicides in high-residue cropping systems, from heavy corn stalks to thick cereal rye covers.

University of Minnesota and North Dakota State University Extension specialists say they increasingly hear from growers who did “everything right” with applying their pre products yet still see waterhemp push through and survive. Increasingly, one of the challenges is those fields carry a lot more residue than they used to.

“Every year, we have some situations where we get less than expected control of weeds for various reasons, and I’ve come around to appreciate the impact that residue can have on our success,” says Tom Peters, Extension agronomist and weed control specialist for North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota.

Oftentimes, the assumption has been that rainfall will wash herbicides off the residue and down into the soil, where they can do their job. Peters says that belief does not hold up in reality.

“I would argue that some of our performance challenges have been related to those herbicides sticking to the residues,” contends Peters, who made his comments during the 2026 Field Notes program.

That problem is on the increase as farmers are dialing back their tillage passes, planting into more corn and soybean residue and seeding more cover crops.

Research Unveils The Reduction In Control

During graduate work with the University of Minnesota, Eric Yu, now a regional crops Extension educator, measured just how much product residue can intercept herbicides. In cover crop plots, he and his colleagues placed water-sensitive cards below cereal rye crops, applied a preemergence herbicide and then evaluated the results.

“We were seeing about a 50% reduction in the amount of product that reaches the soil compared to our control plots,” Yu says. “Yet despite that 50% reduction, we were seeing still significant weed control, specifically waterhemp control.”

The message, Yu says, is not that residue makes the use of pre products pointless. It is that farmers need to account for residue when they design their weed-control programs — and still keep a strong preemergence herbicide in the plan.

Peters agrees. Even when residue cuts the amount of product reaching the soil, pres are still the foundation of a good program, especially as waterhemp increases in resistance to postemergence herbicides.

“Start the season with pre products, observe your results and then decide what the best postemergence program is,” he advises.

For farmers managing crops in high-residue systems, Peters and Yu point to several practical steps:

Prioritize Soil Contact: Ensure herbicides are actually reaching the soil surface. In cases of extreme residue, it may be necessary to manage or move stalks and straw ahead of planting.
Adjust Product and Rate: Work with agronomists to select products and rates that can withstand some interception while still delivering enough active ingredient to the soil to be effective. Using full labeled rates is increasingly a best-practice solution.
Tighten the Timing Window: Because residue can blunt the effectiveness of a pre product, escapes are more likely. Small waterhemp is much easier to control; once the weed reaches the 4- to 5-inch range, control becomes significantly more difficult.

The Extension experts want farmers to remember that weed control is a system, not a single pass. Even as they promote no-till and cover crops for soil health, they say those practices must be paired with realistic expectations and robust herbicide strategies to keep waterhemp and other weeds from exploiting the residue in fields.

Corteva Launches New Fungicide For Sugarbeets

Wed, 13 May 2026 13:30:39 GMT

Corteva Agriscience announced Wednesday the U.S. launch of Verpixo fungicide, a new tool designed to combat Cercospora leaf spot (CLS) in sugarbeets.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has registered the product for the 2026 growing season. Verpixo features Adavelt active, which the EPA has designated as a reduced-risk chemistry.

New Mode of Action

Verpixo introduces a Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) Group 21 mode of action to the sugarbeet market. Derived from a naturally occurring compound in soil bacteria, the fungicide offers broad-spectrum control and provides growers with increased application flexibility.

Cercospora leaf spot is considered the most economically damaging fungal disease for the U.S. sugarbeet industry. According to the Beet Sugar Development Foundation, the disease could have caused more than $900 million in economic losses during the 2024 production year if left unmanaged.

“Extensive lab and in-field testing confirm the efficacy of Verpixo fungicide with Adavelt active against CLS, which can cause up to 30% annual yield loss,” says Colleen Kent, specialty crops portfolio marketing lead with Corteva, in a press release.

Combating Resistance

The disease is characterized by brown spots on leaves that inhibit a plant’s ability to photosynthesize, directly reducing sugar content and root weight. Because CLS is polycyclic—meaning it can produce spores multiple times in a single season—ongoing management is required.

Current fungicides and some genetic traits have seen a decline in efficacy due to resistance. Verpixo uses translaminar movement to protect both the top and bottom of leaf surfaces.

“Verpixo fungicide with Adavelt active has no known resistance, making it ideally suited for resistance management programs,” Kent reports.

Environmental Impact

Corteva stated that the product’s natural origin and environmental profile are compatible with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, allowing beneficial insects to thrive while controlling the fungal pathogen.

The fungicide is now available for use in the 2026 season and is compatible with standard tank-mix practices.

Corteva Brands Seed And Genetics Business With New Name

Mon, 04 May 2026 21:34:00 GMT

Corteva announced on Monday that its advanced seed and genetics business, formerly operating under the placeholder “SpinCo,” will be branded as Vylor, Inc. The spin-off remains on track to become an independent company no later than the fourth quarter of 2026.

Corteva will continue to sell crop protection products – herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and biologicals.

For farmers who have spent decades planting Pioneer, Brevant and Hogemeyer branded seed products, the changes mark a massive consolidation of research and development power. Vylor will launch with a significant intellectual property portfolio, including more than 4,000 germplasm patents and 2,000 biotechnology patents, according to a Corteva press release.

Heritage Meets High-Tech

The branding is a deliberate nod to the past and the future of the American farm. The name “Vylor” is derived from valor, a tribute to the grit of U.S. farmers and workers who have helped “feed the world.”

Even the new logo carries a hidden meaning: the stylized “l” represents the shape of a single chromosome—the building block of the company’s genetics-first mission.

The company’s visual identity also honors its roots, using a color palette of green, maroon, and blue to pay homage to the Pioneer, Brevant, Hogemeyer and Corteva legacies.

A New Pipeline for the Field

Vylor isn’t just rebranding existing products, according to future Vylor CEO Chuck Magro. He says it is positioning itself to lead the next generation of “gamechanger” technologies. According to the announcement, farmers can expect a pipeline focused on:

Proprietary Hybrid Wheat: A long-sought breakthrough in wheat productivity.
Gene Editing Leadership: Faster development of traits to combat evolving pests and weather patterns.
Multi-Disease Resistance Corn: Reducing the reliance on over-the-top pesticide applications.
Next-Generation Biofuels: Expanding the profit potential of row crops beyond the food supply chain.

“Vylor traces its roots back a century, to a single idea: that innovation could transform agriculture,” Magro notes. “From food security to energy security... Vylor will be uniquely positioned to help solve some of the world’s toughest challenges.”

Global Footprint

Vylor enters the market from a position of dominance, boasting the largest seed production network in the world, Corteva reports. The brands under its umbrella already hold No. 1 and No. 2 market share positions in nearly every global region they serve, backed by a history of world-record yields in corn and soybeans.

While the corporate structure is changing, Corteva says Vylor’s “north star” remains the same: leveraging scientific expertise to help farmers feed and fuel a growing population. As the separation nears its 2026 finish line, Vylor signals an aggressive intent to “vye” for new opportunities in row crops and beyond.

Watch this video to learn more about Vylor.

Koch Launches Centuro A-PRO: Reducing Nitrogen Stabilizer Use Rates by 67%

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 19:22:35 GMT

Koch Agronomic Services expands its nitrogen stabilizer portfolio with Centuro A-Pro designed to stabilize anhydrous ammonia and UAN ensuring nitrogen stays in the ammonium form longer.

As Cody Hornaday, technical agronomist with Koch Agronomic Services, explains the development of Centuro A-Pro was rooted in customer feedback for a more concentrated formula that offers enhanced operational efficiency.

“Koch is big on customer voice,” he says. “We took feedback on Centuro, and basically concentrated the product down to a higher concentration of active ingredient. Therefore, we could then lower the use rate. We now have launched Centuro A-PRO.”

Representing approximately a 67% reduction in the volume of product handled, the lower use rate of Centuro A-Pro is 1.61 gallons per ton of anhydrous ammonia compared to 5 gallons per ton for the original Centuro formulation.

“It is a concentrated formulation of the original Centuro, we are maintaining the same amount of active ingredient per ton of nitrogen. Therefore we get a lower use rate, and we get much more efficiency by handling less volume,” he says. “You still get the same great nitrogen stabilization below ground against denitrification and leaching, but we handle a whole lot less product and get the same effect.”

For retailers, this means operational efficiency realized in less storage needed and improved inventory management due to the lower volume. And for farmers, this equates to faster turnaround times when filling tanks, allowing for more efficient application during tight application windows.

“It’s a win-win for retailers and growers alike,” Hornaday says.

KAS says early trials in corn have shown up to an 18 bu/ac increase versus untreated anhydrous ammonia applications at an application rate of 180 pounds of nitrogen per acre. The company plans to have its full product launch for the fall 2026 application season.

Strategic Fit in the Koch Portfolio

“Nitrogen stabilizers are a tool to ensure that a grower is using all of that nitrogen that they are applying,” Hornaday says. “We want to ensure that Mother Nature doesn’t take away any of that through volatilization or denitrification or leaching, because we know that it’s one of the most expensive inputs that a grower’s going to use for a corn crop.”

He continues, “We’re just looking at trying to be as efficient with the pounds that we’re putting on as we can. Losing any of the money that you put out on a crop that’s already at a tight margin is certainly not what anybody wants to do.”

Continued product development for nitrogen stabilizers underscores how the topic is important—and farmers seek to be efficient with the nitrogen they are buying and applying in any economic environment.

Here’s an outline of the KAS nitrogen stabilizer lineup:

Above-Ground Protection (Urease Inhibition):

Agrotain: The NBPT based product that KAS says set an industry standard for stabilization for urea and UAN.
Anvol: The current flagship product featuring the Duromide molecule, designed for a longer window of protection against volatilization.

Below-Ground Protection (Nitrification Inhibition):

Centuro (Original): The established product for anhydrous ammonia and UAN stabilization.
Centuro A-PRO: The high-efficiency evolution of the below-ground portfolio, specifically targeting growers and retailers who prioritize speed and reduced product handling.

'Losing Glyphosate Would Be A Disastrous Blow For Farmers'

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:29:17 GMT

Farmers warn that access to cornerstone herbicides like glyphosate is not just a policy debate but a make-or-break factor for conservation, food prices and the future of U.S. agriculture.

On a media call hosted by the Modern Ag Alliance on Friday, three veteran Midwest farmers say they are farming through some of the tightest margins of their careers while shouldering growing uncertainty over crop-protection tools. They argue that science-based regulation, consistent labeling and a predictable legal environment are essential if they are to keep adopting conservation practices and stay competitive globally.

“We depend on crop-protection tools every single day that we’re raising a crop,” says northwest Missouri farmer Blake Hurst, who grows corn and soybeans. “Losing access to crop protection chemicals like glyphosate would be a terrible blow, a disastrous blow for farmers, as we’re facing these tough times.”

The discussion on Friday morning came about as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear oral arguments in the Monsanto v. Durnell case scheduled for Monday, April 27. At the same time, Congress continues work on the farm bill, which contains provisions that could shape how crop-protection products are regulated.

Modern Ag Alliance Executive Director Elizabeth Burns-Thompson says the organization sees the Supreme Court case and farm bill development as landmarks.

“At the end of the day, I think the crux of the question is, if we cannot get the clarity or consistency around labeling, what does that mean big picture?” Burns-Thompson says.

She argues that without clear, uniform federal rules on what constitutes a sufficient label, companies may pull back on manufacturing or innovation, particularly inside the United States.

The Economic Reality Of Crop Protection

Hurst says farmers already operate on “margins that are negative,” forcing them to stretch machinery life, cut back on inputs and take on more debt just to stay in business. If a widely used and relatively affordable herbicide like glyphosate becomes unavailable or more difficult to access, he says the resulting cost increases will ripple from the farm field to the supermarket.

“That eventually shows up on food prices and grocery store shelves,” Hurst says. “We don’t have the margins to absorb major increases in costs, so we will pass those costs along eventually.”

Mark Jackson, who farms with his son southeast of Des Moines, says glyphosate is tightly linked to the conservation systems he has spent decades building. Jackson, a fifth-generation Iowa grower describes a lifetime of watching soil erosion give way to the use of more sustainable practices.

He says his farm has been in no-till for at least 25 years, a shift he also sees is taking root across much of Iowa.

“Roughly 40% or better of Iowa is in no-till conservation status, which is a tremendous mindset and a cultural mindset,” Jackson says. “When you talk about glyphosate leading the charge in conservation, I think we also need to remind people that we don’t use chemicals just willy-nilly.”

Relying On Science-Based Regulation

Jackson points to multiple federal agencies involved in approving and reviewing pesticides as evidence that farmers are using tools vetted by science and regulation.

“They have been approved by the EPA, the FDA, the USDA — you might say all the A’s in the government have gone through the pipelines to allow these chemicals to be used, and then they are reviewed at regular intervals,” he says. “So, I think we need to have confidence in what our government is there for, which is to maintain quality. We still do have the best and most consistent food supply in the world.”

Jackson also cites long-running health research involving farmers as pesticide applicators. Referring to a large North American study that monitored tens of thousands of farmers, including on his own farm, he says the findings in the study do not match public fears about glyphosate.

“Let’s not let emotion drive the conversation, but let’s follow the science,” he says.

Current Agronomic Tools Are Invaluable

For Bill Couser, a central Iowa corn and cattle producer who is “very heavily involved” in the ethanol industry, access to reliable herbicides is part of a larger system that includes livestock feed and low-carbon fuel markets. He says any disruption in tool availability quickly translates into higher input costs and lost opportunity.

“When I grow the feed, I have to make sure I have the lowest cost feedstuffs I can going into my farming operation, and also the safest feedstuffs that we can,” Couser says.

He ties herbicide use to carbon intensity scores that increasingly shape ethanol markets. No-till practices and efficient weed control, he says, help farmers lower carbon intensity levels, which in turn benefits both farmers and ethanol plants.

“When you look at just the state of Iowa and the 43 [ethanol] plants here, why, the way we bring this to our plants and to our livestock operations is huge,” Couser says.

Couser, who serves on an EPA Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities advisory committee, says having farmers at the table with regulators is essential.

“It gives the farmer a seat at the table, and we’re not on the menu,” he says. “We have to make sure that we sit with these industry leaders and make sure that we help them understand and educate them about the science and the products that we need to be able to use to be able to stay profitable in this industry.”

Stifling Innovation And The Path Forward

The farmers on the call said they accept that some older products have been removed from the market for safety reasons. Much of their concern now is that litigation and regulatory uncertainty could chill innovation and push companies to avoid introducing new technologies in the U.S. altogether.

“If we get a negative ruling [on Monday], that is going to make it easier to sue over not only glyphosate, but the other products we use, that means we won’t have new products introduced, because what company will take that risk?” Hurst says, referencing billions of dollars in legal costs tied to glyphosate litigation.

What worries him, he adds, is not just losing glyphosate, but the outlook for future products and continued innovation.

“The question that has to be asked and never is, is what next?” Hurst says. “We’re not going to go back to farming like we did in 1990. We don’t have the labor, we don’t have the diesel, we don’t have the people, and people won’t want to pay what food costs will be if we don’t have these products. So, what next? We’re going to use other chemicals that are more expensive, increasing feed costs, that are more dangerous.”

The farmers describe a common expectation of federal oversight and a shared belief that existing science supports continued use of glyphosate under current labels. Burns-Thompson says that is exactly why the Alliance is pushing for national clarity on labeling standards.

“By having shades of gray state-by-state, as to how that is ultimately satisfied, [it] creates a patchwork of confusion,” she says. “At the end of the day, the product doesn’t change from state-to-state. So neither should the safety warnings.”

For these farmers, what they say they want from policymakers and courts is not a free pass, but a stable, science-led framework that lets them plan years ahead — and keep farming with the next generation.

“We know this thing is changing again,” Couser says, noting that his sons are now the fifth generation on the family operation. “How do we make sure we continue that legacy to make sure they can farm in the future?”

Why Your ‘Worst’ Soybean Fields Should Be Planted First

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:31:23 GMT

When fields are ready to plant, soybean growers often head to their best ground first. Connor Sible is asking you to consider doing the opposite.

“If you want to maximize soybean yields across your entire farm — not just in one field — start by planting your lowest soil-testing fields first and save the highest soil-testing fields for last,” he advises.

That shift in focus is counter to what many farmers currently do, and it is at the heart of the planting strategy he recommends. The University of Illinois row-crop field researcher and assistant professor contends that it’s when and where you pull the planter into each field that can raise your overall farm average.

In practice, that means when an early planting window opens in April or the first of May and several soybean fields are dry enough for a green light, the first acres you plant should be the ones with lower soil test values — not the “good” fields on the soil test map.

“This gives the late-planted soybean the advantage it needs to put on more bushels relative to early planting,” Sible says. “Between the soil testing data and the planting date response data we have, it makes a lot of sense.”

Why Early And Late Soybeans Behave Differently

Sible says there is a decade-plus of field trials from the University of Illinois comparing planting dates, soil tests, and yield responses, verifying that this change in planting strategy makes sense. The full study, led by Marcos Loman and advised by Fred Below, summarizes their findings and is available here .

Part of Sible’s explanation is that early-planted soybeans in April tend to yield more overall, but these beans grow slowly at first in cool, often wet soils with lower solar radiation. Their nutrient uptake is long and gradual.

“Early soybean, while yielding higher, has slower growth and probably doesn’t need fertilizer” he says.

Because those plants grow and require nutrients slowly, the soil can usually keep up with nutrient demand, even in lower-testing fields. That’s why he says early planting is the best “boost” you can give to weaker ground.

Later-planted soybeans, going in during late May or even into June, are going into a different environment: warmer soils, longer days and more solar radiation.

“Late-planted soybean, while lower yielding and a lower total nutrient requirement, grow so fast that if we want to optimize the return on fertilizer investment, it’s probably going to pay back better on late-planted beans,” Sible says.

Fast-growing late-May soybeans in Illinois pull nutrients at a higher rate, and Sible’s data shows they respond more strongly to higher soil test levels and applied fertilizer. That’s why he wants the best-testing fields held back for the later planting window.

“Late-planted beans grow so fast, the soil (fertility) probably cannot keep up,” he explains. “The late-planted soybean benefits more from that high soil test environment.”

How Farmers Can Implement The ‘New’ Planting Strategy

Sible is quick to acknowledge that in the real world, farmers will start the planting process in whatever field is fit at the time.

“Obviously you’re going to plant the driest field first,” he says, noting that central and northern Illinois have had recent rainfall.

But once more than one field is ready, he contends farmers can start making more intentional choices.

His recommended process for soybean planting looks like this:

Sort fields by crop and soil test.
Start out by grouping soybean fields by soil test levels — lower-testing and higher-testing, especially for phosphorus and potassium, but considering overall fertility.
Identify likely early-plant candidates.
Look at drainage, residue and soil type to consider which soybean fields typically dry out first. Within that group, mark the lower-testing fields.
Use early planting on “weaker” fields.
When an early planting window opens and several soybean fields are fit, move the planter to the lower soil-testing soybean fields first — those that usually don’t win the “yield contest” on your farm.
Reserve high-testing fields for later.
If weather or logistics push some soybean acres into late May or early June, prioritize the higher soil-testing fields for those later planting dates, where their strong fertility levels can support rapid growth.
Align fertilizer decisions with timing.
On early-planted soybeans, especially in lower soil-testing fields, be conservative with extra fertilizer unless there is a clear nutrient deficiency. On late-planted soybeans in high-testing fields, consider that any fertilizer investment is more likely to deliver ROI.

“If we line up planting date, soil test and fertilizer strategy, we can do a better job of maximizing soybean yield across the farm,” Sible says.

From Field-by-Field To A Higher Farm Average

Sible frames his planting strategy for soybeans as a mindset change. Instead of asking, “How do I make my best field even better?” he wants farmers to ask, “How do I pull my whole average up?”

“The principle is pretty simple,” he says. “Early planting is a powerful yield tool — use it where the soil is weakest. High soil fertility is a powerful growth tool; use it where beans are going in late and growing fast.”

Farmers won’t always see the highest absolute yield on those late-planted, high-testing fields, he acknowledges. Weather and your calendar date still matter. But he believes the relative performance and return on fertilizer can improve when planting order and soil tests work together.

For growers struggling to manage tight margins, it’s a strategy that costs nothing to try except a reshuffled planting list.

“Hopefully you can take these concepts back and take them to your acres,” Sible says. “It’s about getting the most from the whole farm, not just one field.”

Sible laid out his planting recommendations for soybeans during the 2026 Crop Management Conference at the University of Illinois.

Farmers Emphasize Demand, Not Payments, Is The ‘Bridge To Better Times' For Agriculture

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 22:25:36 GMT

Two Midwest farmers are pinning their hopes for the future on stronger demand for corn and soybeans — especially the latter — as they navigate tight margins, high input costs, and an uncertain price outlook.

Northern Illinois farmer Steve Pitstick and south-central Iowa farmer Dennis Bogaards say they have exhausted most cost-cutting options for this season. They believe future profitability now rests on whether demand for both crops — particularly from domestic soybean crush and fuel markets — expands enough to support higher prices.

One silver lining currently, Pitstick says, is his relatively strong position on fertilizer heading into the 2026 planting season.

“We will do pretty much the dry spread program we always do,” he says. “We cut the rates a little bit on the phosphates just because of price. We booked our 32% in September, something we traditionally do. We have all the nitrogen bought, so I feel good about 2026 from that aspect.”

While he believes additional fertilizer is available, he notes it will likely be priced at a premium.

“I believe I can get more if I need it. I may not like the price, but I can get more,” he told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory during the weekly Farmer Forum segment.

Little To No Expansion On The Horizon

As the season begins, both farmers emphasize that the coming years will have farmers focusing on survival and strategic adjustments rather than acreage expansion.

One adjustment Bogaards is making is front-loading some of his nitrogen needs this season while leaving a portion open in case prices break.

“We booked anhydrous early on for this year, back in early fall, and got an OK price,” Bogaards says. “I have a little bit of sidedress that we do. We book about half of that, and I sit open on the rest of it. I’ll wait and see where it goes.”

Bogaards remains committed to sidedressing as long as product is available and prices do not continue ratcheting up. “If I can get it, I’ll put it on, unless it is a crazy, crazy price,” he says.

Like many U.S. growers, both Bogaards and Pitstick say there is virtually no room left to cut fertilizer use without risking yields.

“There is no place to cut back. We are being as efficient as we can be,” Pitstick says.

Bogaards agrees, noting that nitrogen is not the place to skimp. “Maybe a year or so, you can cut back on the P and K a little bit, but you do not want to get caught in three or four years of that.”

He also remains reluctant to drop fungicides. “Fungicides really pay off,” he says. “In the past, we did not use them, but the last few years they really paid, and I would hate to not spray them.”

Uncertainty About The 2027 Crop Mix

While the 2026 crop is largely “business as usual,” both farmers told Flory that 2027 brings real uncertainty—especially regarding nitrogen supplies. Pitstick is concerned about how global demand could impact costs for U.S. producers.

“I am worried about the price of the nitrogen,” he says. “It may not be an issue in the United States from a supply standpoint, but the rest of the world… could export our product because of opportunity cost, and that drives the price up. It is a total wait and see.”

Flory underscored how global trade flows directly shape what American farmers pay, noting that some fertilizer shipments originally destined for the U.S. were recently rerouted.

“Some boats are diverted from the U.S. to other countries,” Flory says. “If you want your share, you have to beat the next guy in line with the price.”

If nitrogen prices soar while corn prices stagnate, Pitstick says his rotation could shift. “That might change how we do things in 2027. We may have to go to more soybeans,” he says.

Bogaards also expects to alter his corn–soybean mix, given the potential demand from domestic crush and renewable fuels.

“In the past, we were probably 60% to 65% corn,” he says. “We have been backing off of that. I still do a little bit of corn-on-corn, but I might try to go to a 50–50 rotation.”

Flory believes this shift could help rebalance supplies and improve price prospects. “If we can pull some acres away from corn and get this thing rebalanced, maybe that is our bridge to a better time,” Flory says. “Our bridge to a better time is more demand across the board and crops competing for acres — not another payment.”

Bogaards says the shifting economics are already evident. “A couple of years ago, people said soybeans are a drag on our financial statements. It looks like almost the opposite right now.”

Even so, Bogaards is cautious about making long-term decisions based on short-term signals. “I can change acres right now, but by next fall, it might be the worst decision. I think you have to go with your rotation and stick with it.”

Pitstick links his long-term outlook to fuel sector growth, noting that both corn and soybeans increasingly function as energy crops.

“Some of the most profitable years of my career were when we had high fuel prices because we were also a fuel crop,” he says. “I have some optimism that these high fuel prices will cause some demand and increase our crop prices.”

For now, both farmers say their immediate job is to manage through 2026 while keeping their options open. With high costs for fertilizer, fuel, and machinery, they see expanded demand as the only realistic path forward.

“It is just survival at this point,” Bogaards says. “We just have to make sure we can survive and keep plugging through it.”

You can listen to the complete discussion between Bogaards, Pitstick and Flory on AgriTalk at the link below:

Corteva Unveils Executive Team Lineup For Its Two-Way Company Split

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:58:00 GMT

Corteva Inc. has reached a pivotal milestone in its corporate restructuring, announcing the executive leadership teams that will guide its transition into two independent, publicly traded entities.

The separation, which will result in the formation of New Corteva and SpinCo, is expected to be finalized in the fourth quarter of 2026.

New Corteva: A Focus on Crop Protection

Luther “Luke” Kissam has been appointed as the future chief executive officer of New Corteva, the entity that will retain the company’s crop protection portfolio. Kissam is scheduled to join the firm on June 1 as CEO.

Corteva’s Greg Page says the company board of directors selected Kissam following a global search, citing his ability to drive growth through innovation. Page notes that Kissam’s history of leading public companies and delivering market-focused solutions will benefit farmers and shareholders alike, according to a company press release.

Kissam brings a background in both agriculture and specialty chemicals to the new role. He previously served as the chairman and CEO of Albemarle Corporation and held legal and executive positions at Monsanto and Merisant Company.

Joining Kissam at New Corteva in key leadership roles will be:

Jeff Rudolph, chief financial officer
Brook Cunningham, chief commercial officer
Ralph Ford, chief integrated operations officer
Reza Rasoulpour, chief technology officer
Jim Alcombright, chief digital and information officer

SpinCo: Advancing Seed and Genetics

The second entity, provisionally named SpinCo, will operate as a standalone seed and genetics company. This business will focus on elite germplasm and cutting-edge biotechnologies, including gene editing and molecular breeding for row crops.

Current Corteva CEO Chuck Magro will transition to the role of SpinCo CEO at the time of formal separation. Magro says SpinCo’s success will be built on technological investments that allow farmers to increase yields in row crops and potentially new markets.

Along with Magro, the leadership team for SpinCo will include:

David Johnson, chief financial officer
Judd O’Connor, chief commercial and operations officer
Sam Eathington, chief technology officer
Audrey Grimm, chief people officer
Brian Lutz, chief digital and information officer
Jennifer Johnson, chief legal officer

Replant Or Ride It Out? How To Manage The Challenges Of Early-Planted Soybeans

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:32:01 GMT

A burst of early soybean planting across parts of the Corn Belt last week has some farmers feeling ahead of schedule, while others are already bracing for replant decisions and dealing with seed challenges.

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie reports in central Illinois, the convergence of record early planting, heavy spring rains, and uneven seed quality is testing stand establishment. Farmers are now facing tough choices regarding which fields — and which seed lots — will make the cut.

“The past 10 days, a lot of soybeans went in the ground,” Ferrie says. “I believe this may be the most beans ever planted in March for our customer base. We planted some here at the Crop-Tech campus, and they went in very well.”

However, that promising start was quickly met with adverse weather.

Ponding, Cool Soils, And Replant Calls

In parts of Illinois, recent storms dumped 3" to 3.5" of rain in a single night, leading to widespread ponding. While many of those areas drained within 24 hours, the status of those early-planted soybeans remains uncertain.

“Only time will tell, but because soil temperatures remain cool, I expect most of the beans will survive,” Ferrie contends. “If it were saturated and hot, they would die off quickly. But in cool conditions, you’d be surprised how long they can last.”

Ferrie urges growers to stay disciplined: scout fields, evaluate stands, and avoid guessing.

“If you’re scouting ponded areas and find soft, discolored seed, we’ll obviously need to replant. The quicker we get them back in the ground, the better the yield potential. We still have time to replant and maintain an early bean advantage,” he notes.

Crusting: The Hidden Threat

While ponding areas are highly visible, Ferrie warns that soil crusting on conventionally tilled fields may pose a greater threat to late-March soybeans.

“The bigger job is monitoring conventional-till soybeans for crusting. Heavy rain can create a seal that slows or stops emergence,” he explains. While no-till soybeans typically face fewer issues, they are not immune to crusting challenges and still require monitoring.

Ferrie believes many growers underestimate the importance of timely intervention.

“We may need to help these March beans out of the ground. Get the rotary hoe ready,” he advises. “The time to break a crust is when it’s light and the bean is not yet pushing hard against it.”

Waiting too long can turn a simple pass into a stand-loss event. “If the crust hardens and the bean hypocotyls become swollen trying to push through, your chances of success drop significantly. The trick is to go early. If you wait until the beans are clearly in trouble, the rotary hoe won’t be able to save them,” Ferrie says.

Seed Quality Under the Microscope

Weather isn’t the only risk factor this spring; seed quality is also under scrutiny. Seed labs are reporting a wide range of saturated cold test results.

“Samples are coming back all over the board,” Ferrie reports. “We’ve seen saturated cold scores ranging from 95% down to 9%. I suspect the samples falling below 40% may be carryover seed from previous seasons.”

The low cold score numbers are causing ripples in the supply chain, with seed companies pulling questionable lots from the system. This has led to canceled orders or last-minute substitutions for may growers.

“While it’s frustrating to not get the exact genetics you ordered, this is good seed stewardship,” Ferrie says. “Your supplier is doing the right thing by pulling that seed before it becomes a stand disaster in your field.”

Ferrie attributes these quality issues to last season’s production challenges, including heavy disease pressure and late-season drought.

Action Plan For Next Steps

Ferrie outlines several practical steps to help farmers manage the current volatility with seed quality and planting:

Scout Aggressively: Dig for seed in ponded spots for evaluation. If the seed is mushy or discolored, make the replant call early.
Ready the Rotary Hoe: Be prepared to move as soon as a crust begins to form. Ferrie refers to this as “Hoe before you know.”
Monitor Seed Tests: Work closely with your dealer to ensure you are planting high-quality lots.
Be Flexible with Genetics: A sound, high-quality substitute is better than a preferred variety with poor vigor.
Use Rain Delays Wisely: Focus on equipment maintenance and planter calibration so you are ready to roll when conditions improve.

Hear more of Ken Ferrie’s agronomic insights in this week’s Boots In The Field podcast:

Early Soybeans Benefit From Protection In Cold Soils

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 20:11:26 GMT

When the calendar says it’s still a little early for soybeans but field conditions are just right, growers face this increasingly common dilemma: plant and risk the outcome in cold, tough soils—or wait and risk missing the best window.

More farmers are deciding to go early. As they do, seed treatments and inoculants are playing a bigger role in helping growers manage the risks, reports Missy Bauer, Farm Journal Field Agronomist, based in south-central Michigan.

The Case For Inoculant Use

While soybeans naturally fix nitrogen through root nodules, the process depends on the presence of Bradyrhizobium bacteria. Inoculants introduce these essential microbes to maximize nitrogen fixation and crop performance.

Inoculants are most often useful, the Crop Protection Network (CPN) reports, when fields have no history of soybean production, or when the field has gone four or more years without being planted to soybeans.

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer says her field research in south-central Michigan indicates inoculant use can also be a net positive in “ultra early” soybean planting. She has spent the past three years evaluating Preside Ultra, a “super-concentrated” soybean inoculant.

“The results are pretty positive,” says Bauer. “We’ve seen good early growth all three years that we looked at this product.”

Three years of field testing show a solid return-on-investment for the inoculant.

(B&M Crop Consulting, Coldwater, Michigan)

Her data shows the product has added about 2.4 bushels per acre on average, delivering roughly $25 per acre in return for about $1.10 per acre more cost than a “standard” inoculant.

“I’ve been pretty happy with what we’ve seen with the enhanced early growth,” Bauer says. “I think the product pairs well with when I plant early, what we can do to get these beans going better knowing that they’re in a tough, cold environment.”

Seed Treatments Continue To Play A Valuable Role

When it comes to protecting early-planted soybeans, Bauer says seed treatments like Ilevo and Saltro still earn a place in growers’ plans as important production tools.

“While we aren’t continuing to research the Ilevo, we have that good history of Ilevo seed treatment and still recommend growers use it or Saltro,” she says.

For Bauer, that “good history” matters. Even without continuous new trials every season, a solid base of multi-year data gives her confidence to keep recommending both products, particularly when growers want to push soybeans into colder soils ahead of the traditional planting window.

Her message to farmers is that early planting doesn’t have to mean planting unprotected. With a strong track record and comparable performance in her trials, she views Ilevo and Saltro as dependable options when the goal is to capture the yield upside of early soybeans while managing the risk that cold, challenging environments can bring.

While Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer says she is not conducting further testing on Ilevo or Saltro, she has confidence in their performance in soybeans, especially in early-planted crops.

(B&M Crop Consulting, Coldwater, Michigan)

The CPN says the benefit of a seed treatment is most evident when reduced soybean seeding rates (140,000 seeds per acre or less) are used. In many regions, the minimum plant stand for highly productive soils is 100,000 plants per acre. Because farmers want to minimize input costs while maximizing yield, they may reduce their seeding rates and use seed treatments to help protect the stand, CPN reports.

Next Steps For Your System

For most soybean growers, adopting a different inoculant or seed treatment won’t require a major overhaul. In many cases, it’s a conversation with a seed dealer or custom treater, Bauer says.

Four next steps she recommends:

Talk to your seed dealer about the inoculant and seed treatment options they offer and the potential benefits.
Review local data from plots in your area, especially where beans were planted early.
Match products to your planting plans — early planting into cold soils typically justifies a more robust treatment package.
Consider a strip trial for evaluation purposes. Compare your standard package against an upgraded inoculant or seed treatment.

For farmers looking to protect their early-planted soybeans — and squeeze a few more bushels out of every acre — upgrading the inoculant and revisiting their seed treatment package may be one of the simpler, higher-return changes they can make, Bauer says.

Fall NH3 Emphasis Set the Stage For Ugly Corn Syndrome

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 17:00:32 GMT

Farmers who leaned hard on anhydrous ammonia last fall could be in for an unwelcome surprise this spring. Despite having enough N on the books, many fields of corn across the Midwest are likely to struggle soon after planting—thanks not to how much nitrogen was applied, but where it is located now in soils.

Ken Ferrie says the current situation came about as a result of prices and product choices that drove many growers to change their N programs last fall.

“Due to price, some guys cut out or pulled back on their MAP and DAP and AMS,” says Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist. “Many farmers put on their N—all their N—as anhydrous ammonia last fall due to that price difference between liquid and smoke.”

Those choices made financial sense at the time, but they also resulted in more nitrogen being placed deeper in the soil as NH₃ — away from where young corn plants can access it this spring.

“If we dropped the dry last fall and put all of our N needs on as anhydrous ammonia, we have nothing to fight the carbon penalty stage,” Ferrie says. “The NH₃band is too deep. It’s below where the ‘fence post rots off.’ Corn roots will have to grow to it to pick it up.”

That creates a Catch-22 situation.

“The challenge is, roots will need to grow to find the nitrogen, but the carbon penalty will have them stalled out,” Ferrie explains.

Ferrie shares the example of one grower he works with who normally applies 220 pounds of nitrogen per acre, split between dry fertilizer and anhydrous. This year, that grower dropped the dry program and instead applied 250 pounds of nitrogen as fall anhydrous.

“His question: Will he still need to worry about the carbon penalty with the extra 30 pounds of nitrogen he has on? The answer is, yes. His corn will stall out for a period this spring,” Ferrie says.

How Big Is the Yield Risk?

In Ferrie’s field research, the yield impact from corn crops stalling out early in the season is clear.

“With corn on soybeans, it’s not uncommon to see a 15- to 20-bushel loss per acre,” he says. “With the G and L1 hybrids, it could get to be 15 to 30 bushels. And it gets a lot worse in corn-on-corn.”

Despite those potential yield losses, he says some growers still downplay the issue.

“This grower says his neighbor told him he has corn turn yellow every year, and he says it never affects yield,” Ferrie recounts. “Well, if you don’t check it, you’ll never know. Ignorance is bliss.”

If yellow corn in the spring has become part of your farm’s “normal,” Ferrie offers a pointed warning on hybrid choice. “If yellow corn in the spring is your MO—you just don’t feel right without having some yellow corn—I would not plant G or L1 hybrids—those that flex in girth and early length,” he says.

Inches That Matter: Banding and Carbon Penalty Rates

Ferrie’s field studies in central Illinois help quantify the amount of nitrogen needed near the surface to pay the carbon penalty.

“Our studies here show us that it takes about 60 pounds of N, minimum, placed where the fence post rots off, for bean stubble to pay this carbon penalty, and a minimum of 100 pounds worth when we’re in corn-on-corn,” he says.

One common approach growers use to build that total amount is with surface-applied fertilizer.

“Typically, we take what was surface applied as our fall fertilizer—let’s say 30, 40 pounds—and then add more surface-applied spring nitrogen to it to get to that minimum for our crop rotation,” Ferrie explains.

Another option is strategically banding nutrients near the row with the planter or a row freshener. “When it comes to keeping small plants happy, inches matter,” Ferrie notes.

He emphasizes how close the bands need to be.

“Staying within 2” to 3” of the row makes a big difference, so those crown roots can find this N in that band before the carbon penalty kicks in,” Ferrie says. “Banding some N with the planter or row freshener allows you to cut these minimums in half.”

By putting nitrogen where young roots can reach it early—near the surface and close to the row—growers can help corn push through the ugly phase instead of being stuck and languishing in it.

Don’t Let The Neighbor Decide When You Roll

Nitrogen isn’t the only factor that will shape how well corn roots perform this year. Ferrie warns that spring tillage timing and traffic decisions will also have lasting consequences.

“As our thoughts turn to spring tillage, getting the seedbed ready, remember, 80% of the compaction calls I will go on this next summer will be caused by the first pass in the spring,” he says. “Yes, the one you’re getting ready to make.”

He cautions against letting social pressure dictate when to roll.

“Don’t let the coffee shop or your neighbor set when you go to the field,” Ferrie says. “Make the decision based on your own field conditions.”

You can listen to Ferrie’s complete recommendations on spring nitrogen use in his current Boots In The Field podcast, available at the link below:

Late Labels, Updated Restrictions, New Names: Navigate the 2026 Dicamba Landscape

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 22:03:24 GMT

As waterhemp continues to outsmart traditional chemistry, soybean growers are looking for a win in 2026. For Nate Eitzmann, that win starts with a returning tool in the toolbox: dicamba for over-the-top application.

A Certified Crop Advisor for Asmus Farm Supply, Eitzmann says while waterhemp is farmers’ enemy No. 1 in his geographic area—northern Iowa, southern Minnesota, and eastern South Dakota—he readily acknowledges other problematic weeds take the top spot in other regions. But all farmers are united in needing effective weed control options.

Adding to the farmer’s toolbox for 2026, the EPA has reinstated a label for three products for over-the-top (OTT) application of dicamba in soybeans. The 2024 season was the most recent growing year growers had access to OTT dicamba.

What does this mean for soybean growers?

Check your traits: Ensure your XtendFlex beans are ready for the application.
Review state cutoffs: Remember that federal EPA labels are the baseline, but state-specific dates and temperatures still apply.
Plan for ESA: Be prepared for runoff mitigation and buffer requirements that may be stricter than in 2024.

Eitzmann says dicamba is a great tool for broadleaf weed control, especially waterhemp.

“It’s risk versus reward with dicamba. It’s a tool that is great for us to add to our toolbox for waterhemp control. We just have to do our best to spray it responsibly within the label and keep it where we want it to be so it’s a tool we can continue to utilize in the future,” he says.

Acknowledging the volatility risk with dicamba, the EPA labels put in place measures to minimize the potential for off-target movement. Additionally, many states have instituted cutoff dates for application (based on calendar date and/or growth stage) and temperature maximums. Applicator training is also a requirement, as it has been in years past.

“Over the years of spraying this dicamba on soybeans, and even prior to that, using it in corn, the volatility concerns have been addressed and we’ve gotten better at it,” he says. “In addition, we’ve got the ESA compliance, so there are some runoff mitigation points that are also included in this, and a few different buffer requirements.”

Read more about the labels here.

What’s Different About the Dicamba Herbicides Available?

A trio of products is available for over-the-top dicamba application in soybeans and cotton:

Engenia: Newer salt formulation; binds tighter to acid to reduce volatility.
Stryax: The XtendiMax replacement; uses DGA salt + VaporGrip.
Tavium: DGA salt + VaporGrip + residual partner (pre-mix).

“As far as killing weeds, we haven’t seen any difference, and the label states we have to be at a half-pound of dicamba per application. So, that’s a different rate per acre of Engenia versus Tavium versus Stryax, but the active ingredient you’re getting is equivalent,” Eitzmann says.

How Much Dicamba Will Be Sprayed in 2026?

While the label for 2026 didn’t come as a complete surprise to Eitzmann or the industry in general, its timing was unexpected. The EPA label for dicamba arrived in early February, which was too late to affect trait packages already purchased by many farmers. Per Farm Journal research, most farmers are finished buying seed by February.

For his team at AFS, their dicamba-sprayed acres grew quickly after the initial EPA registrations, but they peaked around 2021/2022 as Enlist E3 acres gained market share.

For 2026, because of the timing of the labels, dicamba volumes aren’t expected to reach the same saturation seen in 2024. However, Eitzmann says some farmers are in a position to make the applications because of their seed planning.

“There are people who purchased XtendFlex soybeans and, going into purchasing season, they intended to have dicamba as an option. They maybe purchased herbicides to fill that gap if the registration didn’t happen, but once it did, they’re looking to make a change and add dicamba to their program for 2026,” he says.

As for having the tool, Eitzmann says his team and their farmer customers recognize it’s worth following the application requirements to maintain access to the herbicide.

“Be responsible with it, use it within the labels, use it where it fits, and don’t push those limits. I think as we go forward, it’s not a crutch that we have to lean on, but it’s an extra tool that we can use when it’s applicable,” he says.

Soil Test Results Offer ‘News You Can Use’ Beyond pH

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:44:43 GMT

When farmers talk about their soil test results, the conversation often starts and ends with soil pH.

While that one number is important to determining whether lime is needed, that insight is just a fraction of what’s available in the lab report, says Lizzie French, soil biology manager with Waypoint Analytical, a national soil testing lab that partners with Nutrien Ag Solutions.

At a time when fertility is one of the most expensive lines on a crop budget, she believes farmers are overlooking an opportunity to pull more data from soil test results into their everyday decisions.

“We know folks who get their testing done on a regular basis, and the only piece of it they use is the pH,” French says. “That’s important, but don’t overlook the rest of the results.”

From Paperwork To Management Tool

French says the first shift farmers often need to make is mental – to stop seeing the soil test as paperwork and start treating it as a management tool.

She encourages farmers to sit down with their agronomist, retailer or consultant and walk through the entire soil test report. Some of the specific areas to address in the discussion:

Where are phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) consistently low or high?
How do those nutrient levels line up with yield history?
Are problem spots in a field reflected in the soil test data?

“That conversation is where you start turning the report into a map,” French says — a map that can guide where to invest fertilizer dollars as well as where management practices might need to change.

Establish The Baseline

French doesn’t downplay pH; she calls it the essential baseline. In the Midwest, deep soils and high organic matter can sometimes mask underlying issues.

“Before you try to do anything else on that field, you’ve got to fix pH,” she notes. But once that is accomplished, she urges farmers to dig into information on:

Macronutrients: Determine if you are in a “build, maintain, or drawdown” mode.
Micronutrients: Identify elements that may help explain why high-fertility fields are underperforming.
CEC and Organic Matter: These offer clues on how well a soil holds nutrients and water, and how aggressively the land can be pushed.

Understanding the Chemistry

The “how” behind the numbers matters, too. Waypoint typically uses the Mehlich-3 extraction method for Midwest samples, French says, because it is well-validated and provides a quick turnaround.

However, other tests are also relevant depending on the region. Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist at the University of Minnesota, highlights Bray P-1 and Olsen:

Bray-P1: Best for predicting yield response to P in slightly alkaline to highly acidic soils (pH of 7.4 or less), Kaiser says.
Olsen: The “gold standard” for soils with a pH of 7.4 or greater, though it can be used down to a pH of 6.0.

“Many labs using the Bray-P1 or Olsen tests will run the Olsen test at a certain pH automatically,” Kaiser says. He recommends using labs close to your farm and familiar with your soil type to ensure you get the best management advice.

The Biological Frontier

Beyond traditional chemistry, French is seeing more farmer interest in soil biology—getting a holistic view of what is living in the soil and how it affects nutrient cycling.

Waypoint’s soil biology tests help answer questions that traditional chemistry might miss, such as:

Are poorly drained zones losing nitrogen through denitrification?
Is there enough biological activity to release nutrients tied up in organic matter?
Are beneficial mycorrhizal fungi active?

“They’re farming microbes, whether they are aware of it or not,” French says of growers. “They’ve always been there, and they’ll continue to be a part of that growing system.”

Understanding that microbial workforce in soils, she says, can make every dollar spent on fertilizer work harder.

For farmers looking to get more from soil tests, one of the keys is connecting that biology back to management practices and product use such as:

Reduced tillage – “If you till, you’re going to break up those fungal networks,” she says. Less disturbance helps keep the “house” intact.
Residue management and cover – Keeping soil covered and adding organic inputs, whether through manure, cover crops or residues, feeds both microbes and fungi.
Targeted products – In some cases, she says, certain humic acid products appear to help “facilitate the conversation” between roots and fungi, though results depend on the product and the system.

Biology tests can show whether these practices and products are making a difference over time — moving the discussion from theory to measurable change.

Putting The Data Into Action

French is quick to point out that farmers don’t need to become microbiologists to get more practical information from soil testing. But they do need to ask more of their reports — and of the people who work with them.

“A lot of it’s logistical,” she says of the questions she routinely hears from farmers. “‘Can you work within what I’m already doing? Can you make recommendations? Can you work with this program I’m using for data?’”

Underneath those logistics is a bigger opportunity: using the full soil test report to shape decisions about where to spend, where to save and how to build long-term soil health.

For farmers already spending the money to sample their fields, French’s message is straightforward: don’t let that investment end with addressing only pH. The rest of the numbers are there, she adds, waiting to be turned into “news you can use” on every acre.

New EPA-registered “Defense Activator” Targets Nematode Pressure

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 19:29:48 GMT

With EPA approval in hand, PI AgSciences introduces PHC68949, peptide-based novel approach to control plant-parasitic nematodes. Designed with short chains of amino acids, it’s technically a biological crop protection product, but its scientists say it provides next-level nematode suppression.

“It is a defense activator that helps the plant defend against plant-parasitic nematodes. Where a nematicide has activity on the nematode, this product gets the plant ready to defend itself and activates the pathways in the plant–thickening cell walls and roots,” says Wes Hays, North America commercial lead at PI AgSciences.

A biological that handles like a synthetic

Hays says this is an extra tool in the farmer’s toolbox with its new mode of action.

“It’s totally different than most products farmers use today. And its performance is extremely compelling. It’s very similar to most synthetic chemistries in the market for nematodes today–providing the consistency, shelf life and compatibility of a synthetic, but it’s a natural product.”

Approved for use on row crops and specialty crops, Hays says the use rate is low—1 to 2 ounces per acre, subject to state registrations and final product labels.

“There’s flexibility with application—in row crops, you can use it as a seed treatment or a foliar. For example, you can put this into your first post herbicide pass. And for specialties, it’s almost predominantly a foliar application, which opens up flexibility beyond drip irrigation or drench applications.”

Where and when to find this new product

With EPA approval, PI AgSciences is now working on state level label requirements. Limited quantities of the product will be available for 2026, with full commercial launch coming in 2027.

This is the company’s third active ingredient for the agricultural market. For commercialization of its products, PI AgScience partners with distributors in the industry including Wilbur Ellis, Helena and Brandt.

PI AgSciences is the agricultural division of India-based PI Industries, a global life sciences company that custom manufactures active ingredients and intermediates. And the recent product introductions are one result since the August 2024 acquisition of Plant Health Care, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

How A New Tool Will Redefine the Battle Against Soybean Cyst Nematode

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 13:10:41 GMT

Beneath healthy-looking soybean fields across the U.S., a microscopic thief quietly steals bushels—and billions of dollars—without farmers ever knowing it’s there. Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) has become the nation’s most destructive soybean pest, inflicting an estimated $1.5 billion in yield losses annually while typically leaving no obvious signs of distress above ground.

That was Michael and Dennis Gallagher’s experience with SCN on their west-central Iowa farm some years ago, after getting their first yield monitor in 1998. During harvest, Dennis saw soybean yields registering 55 to 60 bushels across the field on the monitor. Then, in one area of the same field, yield suddenly dropped into the mid‑30s — with no visible difference in the crop.

“Dad wasn’t surprised to see a few drops here and there, but not a 20-bushel one,” Michael recalls.

The unexplained drop pushed Dennis to pull soil samples. The test came back showing very high SCN egg counts — a " huge number,” Mike recalls, confirming soybean cyst nematode as the cause of the hidden loss.

“That was our aha moment,” Michael recalls. “I was only 7 years old at the time, but that made a big impression on me.”

A Fundamental Shift in SCN Management

Since that SCN discovery, the Gallaghers have incorporated the use of native traits — PI 88788 and Peking — in their soybean crops to counter the pest, along with rotating to corn.

Michael adds that they look forward to using a new solution for SCN on the way from BASF Agricultural Solutions, Nemasphere. It is the first-ever biotech trait designed specifically to address SCN and prevent soybean yield loss.

Nemasphere represents a fundamental industry shift in the battle against SCN, unlike traditional native resistance found in PI 88788 and Peking. Nemasphere is based on a transgenic trait—a Cry14 protein engineered directly into the soybean, says Hugo Borsari, BASF vice president of business management for seeds in North America.

The protein targets SCN the moment the pest feeds on developing roots, delivering up to a 60% reduction in SCN populations. The transgenic trait helps farmers capture significantly higher soybean yields compared to traditional varieties relying solely on native traits.

“We’re not just adding yield; we’re giving farmers access to the yield potential SCN has taken away,” says Borsari.

Yield Protection as a Game Changer

SCN often skims up to 30% of the soybean yield potential in infected fields. When considering what that loss represents in dollars, the impact is staggering, reports Greg Tylka, Iowa State University nematologist and professor.

“You want to make the most return on investment from your input costs, and then you got this microscopic, some people think imaginary, little critter that lives in the soil that’s kind of holding back your yield,” he says. “So the better you can manage SCN, the more you’re going to get out of your seed, your fertilizer, your herbicides, and so forth.”

Importantly, Nemasphere controls SCN before egg development. Female SCN remove roughly 30 times more nutrients from the plant than males due to the energy required for egg production. Blocking that production provides a direct hit on future SCN populations and an immediate protection of plant resources.

Because the new trait is expressed by the plant itself, the protection follows the roots as they grow, rather than staying confined to the seed zone.

“You’ll get season-long control all the way out to the growing tips of the root, which is extremely important, because we know SCN always wants to infest the growing parts of the root system,” says Mike McCarville, trait technology lead for BASF.

Do You Have SCN In Your Soybean Fields?

For farmers who don’t know whether they have SCN, Tylka recommends soil testing for them.

Another option to consider, he adds, is to think about whether your soybean yields are not increasing while your corn yields are.

“If you’re seeing your corn yields go steadily up while your soybeans are not, that’s often a key sign you have SCN,” Tylka notes.

More Than a Nematicide: A Comprehensive Package

While stopping SCN is the primary focus, Nemasphere is being developed as part of a broader yield protection package. The trait will be stacked with the Enlist E3 herbicide system and adds tolerance to mesotrione (HPPD chemistry), providing a residual pre-emergence herbicide option in soybeans.

McCarville sees the package as a way to tackle multiple yield-limiting factors simultaneously. “All of this is driving at growers being able to harvest more of the yield potential that our breeders deliver every year and get out of that stagnating yield position in soybeans,” he says.

USDA estimates the genetic gain in soybean varieties is roughly 1 bushel per acre per year, but SCN and other environmental stresses mean farmers often only see a fraction of that progress in their bins. “What’s actually harvested is somewhere between a quarter and a half of that potential that the breeders are delivering,” McCarville notes.

Along with helping farmers “recapture” existing soybean yield potential, the new trait helps shut down additional disease issues that can develop from the damage SCN causes. McCarville estimates that roughly a third of all soybean disease losses are tied to SCN in some way. Issues like seedling blights, Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS), and brown stem rot can all become more frequent or more severe when SCN is present.

“SCN doesn’t just cause harm by itself,” he says. “It’s like the instigator at a party, encouraging everybody else to misbehave and cause problems. Both the incidence and severity of these other diseases are increased by SCN.”

Looking Ahead To 2028

With Nemasphere slated for a 2028 commercial release, the industry is looking toward a future where SCN is finally held in check.

McCarville says farmers interested in giving the new technology a hard look will have the opportunity in extensive field plots this year and will be testing the product in 2027.

For more information on the technology and where to see it at work, reach out to your local BASF representative or retailer.

Smart Strategies for Topdressing Dry Fertilizer

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:11:49 GMT

If you’re topdressing corn acres this spring with dry fertilizer, keep in mind how that product is managed in a high-residue system will determine whether the fertilizer feeds your crop or disappears into thin air.

Ken Ferrie notes that farmers in his area, central Illinois, commonly use ammonium sulfate, urea and potash for topdressing. He says every hour untreated urea sits on the field surface is a chance for the nitrogen (N) in the fertilizer to gas off and disappear.

“The ammonium sulfate is stable, but the urea has potential to get away when it breaks down,” explains Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

That “getting away” is nitrogen loss caused through volatilization—when N escapes as ammonia gas instead of being captured in the soil as ammonium. In a corn-on-corn rotation, with a lot of stalks and leaves on the field surface for instance, the risk for volatilization is even higher.

Residue Can Supercharge Urease

The problem starts with a naturally occurring soil enzyme called urease. It’s what kicks off the breakdown of urea into ammonia and then ammonium. In a corn-on-corn field with lots of residue, the urease is supercharged.

“The thing about urease enzyme here in the surface with all this residue, it is 10 times higher than it would be in the soil,” he says.
The enzyme goes to work quickly, converting urea to ammonia at the soil–air interface, and that ammonia can simply drift off into the atmosphere. The more time it spends on the surface, the higher the odds of loss.

That’s why timing and management of dry fertilizer applications are critical.

“We sometimes say you need to keep the pin in the grenade – keep the urease enzyme at bay until we can get it worked in or rained in,” Ferrie says.

Evaluate Your Risk Potential

If tillage is in the plan, your solution to prevent volatilization is simple. Apply the fertilizer, then work it into the soil as soon as field conditions allow. When urea is incorporated, even lightly, any ammonia that forms is far more likely to be captured in the soil and converted to ammonium, where the crop can use it.

“There’s probably not a lot of worry in that scenario,” he says. “You’re going to incorporate this urea, and when it gasses, it’ll be in the soil, it’ll be captured.”

But not every system or scenario involves immediate tillage. In many no-till or strip-till fields, or when soil conditions are too wet for equipment, growers end up spreading fertilizer and then waiting on the weather to do the incorporation work. In those situations,
Ferrie warns, the risk of volatilization can increase quickly.

“If it’s going to lay out here and depend on rain [for incorporation], depending on how long that’s going to be, we’re going to need a urease inhibitor to give us time to get it rained in,” he says.

Urease inhibitors can temporarily slow or stop enzyme activity, giving farmers a bigger window before significant nitrogen loss occurs. For fields with a lot of residue, that extra time can make a big difference—especially when the forecast is uncertain.

Alongside conventional urea plus a urease inhibitor, Ferrie points to another option – using ESN, a polymer-coated, encapsulated urea.

“The ESN basically keeps the urea protected,” he says. “In that situation, if we lay it on the surface, you’re going to have about 60 days of protection. If you incorporate it, in our studies, [it] would show about 30 days of protection.”

ESN uses a physical coating to regulate how quickly water gets in and dissolves the urea. For growers who want extended protection or are looking to match nitrogen release more closely with crop uptake, that can be a useful tool. Still, Ferrie’s quick to point out that this isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

“It’s quite a bit more expensive,” he notes, underscoring the need to weigh costs against potential risks. For some high-yield, intensively managed corn-on-corn systems, the extra investment might pencil out. For others, a urease inhibitor on regular urea, combined with smart timing and placement, might be the more economical choice.

In addition, farmers need to think through when and how the urea in a fertilizer blend will get treated, Ferrie says If a urease inhibitor is added after everything is mixed together, you end up paying to “treat” nutrients that don’t actually need it.

“Treat the urea before you add the ammonium sulfate and the potash, or you’re going to end up treating all of the product, otherwise,” he cautions.

Unlocking New Farm Revenue: Bayer’s Newgold Targets The Biofuel Boom

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 20:36:47 GMT

At the intersection of low-carbon fuels and practical farm economics, Bayer’s newgold seed brand is being developed, offering an opportunity for farmers to make additional income from their existing acres.

By inserting high-oil, low-carbon intensity crops such as camelina and canola into idle/fallow acres or wheat rotations, growers can tap into a new income stream that feeds the fast-growing biomass-based diesel market.

The new opportunities are backed by defined grain contracts, downstream demand, and long-term R&D investment, according to Chad Bilby, Bayer biofuel crops innovation and commercial lead.

Bilby says Bayer’s biofuel crops portfolio is currently centered on three crops:

1. Camelina (spring and winter): Under the newgold brand, initial focus for 2026 is in the northern Great Plains (southern Saskatchewan, southeast Alberta, eastern Montana, western North Dakota), with potential expansion as the program and value chain build out.

2. Winter canola: Also under newgold, the crop is targeted for commercial planting starting in September 2027 in the southern Great Plains (Kansas, Oklahoma, northern Texas) within wheat rotation systems.

3. CoverCress: This offering is a joint venture between Bayer, Chevron and Bunge and has been in place for several years. CoverCress is an oilseed targeted to corn-soybean farmers in the Midwest and used to produce low-carbon intensity oil for renewable fuels and high-protein meal for animal feed.

“All these crops that we’re focused on are geared for the biomass-based diesel segment of biofuels,” Bilby says. “When you look at biodiesel, renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel… a lot of the higher horsepower engines where electric vehicles are not going to play a role are really seeking a path to get access to biofuels,” he adds.

Seed to Market: Closed-Loop System and Value-Chain Alignment

Newgold is being built on the recognition by Bayer that agronomy alone doesn’t make a new crop successful for farmers — marketing certainty is needed.

Because many specialty oilseeds, such as camelina, don’t have a standard commodity market behind them already, Bayer is structuring a closed-loop, contract-based system from the outset.

“Some of these crops aren’t a commodity trade, so something like camelina or CoverCress, you don’t have a market for those crops,” Bilby explains. “There will be a grain contract in place that will establish the pricing and delivery options… farmers will have that grain contract available. And then in the case of a camelina or winter canola, we will then sell the seed to the farmer against that contract to fulfill the contract.”

In parallel, Bayer is working across the entire value chain to align agronomy, grain flow and processing capacity.

“We’re collaborating closely with value chain partners,” Bilby says. “So as crush and renewable fuel capacity comes online, [farmers will] have a locally relevant crop and clear contracting options, kind of a seamless path from seed to market,” he says. “This is going to help ensure that agronomic fit, and that grain logistics and crush demand start to scale together.”

On the distribution side, newgold will tap into Bayer’s existing retail networks but says it won’t be locked into any single channel. Bilby notes that Bayer will leverage relationships and brands like DEKALB, WestBred, and others, but the newgold label gives the company the freedom to choose the best local partners.

More formal announcements around the Bayer newgold brand and opportunities are expected in the coming weeks. Farmers can learn more of the various program details by contacting their local Bayer representative.

Know The Rules For Dicamba Use In Your State

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:50:50 GMT

The EPA has finalized the dicamba label for the next two growing seasons, bringing much-needed clarity to U.S. farmers. But while over-the-top (OTT) use is officially back, it arrives with the most restrictive federal requirements farmers have seen to date for products like Engenia , Tavium , and Bayer’s new XtendiMax replacement, Stryax .

In some cases, states are adopting stronger regulations for dicamba use, especially with regard to temperature and calendar cutoffs:

Temperature Cutoff: The federal label mandates a 95°F forecast high as a hard cutoff. If the National Weather Service forecasts a high above 95°F, you cannot legally spray OTT dicamba that day.
No Federal Calendar Cutoff: Unlike previous labels, the EPA has not set a nationwide calendar deadline.

State-Specific Restrictions In Place

Illinois and Minnesota are two states, so far, that are going with stricter regulations for temperature and application timing cutoffs for dicamba.

Illinois is using an 85°F forecast high as the cutoff for dicamba applications in soybeans.

“If you load your sprayer and it is 78 degrees at 10 a.m. in the morning, but the forecasted high by the National Weather Service is supposed to be 85 or 86, that is a do-not-spray day,” says Kevin Johnson, director of government relations and strategy for the Illinois Soybean Association.

Deadline for application: Plan for a June 20 cutoff for OTT applications, Johnson says.

Minnesota:

Temperature: Minnesota is using an 85°F forecast high cutoff for dicamba applications in soybeans.

Deadline for applications: June 12 cutoff south of I-94; June 30 cutoff north of I-94, according to Dicamba Restrictions Announced for 2026 Growing Season .

Shifting Your Weed Control Strategy

Because of the tighter application timing windows in Illinois, Johnson anticipates there could be a shift in how farmers there use the chemistry. He expects many Illinois farmers to move dicamba to a pre-emergence timing rather than post-emergence, saving OTT dicamba only for “super high weed” pressure situations.

With many seed trait packages now stacking dicamba and glufosinate (Liberty) tolerance, Johnson says to expect “a lot more guys using Liberty on the back end.”

In addition, the EPA is tying dicamba use to mandatory conservation practices. Farmers can find more details on the Bulletins Live! Two Website

“We’re still waiting on a lot of details on what those conservation practices are,” Johnson says. “Bulletins Live! Two is a good website, but it’s, I’ll say clunky… it’s not real easy to just find one thing and find what you need,” he cautions.

Record Keeping: Don’t Risk A $700 Fine

The most immediate hurdle for many farmers interested in using the technology this spring will be the paperwork. In Illinois, the Department of Agriculture uses a 22-question record-keeping sheet specifically for dicamba.

“If I can stress anything in this call, do your record keeping,” Johnson emphasizes. “If you ever get called in on a complaint, the first thing they ask you for is your record keeping. If you do not have all 22 questions filled out, you are going to get a $700 fine. There’s no questions asked.”

To stay ahead of that risk, Johnson advises Illinois farmers to complete records on a timely basis, not “later when things slow down.” He urges them to fill out as much of the form as possible before the season begins, including static information about equipment, farm identifiers, and general practices, then finish the day-specific entries in the cab during or immediately after the job. Some of the information—like wind speed, wind direction, and exact application timing—can only be captured accurately in real time.

For custom applications, the legal burden for record keeping falls on the applicator, Johnson adds, but growers should still ask for copies for their own files and talk openly with retailers about documentation expectations.

All of this points toward one overarching need, Johnson says: have a clear herbicide game plan for 2026, especially if you plan to use dicamba, and build in contingencies. He addresses more of the dicamba requirements specific to Illinois farmers in a recent Field Advisor podcast, available here .

Rethinking Nitrogen for Short-Stature Corn

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 21:43:32 GMT

Since its debut, the buzz around short-stature corn has often focused on standability—the promise of a crop that won’t fold like a lawn chair when a July windstorm sweeps across the field. But as these hybrids increasingly move from company test plots into real-world acres, farmers are discovering that standability is only one piece of the story.

In a recent deep dive into the technology, University of Minnesota Extension agronomist Jeff Coulter urged growers to look past the “miniature” aesthetic of short-stature hybrids, which are usually 7-feet tall or less (traditional hybrids are typically 9 to 12 feet).

Instead, he believes the way these new hybrids access and use nitrogen (N), other nutrients and moisture could be the key to their long-term fit on your farm.

A Different Architecture Below Ground

The most significant changes in short-stature hybrids happen where you can’t see them. Coulter says research from Purdue University found that these hybrids often feature dramatically larger and deeper root systems than traditional corn.

“[One] study found that the short-stature hybrids had 35% to 42% greater total root biomass and a deeper root system than the standard stature hybrids,” Coulter reports.

This expanded root zone acts like a web, allowing short-stature hybrids to capture more nutrients and water throughout the growing season.

Tactical Nitrogen Use

Farmers often ask Coulter if the smaller plants have lower nutrient requirements. He says the data suggests otherwise. While yields remain competitive with traditional hybrids, short-stature plants are more “tactical” with their nitrogen use.

Key research findings include:

Higher Nitrogen Harvest Index: Short-stature corn shows a 3.5% greater N harvest index, meaning more nitrogen ends up in the grain rather than in the stalks and leaves.
Late-Season Uptake: These hybrids show a 20% greater total above-ground N uptake from silking to maturity, as compared to most traditional hybrids.
Better Efficiency: Research indicates an 18.5% greater recovery efficiency of applied N fertilizer.

“If you have greater N uptake, that means potentially less residual nitrogen in the soil will be lost,” Coulter notes. This efficiency helps protect the environment by reducing nitrate leaching post-harvest.

Application Timing Is Important

Research across Illinois and Indiana suggests that short-stature hybrids respond exceptionally well to split nutrient applications.

“Compared to applying all of the N near planting, researchers found that splitting the application with half of the N at the V6 stage increased yield in 60% of the trials for the short-stature corn,” says Coulter.

Delaying that second application to V12 was less consistent, showing yield benefits in only about a quarter of the trials.

For upper Midwest corn growers, a base nutrient rate at planting followed by a substantial in-season application around V6 appears to be the strongest strategy.

Despite the smaller stature of these new hybrids, Coulter warns against cutting nutrient rates, especially N. Total nutrient demand is driven by plant population and yield, not just height. Because short-stature corn is usually planted at higher populations (40,000 to 50,000-plus plants per acre), the total N, phosphorus, and potassium needs may actually be slightly higher than in traditional systems.

Three Tips for Managing Short-Stature Corn

Maintain Your Rates: Do not reduce N applications based on plant size; short-stature hybrids’ larger root systems and higher populations require full fertility.
Prioritize V6: Use some base level of nutrients at or around planting. Aim for an in-season application around the V6 growth stage to maximize yield response.
Run Strip Trials: Use the crop’s shorter height to your advantage by running ground-based trials to compare different rates and timings on your own fields.

Coulter stresses that short-stature corn is still in the early stages of use and needs more research. That future work includes refining economic optimum nitrogen rates for short-stature hybrids at different populations and row spacings, understanding their response to starter fertilizers, and quantifying phosphorus and potassium use in the new architecture.

In the meantime, short-stature corn offers farmers a compelling combination: strong yield potential, improved standability, a more efficient root system, and the management flexibility to deliver nitrogen later and in ways that can benefit both profitability and environmental stewardship.

Coulter addressed the nutrient needs of short-stature corn, along with other agronomic insights, during the 18th Annual Nutrient Management Conference in Mankato, Minn. You can watch his presentation via YouTube here .

4 Biocontrol Strategies To Shrink Your Weed Seed Bank

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:27:28 GMT

Mother Nature has a way of balancing the scales, and for farmers looking to manage persistent weed pressure, biological control—or biocontrol—is one testament to that.

Unlike making a traditional herbicide pass with your sprayer, biocontrol isn’t about fast or even total eradication. Instead, it’s usually a long-term strategy designed to tip the scales in your favor, using living organisms to keep weed populations at a “manageable level,” according to William Curran, Penn State emeritus weed scientist.

While biocontrol methods are common in rangelands and perennial systems, Curran notes they can require more effort to adopt in row-crop settings where tillage and rotations can disrupt the very organisms farmers are trying to put to work.

Curran says if you’re interested in using biocontrol measures as part of a comprehensive weed-control program, there are four primary categories to consider, including:

The Classical Approach: This involves introducing a specific natural enemy into a weed-infested area. The goal is for that organism to establish a permanent home, feeding on the target weeds year after year to naturally suppress their growth and seed development. An example of this would be the use of a Canada thistle rust pathogen .
The Augmentative or Inundative Method: Bio-herbicides are one example of inundative methods. The intent is to overwhelm the weed population quickly. This practice often requires multiple applications to be effective.
Conservation Management: Sometimes, the best helpers are already in your fields. By adjusting your cropping system to be more “predator-friendly,” you can boost the populations of native organisms, like ground beetles, that naturally snack on weed seeds.
Grazing: One of the oldest tools in the shed is still one of the most effective. Utilizing cattle, sheep, or goats to graze down weed-heavy areas can significantly reduce seed banks and keep invasive species in check.

For more information on biocontrol weed control practices, check out a newly updated webpage , authored by Curran and released by the GROW network.

Is Zero Tolerance For Weed Escapes The New Standard?

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 21:08:08 GMT

Across the country, Extension weed scientists are rewriting the rules of acceptable weed pressure in corn and soybeans. For many, tolerance for a few late-season escapes of tough weeds—like Palmer amaranth and waterhemp—is a thing of the past. Increasingly, the Extension community is encouraging farmers to draw some harder lines. One of those is for zero tolerance for weed seed production.

“We have really kind of shifted to this idea largely because of herbicide resistance. That is a huge threat for our crop production systems,” explains Sarah Lancaster, Kansas State University weed management Extension specialist and assistant professor.

Lancaster emphasizes that effective weed control is no longer about picking one or two individual tools to address weeds and prevent seed dispersal. Instead, it is about stacking as many tools as feasible into a single season.

“If you think about this as a multiple-choice answer, it’s not about using A, B, or C. The right answer is D—use all of the above,” she says.
Herbicides, cultural practices, strategic tillage, cover crops, rotations, and sanitation all play a role in stopping weeds.

During a recent episode of The Crop Science Podcast Show, available here , Lancaster addressed specific tools and practices to help farmers work toward the “zero tolerance” goal this season. Here are five for consideration:

1. Herbicides Will Still Be A Core Tool For Weed Control.

Despite the push for diversification, Lancaster believes herbicides remain the central tool for row-crop farmers.

“In our conventional broad-acre ag systems, herbicides are still going to be the most efficient, most economical way to [control weeds]—I’m going to say for the rest of my career,” she says.

However, decisions about product selection, rates, application timing, and application quality are increasingly critical—even more so under stress conditions like heat and drought. In western Kansas, Lancaster sees farmers adjusting their practices to meet these challenges.

“When it gets hot and dry, our farmers are really good at modifying their herbicide applications to make sure they’re still going to be efficacious in those very difficult conditions,” she explains. “They know that if they skimp on the water, they’re wasting their time, so they do a good job of accounting for that, modifying their adjuvants, and knowing when to adjust.”

2. Use Cultural Practices To Make The Crop Competitive.

Lancaster stresses that managing the crop can be just as important as managing the weeds.

“Other things that we talk about would be cultural control practices, looking at planting dates and row spacings,” she says. “How do we manipulate that crop to make it as competitive as possible and maybe support our herbicides a little bit better, so that we have fewer weeds to control?”

For growers, this means considering narrower rows, if suitable for the cropping system, and using optimal planting dates to favor the crop over the weeds.

These tactics don’t replace herbicides, Lancaster adds, but they make every herbicide dollar go further.

3. Consider Using Strategic Tillage In No-Till Systems.

In Kansas, no-till is widely adopted to conserve soil and water, but Lancaster points out that it can reshape the weed spectrum and the tools required to manage it.

“Here in Kansas, no-till is a very important soil conservation practice, but it brings its own set of weed management challenges,” she notes. “The number one reason that tillage is a good thing is to kill weeds. When you remove that, you’re 100% reliant on herbicides.”

She believes there are scenarios in no-till where strategic or occasional tillage has a place. One example is the return of perennial warm-season grasses in long-term no-till fields, such as tumble windmill grass.

“That’s an example of a situation where strategic or occasional tillage is becoming a more accepted, more common idea for managing some of these key weeds,” Lancaster says.

Her bottom-line message is to use tillage strategically whenever tough weeds require it.

4. Technology Can Help Improve Control, Reduce Rates, Cut Costs.

Lancaster sees real promise in camera- or sensor-based systems that spray only where weeds are present, such as “See & Spray” or “Weed-It” systems. She finds the technology is especially beneficial on fallow ground or in stubble.

She notes that in some cases, these tools are what make no-till financially viable. Referencing one farmer she works with, Lancaster sayss they used this technology to stay aggressive on weed control while actually reducing input costs.

“They’ve looked at the economic numbers, and now they know that they can kill the weeds with herbicide applications and drop that herbicide cost below the cost of running a sweep plow,” she says. “It’s allowed them to gain those benefits of conserving moisture.”

5. Prioritize Prevention and Sanitation.

Lancaster urges farmers to lean into prevention and sanitation—two tools she believes are often undervalued. In Kansas, where many farmers also raise cattle, she sees clear risks in how feed and manure are handled.

“Livestock manure is very valuable, but if it’s not been composted well, or if that animal has had a diet that’s full of weed seeds, that’s going to introduce a whole other set of problems,” she warns.

People, vehicles, and animals are potential vectors for weed seeds. Lancaster advises farmers to be intentional about cleaning all equipment—including combines—to prevent spreading seeds from one field to another.

She extends this advice to anyone moving between multiple farms, especially.

“I remind students that if they’re a field scout in the summer, they need to be careful to not make their four-wheeler or their work boots a weed seed dispersal instrument,” she says. “It only takes one instance of seed introduction to have a serious problem for a long time.”

Double Take On Biologicals: How A Yield Champ Found An Application That Redeemed A Product Category

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 20:15:01 GMT

Indiana farmer Kevin Kalb leans into learning opportunities.

For 20 years, he’s entered high yield corn contests, and he actively uses those contest acres to apply to the rest of his production. In 2025, Kalb won a non-irrigated class for NCGA with 425 bu./acre.

“We’ve been in this high-yield game for a long time,” he says. “One year, we made 30+ trips in our contest field—but we find out a lot of products don’t work—it’s just a sales gimmick.”
Before the 2025 growing season, he says he’s tried more than 30 biological products. And he had all but written off the entire product category.

“It started five years ago. We had people coming up to ask us to try all these new biologicals, and we’d test strips every year, and we’d never see a benefit,” he says.

Unbeknownst to him, that was going to change after he gave the category one last shot.

“Then, NewLeaf called me and they went through what it does, and that did intrigue me. So, we took out a strip down in one of our contest fields with some of the best ground that we’ve got, and lo and behold.”

Lessons Learned, Lessons Applied

Where four out of five years Kalb is used to tackling tar spot a new disease has emerged as a yield robber—southern rust.

In 2016, he had his first run in with southern rust. In the most severe cases across his farm, yield was docked 100 bu.

“That hit us extremely hard. At the time, our program was one aerial application of fungicide, and we thought we were good,” he says. “This year, those farmers in Iowa had their first experience with Southern Rust. And it’s ugly.”

With the influx of southern rust in 2025, the new tool in his toolbox for this past growing season was a sample of NewLeaf’s TS601 biofungicide and Terrasym 450, which he applied in-furrow at the time of planting.

“Around the 4th of July, we really didn’t see much rust yet. But already in the season what we saw from the 601 was great big stalks–probably a quarter the size bigger than what our other ones were,” Kalb says.

That was his first evidence in how his perception of biologicals may be turning around. However, what came next flipped him 180 degrees.

“Then, southern rust came in. Compared to our normal fungicide application protocol, the biofungicide and biostimulant showed a 6 bu. increase,” Kalb says. “But the kicker is, it would have saved us almost $70 an acre. That was eye-opening, the input cost was so much cheaper with that product—it preserved yield and cut inputs.”

Kalb is convinced. So much so he’s planning to put TS601 and Terrasym 450 across all his acres.

“Normally, we test everything 3 years before we move it over into all of our production acres,” he says. “These are the first products that we’ve ever used that we switched to 100% of our acres for next year.”

What Does He Credit The Transformation In His Experience?

“I think everybody should have 10, 20, 30 acres on their farm where they sit there and play with different rates and this and that,” Kalb says. “And you can’t do it just one year. You’ve got to have several years.”

That’s how he’s translated high yield lessons to the rest of his production.

Kalb credits his focus on soil health, specifically soil microbes, that took his yield plateau from 350 bu. to bumping above 425 bu.

“We started cutting back on synthetic fertilizers and building out a low-salt crop fertility program,” he says.

He says his below-ground balance of bacteria and fungi populations may have actually hindered the performance of some previous biologicals he’s tried. But for TS601 and Terrasym 450, which colonizes around the roots and grows as the plant grows, it was a match.

“Like anything else, I think biologicals have had the benefit of improving with time—they’ve come a long way. I see now how they can not only bring yields up, but cut inputs down. The biggest question is the same question there’s been—finding the ones that work,” Kalb says.

Put More Spray Where It Pays

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:58:40 GMT

When you pull the sprayer into fields each spring, you’re banking that the product coming out of the nozzles will land where you need it to work. That’s where drift reduction adjuvants (DRAs) can become one of the most profitable—and protective—ingredients in your tank.

Consider what happens when you spray a crop protection product. Each nozzle throws out a spectrum of droplet sizes, from big “marbles” that fall quickly to tiny “dust” droplets that hang in the air, explained Greg Dahl, director of adjuvant education for the Council of Producers & Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA), during a recent Agricultural Retailers Association webinar.

Those tiny droplets, called driftable fines, are the troublemakers. They lose energy fast, ride the wind and can move well beyond your field. That’s not the case for larger droplets.

“Big droplets have to land. They are going to land, and they’re going to land close to where you spray,” Dahl says. “Small droplets, they probably are not going to land. They will lose their speed, and then they’ll just float in the air and go wherever the air goes.”

By design, DRAs shift more of your spray volume into larger, heavier droplets that are still effective but far less likely to drift. Across a wide range of nozzles, Dahl says industry research shows that adding a DRA can reduce the spray volume made up of driftable fines.

“Going across the whole system of nozzles, we get about a 50% reduction in the amount of spray volume that is made up of driftable fines,” he reports.

In practical terms, that means less product left hanging in the air and able to drift toward your neighbor’s crops, garden or yard.

There are at least four benefits to adding a good quality DRA in the tank.

(WinField United)

Drift Control Is Only Part Of The Benefit From DRAs

Many farmers are concerned that bigger droplets going out of the nozzles will automatically result in poorer coverage, particularly in post-emergence applications. In some cases — especially with ultra-coarse sprays — that’s true, Dahl says. Coverage can suffer, and penetration into the crop canopy can be weak. The right DRA, though, has been shown to increase droplets’ speed as they leave the nozzle, which improves penetration into the crop canopy.

“If we look where we have added in a DRA, it has actually increased the amount of speed of those droplets, so they’re going to go farther before they run out of energy, and we’re going to get better penetration of the canopy, better deposition farther down,” Dahl says.

Side-by-side comparisons in corn and soybeans using fluorescent dye tell the story more completely (see below). Without a DRA, Dahl’s slides illustrate that coverage is good on the top leaves of the crop but falls off quickly as the product moves down into the plant. With a deposition-type DRA, coverage is more balanced from the top to below the ear leaf in corn and throughout the soybean canopy.

A good quality DRA helps provide good product coverage all the way through the crop canopy, as noted in the plant on the right.

(Greg Dahl)

The ROI Of Improved Product Applications

Better coverage does show up in yield results, Dahl reports. Across hundreds of corn fungicide trials, for instance, he says adding a DRA to the tank delivered an average yield increase of about 5.7 bushels per acre compared to fungicide use alone.

In wheat, similar work showed nearly a 4‑bu.-per-acre advantage.

There’s also an economic advantage in terms of product retention. When you reduce the number of driftable fines, more of the active ingredient you paid for actually lands and stays in your field instead of drifting away.

Dahl says not all DRAs and nozzle combinations are created equal. Some thicker, polymer-type products can narrow the spray angle or even increase driftable fines with the wrong nozzle used, especially Venturi designs. That’s why choosing proven products matters. He says oil-emulsion DRAs, in particular, have shown they can cut driftable fines without creating an overly thick spray or sacrificing pattern quality.

“There’s almost 500 labels that recommend using CPDA-certified adjuvants, and there’s over 200 products that are CPDA-certified adjuvants,” Dahl says, referencing the website CPDA.com . “We think that’s where you should go for information, and we thank you for that,” he adds.

Why Soybeans Don't Need A Perfect Stand To Deliver High Yields

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 20:00:12 GMT

Soybeans are built to “improvise, adapt and overcome,” says Purdue Extension soybean specialist Shaun Casteel. But whether they can actually do that in your fields early in the season depends heavily on a few management decisions you control.

Here are three takeaways from Casteel’s recent presentation at the 2026 Illinois Soybean Field Advisor Forum that focus on his planting and replanting recommendations.

1. Before You Plant, Check The Forecast For The Following 24 Hours

Many farmers aim for the “50°F soil temp” rule when heading to fields to plant and, while that’s on track, Casteel thinks that’s only half right.

“Soybeans can germinate at [temperatures] as low as 36 to 43 degrees,” he said. “But it’s not necessarily soil temperature [we’re concerned about], even though that’s what we’re measuring, it’s the water temperature.”

A soybean seed must absorb (imbibe) approximately 50% of its own dry weight in moisture for germination to start. But if it absorbs cold water, the seed can be injured, resulting in damaged cell membranes, reduced germination, and dead or weak seedlings.

Casteel’s recommendation: if a cold front with rain is headed your way and likely to occur in the next 12 to 24 hours, hold off on planting, even if the soil temperature looks OK or you feel the calendar is pushing you to plant.

He adds that the time to soybean germination and emergence is related to heat unit accumulation (GDDs), noting there “is >50% emergence after 140 to 160 air GDDs.”

2. Aim for 1.5" Planting Depth and Good Seed-to-Soil Contact
Planting depth is important for soybeans’ ability to emerge well, and it also plays a big role in setting up root hair growth, nodulation and the plants’ access to nutrients.

“If you don’t have good root hair development, guess what? You don’t have good nodulation, you don’t have a good nitrogen supply. Kiss those high yields goodbye,” Casteel says.

As a rule of thumb for planting, he recommends farmers place soybean seed at 1.5” deep with a variance of between 1.25” to 1.75” depending on soil moisture and residue.

He advises against chasing moisture too deep, like you might if planting corn, as soybeans don’t handle deeper planting well. What happens if you plant too deep? Casteel says there are commonly three results:

1) The hypocotyl has to pull cotyledons farther to reach the surface. 2) That extra distance costs time and energy, so emergence is slower and less uniform. 3) In cool or crust-prone soils, deep-planted beans are more likely to stall or die before they break through the soil surface.

3. Don’t Be In A Hurry To Replant Soybeans. Evaluate Your Stand Thoroughly First.

Casteel urges farmers to be more cautious about replanting soybeans. His own line in the sand is around 70,000 plants per acre. At or above that level, with healthy, evenly distributed plants, his data shows soybeans usually deliver about 95% of full yield potential, making a replant hard to justify. He also notes that stands in the 66,000 to 100,000 range often end up with very similar yield results.

The reason is soybeans will compensate. In delayed-emergence and overseeding studies, Casteel says he found that when part of the stand emerged late, the original plants simply “branched more and produced a larger share of the yield.”

In one scenario he evaluated, the original plants contributed 60% of the yield and the late-emerging plants 40%, yet the total yield matched a uniform stand. In a V2-type “replant” timing, roughly 95% of yield still came from the original soybean plants and only 5% from the later ones.

Because of that, Casteel says most soybean replants at V2 are “just making us feel good rather than making us more money.” Once plants are established and starting to branch, overseeding or tearing them up rarely changes the final bushels much, but it does add cost and risk.

Where he says a “full reset” is likely needed is when stands are around 50,000 to 60,000 plants per acre and it’s still roughly the first week of May—before the original plants have much node development or branching. Outside of that scenario, his research and experience say the better decision is usually to leave the stand alone and let soybeans compensate.

If you can manage that, Casteel contends soybeans will usually do what they’re designed to do: “They can improvise, adapt and overcome. It’s our job not to get in the way,” he says.

Hear Casteel’s complete presentation at the Field Advisor Forum on YouTube here . Be sure to check out what he says about managing corn residue after the 2026 harvest, so it doesn’t negatively impact your soybean crop the following year.

Control the Controllables To Capture More Bushels

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:27:18 GMT

A solid game plan addressing key fundamentals could be the most powerful risk-management tool farmers have going into the 2026 season, according to Randy Dowdy and David Hula. Here are four they encourage farmers to review and work on this winter:

Fuel The Crop Adequately

Hula stresses that even in low-margin years, you can’t cut corners on fundamental crop needs. He emphasizes using soil tests to manage N, P and K, looking at soil pH and applying lime where needed.

“When you think about where you’re spending dollars, you can’t waiver from that,” he says. “We have to cover the basics… there’s nothing that’s sexy about farming right now, [everyone’s] just trying to survive.”

Why Your Planter Is the Lowest Hanging Fruit for Yield

Randy Dowdy says the planter represents the “lowest hanging fruit” for yield improvement on 90% of U.S. farms.

“The planter is just not performing at the levels to reach the maximum potential that most farmers need to support and service debt,” Dowdy says.

He encourages growers to spend time in the shop, ensuring that every row unit is capable of delivering “picket fence” seed placement and performance. For Dowdy, this means every seed is placed at a consistent depth and spacing, emerging within a tight window of 10 to 12 Growing Degree Units (GDUs) of one another

“Does every seed have the same standard deviation between them, the placement from one seed to the next? Are they all singulated, and are they all coming up at the same time? If that’s not happening, that’s a big deal,” Dowdy says.

Consider Seed Size Along With Good Genetics

While every farmer is tuned into genetics, Dowdy and Hula say they can benefit from taking seed size into consideration, too.

One of the questions Hula says he often gets is, “What’s the best seed size to plant?”

After years of analyzing small rounds versus large flats, his philosophy has evolved into a practical rule of thumb.

“My answer now is simple: whatever your planter plants the best, that’s the seed you want to plant,” he says.

But that only works if you’ve done your homework on the meters—cleaning them, replacing worn parts, and calibrating them with actual seed to determine the vacuum and speed settings. Taking these steps can eliminate guesswork that leads to skips and doubles.

Generally, Dowdy observes that “Deere likes rounds, Precision likes flats.”

Both Dowdy and Hula caution against the temptation of buying plateless (mixed-size) seed just because it carries a lower price tag. Their take: if you use it, run side‑by‑side strips with good, graded seed so you can see the real yield cost.

“I’d really challenge [anyone using plateless seed] to plant some graded seed next to it… just so you could know what it’s costing you. It’s costing you money,” says Hula.

Take Only Calculated Risks, ‘Miss Small’

Dowdy says this is the year to “control the controllables” and stick with practices you know consistently pay. He warns that farmers can’t afford big mistakes in this economy. While he’s not afraid of trying new practices, he is afraid of not being profitable and not being able to service debt, so due diligence and ROI have to come first.

“If we’re going to have a fail, we don’t need to fail in a big way. We need to miss small in an economy like this,” Dowdy says. “I’ll put my big toe in the water, but it won’t be my whole foot and a bunch of acres.”

A Checklist For Reference This Winter

Here are additional highlights of recommendations Dowdy and Hula listed during their most recent Breaking Barriers With R&D podcast. These are not all-inclusive, but rather a starting point for farmers preparing for spring:

1. Soil and Fertility Basics

Lime and pH: Check pH by zone or grid. Apply lime only where pH is low. Avoid wasting inputs on ground at 6.5 or higher.
Manganese Alert: Watch for potential deficiencies in high pH spots (above 6.8).
P and K Strategy: Use recent soil tests to determine if Phosphorus can be reduced. Keep Potash a priority where base saturation justifies the spend.

2. The Planter Bar and Row Units

Parallel Arms: Inspect for “oblong” wear or side play. Replace any arms that aren’t tight.
Double-Disc Openers: Use a jig to check run-out. Only use blades that meet tight tolerances for a clean V-trench.
Gauge Wheels: Lift by hand. If they feel loose or drop instantly, adjust or replace the bushings and arms.
Alignment: Use a tape measure to verify every row is exactly on target (e.g., 30 inches). Ensure the toolbar is perfectly level front-to-back at operating height.

3. Seed Trench and Closing System

Centering: Run the planter across concrete. Ensure closing wheel marks are perfectly centered over the seed path.
Row Cleaners: Adjust “trash whippers” to move residue without gouging a deep furrow that could lead to erosion or crusting.

4. Seed and Meter Calibration

Match Seed to Meter: Generally, John Deere/ExactEmerge systems prefer rounds, while Precision Planting systems prefer flats.
The Meter Test: Replace worn belts and brushes. Calibrate meters annually on a test stand using your actual seed to determine the exact vacuum and speed settings.
The “Plateless” Warning: Avoid the temptation of cheap, mixed-size seed. If you use it, run a side-by-side strip against graded seed to measure the true cost of lost bushels.

5. Management Mindset

Miss Small: This is the year for calculated risks. Put your “big toe” in the water with new tech, but don’t commit the whole farm until you see a proven ROI on your own soil.
Check Strips: Always leave a clean, untreated check strip when trying new products for evaluation.

Hear the latest Breaking Barriers With R&D to learn more about Hula and Dowdy’s recommendations at Farm Journal TV and the YouTube link below.

How Smart Farm Infrastructure Upgrades Can Squeeze Out Extra Margin

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 20:43:15 GMT

Leading agricultural economists and industry experts are emphasizing what most farmers have already taken to heart about 2026 expenditures: Spend only where you can identify a clear, realistic path to higher returns or lower costs sooner than later.

The key, according to University of Illinois agricultural economists Gary Schnitkey and Nick Paulson, is filtering potential projects through the sharp lens of your operation’s current financial health. Return on Investment (ROI) and cash flow must come first, while tax benefits and “nice-to-haves” are a distant second.

Start With These Two Questions

Before signing a check for any major project, the economists encourage farmers to ask themselves:

Will this clearly lower my cost per acre or raise my average returns in the next three to seven years?
Can my working capital handle the expense if commodity prices or returns are worse than expected?

“You have to look at your cash flow and your working capital,” says Schnitkey. “You have to be disciplined. If you’re not in [a good] financial position, then this isn’t the time to do it.”

He advises farmers to prioritize speed of ROI, given the current economic environment. “I would suggest that in this point in time you want to be looking at investments that have a quicker return,” he says.

Ryan Thompson, strategic accounts manager for AGI, echoes Schnitkey’s focus on payback.

“If I’m going to spend a few dollars, how fast is that money going back to my pocketbook?” he asks, capturing the essence of investment mandates for this year.

Thompson also says to evaluate infrastructure decisions through the lens of longevity: “If I’m in my twilight years of my operation, five years or less left, maybe I’m not making that investment. But if I’m 45 or less, going to be in it for another 20-plus years, that’s something that makes sense to me.”

Paulson urges farmers to do risk assessments: “What’s the likelihood that it won’t work out, and what’s the risk you run that something doesn’t pencil out like you think it will? What sort of position does that put the business in?”

While most spending on the farm should be defensive this year, two categories are flagged by Paulson and Schnitkey as being strategic “yes” opportunities: drainage tile and grain storage.

Strategic Drainage Tile Installation

Drainage tile is one of the few infrastructure moves that qualifies as an “offensive play” in an otherwise defensive year, the economists say.

The core benefit of tile installation is supported by strong research showing meaningful yield gains, often in the near term.

“There is good research out there that shows there are some pretty significant crop yield improvements, even in relative short run, and that does translate to positive returns on the investment required for drainage tile,” Paulson says.

The economists point out that tile can be a powerful risk management tool. Potential benefits include:

Improved timeliness of planting and harvesting by firming up fields sooner after rain, a critical benefit when planting windows are tight.

Reduced yield variability across a field, turning problem areas into more reliable yield contributors instead of chronic underperformers.

Enhanced long‑term profitability on owned or long‑term “controlled” ground, because the yield gains and better timing are able to compound over many seasons.

Paulson and Schnitkey say they believe tile installation makes the most economic sense this year on chronically wet, yield-limited acres that a grower intends to farm for the long haul—and only if the operation has the financial cushion to absorb the upfront cost until yield gains materialize.

Grain Storage Installations And Updates

While a new, permanent steel bin has been a sound long-term asset for farmers in recent years, the experts say today’s high construction costs mean a new build only pencils out for farmers planning to run their operation for the next 15 to 20 years and who can consistently fill and turn that capacity.

It’s why Thompson says the smart money this year is likely on upgrading existing storage facilities to protect margin.

“In the past year we saw a lot of folks make upgrades to their existing grain bins, whether that was putting in new floors, new unloads, updating the fans and vents, things like that,” he says.

Making these types of upgrades deliver payoffs such as improving airflow, allowing you to dry and cool grain faster and cheaper and cut down on harvest bottlenecks and, in some cases, reduce labor costs.

High-Impact: Bin Monitoring Technology

Thompson notes that a high-impact, cost-effective upgrade farmers are making now is improving their bin-monitoring system to minimize spoilage loss, over-drying or other factors that contribute to quality discounts.

“We don’t have a lot of room for error… keeping that grain in good condition can be key to trying to squeeze out any profit,” Thompson says, noting how increasingly volatile weather makes grain conditioning more critical than ever.

He says modern bin-monitoring systems use real-time data to guide fan use, preventing unnecessary energy use (avoiding over-drying) and saving real dollars sometimes lost in shrink and fuel consumption.

Caution Offered On Bags Versus Bins

Some row crop growers are looking to temporary grain bags as a cheaper alternative to steel bins, but experts like Thompson urge caution. “If you’re looking for short-term return, maybe [go with] a bag. But again, how does that fit into your long-term plan for the operation?”

He adds, “There’s still that inherent risk … when that grain is in a bag, whether it’s in my yard or 20 miles down the road in the field where I left it, from all the things that can happen to that bag, and also all that grain is on the ground.”

Paulson, Schnitkey and Thompson were featured speakers during an Illinois Soybean webinar titled “Reevaluating Your On-Farm Investments.” The webinar was part of a three-part economic series to help farmers navigate current economic challenges.

End of an Era? Glufosinate's Tight Grip On Waterhemp Finally Breaks

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 19:55:10 GMT

For many farmers, glufosinate quietly became the last dependable post-emergence option to control tough broadleaf weeds like waterhemp in fields where glyphosate, ALS, PPO, and HPPD herbicides had already slipped in performance. Glufosinate’s “last herbicide standing” status is why what’s happening in Illinois now should grab your full attention.

University of Illinois weed scientist Patrick Tranel and his colleagues announced in December that they have confirmed several glufosinate-resistant waterhemp populations in Carroll County, in northern Illinois.

That confirmation is a big deal. Boiled down, what this means for Illinois farmers is stark: Every post-emergence herbicide available to control waterhemp in the state—seven different herbicide groups—is now compromised to some degree.

Tranel adds that some preemergence chemistries are also declining in efficacy. How that plays out in fields: he says pre herbicides that might once have provided four weeks of residual control now keep weeds in check for only three weeks.

“Let that set in for a moment,” he says. “That means we can’t just go out there and say, ‘Oh, I’m going to use this herbicide to control waterhemp.’ You might not have resistance in your field yet to that particular herbicide, but it’s out there in the state, and if you rely on that single post product, you are going to get resistance.”

Farmers in states outside Illinois aren’t off the hook, either. The problem of glufosinate-resistant waterhemp is suspected in at least six other states including Missouri, Indiana, Iowa , Nebraska, Ohio and Tennessee.

“ Missouri farmers are facing declining control of waterhemp with two of our most common post products—glufosinate and 2,4-D—and that continues going into 2026,” says Kevin Bradley, University of Missouri Extension weed scientist.

Why Waterhemp is a Driver Weed

Waterhemp is considered a “driver weed” for many row crop growers across the Midwest and South due to its ability to severely impact yields.

Yield Losses: Uncontrolled populations can cause extensive yield losses—up to 74% in corn and 56% in soybeans—according to research by Larry Steckel, University of Tennessee Extension weed scientist.
Dominance: In the 2025 Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) broadleaf crops weed survey, waterhemp surpassed Palmer amaranth (pigweed) as the most problematic weed.
Biological Challenge: The reasons for waterhemp’s dominance include prolific seed production (up to 1 million seeds/plant), season-long germination, rapid growth, dioecious nature (male/female plants for high genetic diversity), and widespread resistance to multiple herbicide sites of action (SOA).

One Of The Challenges: Subtle Resistance and Regrowth

Tranel calls what Illinois researchers are seeing the early stages of resistance evolution. Critically, what they observe isn’t the obvious kind of resistance where the herbicide does nothing. This low-level resistance makes it difficult to detect in the field.

“It looks the same as what the symptomology looks like on a glufosinate-sensitive plant, except not as severe… you’re going to see that burning, but you’re not going to see the continued progression of that control,” Tranel says. “You’re going to start seeing regrowth.”

In Illinois field trials, resistant plants were sprayed small, with full rates, under near-perfect conditions (hot, humid, sunny, with ample soil moisture), and still, some waterhemp survived.

Tranel’s research suggests some resistant plants may be able to detoxify glufosinate faster at higher temperatures:

“We saw actually worse control of the resistant population under higher temperatures… we think that’s because the resistant population is able to metabolize or detoxify the glufosinate, and at higher temperature it’s able to do that faster,” he says.

Bradley agrees, reporting similar scenarios in Missouri. This low-level resistance can be easily confused with application issues, which makes confirmation difficult. Farmers often report poor glufosinate control due to weeds that were too big, poor spray coverage under a canopy, or less-than-ideal temperature and humidity.

“It can be difficult to distinguish between, ‘Do I really have a resistant population, or was my application not quite right?'" Tranel explains.

The Harsh Reality: No Chemical Safety Net Left

The urgent message for farmers is that they can no longer rely on any single product to deliver control of waterhemp and other tough weeds. Furthermore, the old rule of simply rotating sites of action is no longer sufficient.

“Fifteen years ago, almost all our resistance was due to target site change,” Tranel explains. “All the new mechanisms we’ve discovered in the last 15 years have been due to mechanisms other than a target site change.”

This shift in the plant’s biology means that merely switching group numbers will not keep growers ahead of waterhemp for long.

“You can’t manage chemical resistance with chemicals,” Tranel says. “We cannot exclusively rely on herbicides like we have been able to do in past decades.”

Strategies for the Long Haul: Don’t Cut Weed Control Rates

Farmers face going into the 2026 season with paper-thin margins. During a recent farmer panel discussion, Kevin Bradley asked several high-yield Missouri growers what keeps them up at night.

“Every single one of them said input prices,” he recalls. “Many of our growers are just doing what they believe they have to do to be able to stay on their land and farm. The problem is we are just seeing more performance failures with our post herbicide products that we rely on now,” he adds.

Bradley and Tranel are concerned about farmers choosing to trim herbicide programs. They both strongly recommend that farmers use full rates of herbicides, especially in fields with tough weed issues. Cutting herbicide rates will save few if any dollars.

“With glufosinate, we’re talking pennies between lower and full rates. It’s not going to be a whole lot of money to get better control of weeds and prevent them going to seed,” Bradley says.

Diversify and Aim for Zero Seed

Glufosinate must be treated like a valuable resource. The weed scientists encourage farmers to protect it by making every application as effective as possible and reducing the number of weeds it has to kill. Key practices they recommend include:

Use Multiple Products: Tranel advises against leaning on a single post-emergence herbicide. Instead, “use two or more, either tank mixed or in sequence,” and use an overlapping residual.
Integrate Non-Chemical Tools: Practices like using cover crops that produce significant biomass can suppress waterhemp and other weeds, reducing the number of weeds that ever see a spray pass. New technologies such as weed zappers, harvest weed-seed management products, and weed flamers are also gaining traction. As these options prove viable, they give producers additional tools to the current chemical options for weed control, notes Matthew Woolard, WSSA Science Policy Fellow and Texas Tech University graduate assistant.
Have a ‘Zero-Seed’ Goal: The ultimate long-term strategy is to deplete the soil seed bank. “At the end of the growing season, if you don’t have a weed going to seed, you’re not going to get evolution of resistance,” Tranel says. Achieving this goal will reduce pressure on your herbicide program.

Tranel says he sometimes ponders where the farming community would be today with regard to weeds if glyphosate had been stewarded better. It’s a lesson he hopes row crop growers take to heart.

“Glufosinate might be the best thing we have for the next 10 years. How can we make sure we can keep using it for the next 10 years?” Tranel says.

The answer is not more glufosinate use on its own. Better systems—using multiple SOA products, more crop diversity, more scouting, and allowing fewer escapes to go to seed—can help keep the chemistry in play.

Bottom line: The clock on glufosinate is already ticking down, and how fast it runs out is now largely in farmers’ hands.