Commodity prices have been challenging, but according to recent projections they likely won’t get any worse.

Researchers have discovered that waterhemp, and possibly other weeds don’t respond to rotating herbicides each year as they originally thought.

Some problem pests just keep raising their ugly heads each season, and that’s certainly true for Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN). Despite a lot of work and effort on the part of university Extension and company researchers, this endemic pest continues to take a big bite out of soybean yields across the Midwest—to the tune of over $1 billion annually, according to the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers know the typical signs that SCN is present in a field--plants are stunted, yellow and scraggly. In severe cases, SCN can destroy 80% of a field’s yield potential. University of Illinois research shows that when SCN goes undetected in fields--where symptoms aren’t present--it can still sap yields.

John Phipps offers commentary on how to fix the dicamba drift problem for 2018.

Insects and diseases likely to vary this season—here’s what should be top of mind

Is it dicamba, another herbicide or disease?

Farmers test out-of-the-box techniques to add soybean bushels and profits

On each herbicide label, companies specify active ingredients and sites of action alike. Note, each herbicide active ingredient falls into a specific site of action and the two are not the same classification and should not be treated as such.

About two years. That’s all the time you have to prove to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) you and your neighbors will follow new dicamba formulation label requirements, or the agency could let its approval expire at the end of 2018.

Differentiate fact and fiction as you plan your weed control strategy.