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Future of Farming?
January 18, 2012 
Predicting the future is somewhere between difficult and impossible, so we seldom air stories that try to do so.  But because Sano Shimoda, and Terry Jones are so willing to go against the conventional wisdom, we are making an exception.

In their article, they says that the present boom times in agriculture are going to reverse, calling the present situation "Ag Bubble 2.0, reflecting “irrational exuberance”, not a “new normal”, which will result in a traumatic downward cycle." They go on to say that "Agriculture faces a “Perfect Storm” in terms of a secular reversal in the key drivers of farmland values."

They believe that changing weather patterns, large production increases of corn, and rising interest rates will lower commodity prices and therefore the prices of farm ground. To read their prognostications, please click here.

Monsanto in the News
January 8, 2012 
Two stories concerning Monsanto have been recently released: in the first story, Judge Naomi Buchwald announced that oral arguments on Monsanto's motion to dismiss the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) lawsuit will be heard in federal district court Jan. 31, 2012, in Manhattan.

The landmark lawsuit challenges the validity of Monsanto's transgenic/GMO patents and seeks court protection for innocent family farmers who may become contaminated by Monsanto seed. This issue has been the subject of much controversy, and Jim Gerritsen, President of lead plaintiff OSGATA., said this: "Last August we submitted our written rebuttal and it made clear that Monsanto's motion was without merit."

To read the entire story, please click here.

In an unrelated story, Monsanto's announcement of drought resistant corn trait variety known as MON 87460 has met with lukewarm response from some industry experts.The Department of Agriculture announced r that MON 87460 "is no longer considered a regulated article under our regulations", but  Bob Nielsen, agronomist at Purdue University, said he will have a "healthy skepticism" about how much the product will help farmers until he sees the results of the upcoming trials. He added that, "Drought resistance may not have improved corn production significantly last summer because the crop came under stress from extreme heat, as well as dryness." In addition, the Union of Concerned Scientists, a group wary of biotechnology, predicted the product would have little impact on output.

It will work best in areas of moderate drought and not be much use in severe drought, said Doug Gurian-Sherman, a senior scientist for the group. About 15 percent of U.S corn is grown in areas where moderate drought is a problem, he said."It's really a baby step, not a giant step forward," he added.

To read the drought seed story, please click here.

No Link Between Atrazine and Cancer
December 24, 2011 
An extensive, long-term study by the, federal Agricultural Health Study (AHS), in conjunction with the EPA, USDA, National Institute of Health, and the National Cancer Institute declared, "there was no consistent association between atrazine use and any form of cancer."

Included in the study, which began in 1993, were 89,000 farmers, pesticide applicators and spouses. This study, one of the largest of its kind, confirms previous reports on the safety of atrazine to humans. To read more, please click here.

Video Thanking Farmers
October 24, 2011 
At a recent recertification seminar, we saw an excellent video which praises farmers' contribution to the world. The four minute video, which was produced by BASF, is slick, moves quickly, and tells the story of modern agriculture very well.  If you would like to see it, please click here, and maybe even send the link to your friends.

USDA: 2011 Net Farm Income Record High
September 10, 2011 
 USDA is forecasting 2011 net farm income to jump 31 percent from 2010 to $103.6 billion, according Greg Scheer  The USDA says that both crop and livestock receipts will rise sharply, driven by higher prices.

Production expenses are expected to increase more than $30 billion in 2011 compared to 2010. While production expenses will total $318.1 billion, when adjusted for inflation, 2011 expenses remain slightly below those in 1979.

To read the entire article, and see the accompanying graphs, please click here. 

Rootworm Resistance to Bt Corn Confirmed
August 7, 2011 
 The first documented case of in-field resistance to Bt corn targeting rootworms has been confirmed recently in Iowa. Aaron Gassman, Iowa State University entomologist. After high levels of rootworm were found in the field, laboratory tests confirmed the insect resistance to the Bt toxin.

Christian Krupke, Purdue University, entomologist reports, “Hybrids expressing this toxin include those formerly labeled as Yieldgard RW and VT3 hybrids. This toxin is also one of the proteins found in SmartStax hybrids."

Other toxins showed no cross resistance, which was feared as a possibility. There is no "putting the genie back in the bottle," and resistance in these areas is a problem that won't go away, the article stated.

To read the entire article, please click here. Another article, which calls CRW resistance "a reality", is here.

Update on LightSquared and GPS
July 2, 2011 
 In order to ensure that LightSquared's $14 billion investment into satellite-based broadband internet access will not interfere with GPS signals, the company has announced that it will use frequencies lower in the spectrum band from the GPS signals. These frequencies had been saved for future expansion of the broadband network. LightSquared made this concession after the House Appropriations Committee, with strong bipartisan support, passed a motion to insert language in a spending bill that bars the FCC from spending any money on LightSquared's proposal until the company can unequivocally prove that GPS interference can be completely avoided. The bill is not yet law, but is expected to pass. Click here to read story, and read our initial report below.

“This is a solution which ensures that tens of millions of GPS users won’t be affected by LightSquared’s launch,” Lightsquared Chairman and CEO Sanjiv Ahuja said in a statement. He added, “At the same time, this plan offers a clear path for LightSquared to move forward with the launch of a nationwide wireless network that will introduce world-class broadband service to rural and underserved areas, which still find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide.’’

Butl LightSquared also criticized the GPS industry, arguing that because the GPS satellite network is maintained by the Department of Defense, the GPS providers are heavily subsidized, and should have shielded their equipment more carefully. LightSquared claimed that this lack of shielding, which would have very inexpensive if applied during manufacture, is essentially an infringement of LightSquared's frequency allocation.

LightSquared's press release said this: "Fixing this problem through the deployment of better filters in GPS devices will add some costs to the GPS industry, but those costs would only be a fraction of the $120 billion in benefits that would be created by LightSquared's deployment of its LTE network," To read this story, please click here.

LightSquared Interferes With GPS Says Deere
 June 15, 2011 
  LightSquared, a company proposing to provide broadband data services via the L-band frequencies, has a major problem with interference with GPS receivers used in precision agriculture.
 
 Deere and Company recently notified the FCC that LightSquared's signals created substantial interference as far as 22 miles away during testing conducted in New Mexico. Deere also maintains that it knows of no technical solutions which will mitigate the problem effectively, and the tests showed that high-precision receivers used in agriculture are more adversely affected than are consumer grade GPS units.
 
 Deere concludes that allowing LightSquared to implement its planned network will result in massive interference for precision agriculture and potentially cause serious harm.
 
 To read the entire article, please click here.

Wheat Disease Is Global Problem
April 24, 2011 
Researchers meeting at a scientific conference in Aleppo, Syria, this week reported that aggressive new strains of striped and stem rust in wheat have decimated up to 40% of farmers’ wheat fields in recent harvests in North Africa, the Middle East, and the Caucuses.

The article also says that "climate change, in terms of rising temperatures, and the timing and increasing variability of rainfall, is contributing to the spread and severity of rust diseases. Emerging races of rust are showing adaptations to extreme temperatures not seen before."

To read the entire article, please click here.

Wheat Striped Rust Warning
April 17, 2011 
According to this article, striped rust in wheat was found much earlier than normal this year, prompting Don Hershman, University of Kentucky, to speculate that striped rust was able to overwinter in that area. The rust was found 3-4 weeks early in commercial wheat fields. The article does not predict that severe rust infestations will necessarily occur, but it does recommend early monitoring.

Hershman says that all newer fungicides do a very good to excellent job against rust diseases in wheat, but he specifically mentions that "tebuconazole can be bought very cheaply, but still provides excellent rust control."

Read the entire Hershman article by clicking here, please.

If you would like to read an excellent article which summarizes wheat diseases, including identification and treatment, please click here.

Let the Good Times Roll
March 3, 2011 
The farming sector in the US is doing relatively well--certainly better than the general economy--and a pair of recent articles noted that fact in mainstream publications.

National Public Radio did a piece on agriculture, using a Nebraska farm as the centerpiece of the article. Rapidly rising commodity and land prices were mentioned, as well as the ability of many farmers to pay down debt. Several factors were cited, including the declining value of the dollar, the government mandated demand for ethanol, increased demand by China, and drought in Russia. But NPR also cited new technology in the farm world, citing GMO seed, newer tractors, and even Twitter, the social network that allows rapid communication amongst farmers.

Another article, by Maggie McNeil of MarketWatch, expressed a similar view, but it focused on the political side of the issue, quoting Bob Stallman,,head of the American Farm Bureau. The article reported that "agribusiness industry spent $120 million in lobbying in 2010, and employed 1,122 registered lobbyists."

In the article, Stallman worries that the government might cut direct payments to farmers, and that public perception of modern agriculture is tainted by unfair news coverage. Stallman doesn’t deny that agriculture is a big business and admits that only around 10% of the nation’s 2.2 million farms produce around 85% of the food — “it’s all about efficiency,” he says. But Stallman also contends that there is a disconnect in the popular thinking that wants “our food produced like it was 50 years ago” and also expects affordable prices.

To read the NPR article, please click here. The Market Watch article is here.

USDA: 2010 Net Farm Income Will Be Up 31%
January 7, 2011 
In this complete report, the USDA predicts that the 2010 net farm income will be $81.6 billion, up 31 percent from 2009 and 26 percent higher than the 10-year average of $64.8 billion for 2000-2009.

The report also notes the high volatility of farm expenses and commodity prices. Finally, the USDA expects that total production expenses in 2010 will be only 2.0 percent higher, much lower than the 15.7-and 8.8-percent increases in production expenses recorded in 2007 and 2008.

Elections Won't Change Commodity Payments
November 19, 2010 
A Purdue University agricultural economist, Otto Doering, believes that newly elected Congress, despite some Tea Party influence, will continue direct farm payments instead of reverting to entirely to counter-cyclical payments.

The article notes that "Counter-cyclical payments date back to 1933 and are traditional price support subsidies provided to qualifying crop farmers when the prices for their crops are lower than a specified level. The payments were replaced in 1996 by direct payments, which qualifying farmers receive regardless of whether crop prices are high or low. Congress reintroduced counter-cyclical payments in 2000 and have left the two subsidies in place ever since."

Farm payments total about $20 billion per year, and despite high commodity prices and Tea Party leader Dick Armey's animosity toward farm payments, Doering thinks that farm groups will prevail in their efforts to preserve direct payments.

A federal law, the Renewable Fuels Standard, currently requires gasoline blenders to blend 10 percent of ethanol with their gasoline. However, Doering says there is a push to raise the percentage to 12-15%, which tends to push the price of ethanol up. The present ethanol subsidy is now 45 cents per gallon, but it expires in January, and the new Congress will have to address the issue.

The Purdue article is an excellent summary of farm policy: click here to read it.

PBS Television Special
September 20, 2010 
Grace Flying Service recently worked with Lion Television on a television series, for PBS, entitled, "America Revealed."

The four part television series will air in 2011, and is an in depth look at food, transportation, manufacturing and energy in the United States. The series is patterned after the highly acclaimed British Broadcasting Corporation series, "Britain From Above", which covered similar topics in Great Britain. The BBC program utilized stunning aerial photography to give a new perspective to an ageless topic. Because the BBC program was so popular, the US-based PBS engaged the same production team to create a similar television program in the US.

On September 14 and 15, 2010, Grace Flying Service supplied and flew two aircraft, a Weatherly agricultural aircraft and a 1942 Stearman biplane, to the Garden City airport. From there, the aircraft--after being festooned with movie cameras--were flown in formation with a Bell Long Ranger helicopter which had a Cineflex camera and professional filming crew and director on board. In addition, Robert Grace was interviewed and spoke of the history of agricultural aviation and the issues of today's aerial application industry.

When PBS finalizes the airing date of the series, we will post it here.

Post-Emerge Grass Control in Milo
September 15, 2010 
Controlling grassy weeds in sorghum, including Johnson grass, using herbicides in a post-emerge application will soon be possible, according to this article. New seed from Pioneer, which was developed from two sorghum hybrids originating from germplasm developed in the Kansas State University sorghum breeding program about five or six years ago, is likely to be on the market by 2013. 

According to Dr. Brent Bean, "There's a group of herbicides called ACCase herbicides, You are familiar with those in herbicides like Fusilade, Poast, Select, Assure II and Fusion. They've been around a number of years and are used primarily for grass control in soybeans and cotton."

"You are also familiar with ALS herbicides typically used in corn, such as Resolve, Accent and Basis," Bean said. "The tolerant hybrids being developed will eventually be tolerant to both classes of herbicides.."

To read the entire article, click here.

Wheat Prices Climb on Russia Drought News
August 15, 2010 
Extreme drought coupled with wildfire in Russia has dramatically reduced that country's wheat harvest. President Dmitry Medvedev said the events had destroyed a quarter of crops. In response, the Russian government banned wheat exports from August 15 to December 31, which pushed wheat prices to well above $7/bushel in Chicago.

According to this BBC article, last year Russia was the world's third largest wheat exporter, behind the US and Canada, according to the USDA. The BBC also notes that the USDA also cut its wheat production forecasts for Kazakhstan by 18%. Ukraine had its forecast cut by 15%.

In a related article by the American Farm Bureau Federation, John Anderson, an economist with the AFBF, predicted that the US will capture much of the wheat export market that Russia is forfeiting.

“We don’t have to worry about a global shortage of wheat right now, despite the difficulties in the Russian wheat market,” he said. “Overall, global wheat stocks aren’t all that tight, and the winter wheat crops in Argentina and Australia, who are big producers and exporters in the Southern Hemisphere, are looking pretty good so far:"

In addition to more corn going in to ethanol production, USDA is forecasting more corn to go in the export market, to make up for the lost Russian grain exports. USDA is predicting a record US corn crop, and it is expected that export corn will be used as livestock feed in other countries.

Monsanto Claims Victory For Roundup Ready Alfalfa  '
July 14, 2010 
In a press release, Monsanto claims a major victory because the US Supreme Court, on June 21, 2010, reversed a 2007 federal district court ruling which stopped the sale and planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa seed. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Monsanto 7-1, and it ruled that the district court's injunction "cannot stand."

Steve Welker, Monsanto alfalfa business lead, is quoted as saying, "This is exceptionally good news received in time for the next planting season. Farmers have been waiting to hear this for quite some time. We have Roundup Ready alfalfa seed ready to deliver and await USDA guidance on its release. Our goal is to have everything in place for growers to plant in fall 2010.”

To read the Supreme Court ruling, please click here. To read the Monsanto press release, click here.  

KSU Conducts Wheat Tours 
July 2, 2010 
The St. Francis Herald newspaper reported that 60 farmers attended the wheat tour held at the Sunny Crest farm in Cheyenne County, Kansas.

Jim Shroyer and Erick DeWolf , KSU agronomists, talked about various wheat varieties and the striped rust issue. It was noted that the wheat in the plots appeared to have good yield potential.

The methods of combating rust include choosing resistant varieties and treating with fungicides. A locally popular variety, Jagger, was said to have been susceptible to striped rust this year. It was noted that Tam 111, Winterhawk, and Armour were relatively resistant this year to the striped rust.

The KSU agronomists said that if you pick a variety which you think will give a good yield, you can treat it for striped rust with fungicides with good results. They also noted that the lower cost fungicides have a high disease rating and will provide good protection.


Wheat Fungicide Demand At Record Level 
June 5, 2010 
In late May, 2010, many area farmers made the decision to treat wheat with fungicide. A combination of good wheat yield prospects, reports of severe striped rust in adjacent areas, a humid, warm weather pattern, and inexpensive application options created a near perfect storm of demand.

The warm nights and high humidity, along with strong southeast winds made rust infestation common, and fields with susceptible varieties seemed vulnerable. The fungicide used was mostly tebuconazole, an off-patent fungicide with very good disease ratings from universities, but which is quite competitively priced.

After three days and nights of strong south winds, Grace Flying Service realized that more application capacity was needed in order to ensure timely treatment, but the availability of pilots and airplanes was scarce. Fortunately, a good friend who is also a conscientious, precise pilot was available: Jeff Chanay in his turbine Thrush S2R (see photo on left).

Chanay joined Grace Flying Service's two aircraft, and several long, hectic days allowed the wheat acres to be covered quickly and efficiently.



John Deere in Russia 
May 10, 2010 
In a press release, Deere & Company announced that it has opened a new manufacturing and parts distribution facility south of Moscow in Domodedovo, Russia. Deere's newest plant is the largest Deere investment in Russia, and the facility will manufacture agricultural, construction and forestry machinery as well as distribute service parts in the region.

To read the press release, please click here.

More on Wheat Rust Threat 
April 23,  2010 
The threat of wheat disease, even on varieties previously considered resistant, is becoming more pronounced.

In an update of the March 31 article posted below, KSU's Erick DeWolf says,"The risk of significant yield loss to stripe rust is high for growers in Central Kansas."

In our area, continued strong south winds, coupled with cool wet weather, combine to create a weather pattern conducive to wheat disease development.

Here is an abbreviated version of DeWolf's  April 20, 2010, comments:

“Stripe rust was observed in North Central Kansas today. The disease was found at low levels in research plots near the town of Belleville (Republic County) and was present in the varieties Jagalene, Jagger, and Santa Fe. The size of the lesions and position in the canopy suggests that the inoculum resulting in these infections likely arrive 3 to 4 weeks ago.

:Wheat at this location was at the end of jointing with flag leaves emerging over the next week to 10 days. This is the first report of stripe rust in Kansas for 2010.

"This find is significant because all the varieties affected should have been resistant to stripe rust. All evidence to date suggests that the population stripe rust population has changed within the Southern Great Plains and that varieties including Fuller, Santa Fe, Overley, Post Rock, Jagalene, and Jagger should now be considered susceptible to stripe rust.

"The risk of significant yield loss to stripe rust is high for growers in Central Kansas. . .Growers in this region should be on alert for potential development of stripe rust in their fields and be ready to apply a fungicide between flag leaf emergence and heading.

"Fields with a yield potential of more than 40 bu/a and seed production fields should be a top priority. . .”

In this April 26 update, DeWolf mentions TAM 112 as a variety which bears close watching, and he specifically mentions tebuconazole as a low cost alternative, especially if it is applied early.

Here is a chart showing comparisons of common fungicides.

New Agro-Culture Plant 
April 22,   2010 
Agro-Culture, the makers of High-NRG N, a top dress fertilizer popular with many of our customers, has announced a they are building a new plant to satisfy increased demand of their products..

The press release says, "To support future growth in the Eastern United States, and strengthen its manufacturing capability across the country, Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers has announced plans to build its flagship, state of the art, manufacturing and distribution facility in Ashley, Mich. The 50,400-square-foot-facility will be Liquid's largest with manufacturing, truck loading and distribution offices all under one roof."

The go on to say, "Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers is a responsible neighbor; constructing facilities with containment and environmental protection systems that exceed industry standards."



Wheat Rust Threat Worsens Says KSU 
March 31  2010 
In this article, K-State University Extension reports that wheat rust in Texas is now attacking varieties previously thought to be resistant, including Jagger and Jagalene. While it is unclear if the adult plant will have more resistance, the article says that "the severity of disease is cause for concern."

The article also says that Tam 112 is showing signs of severe disease.

Eric DeWolf, KSU, is quoted as saying that, "These are the highest severities for stripe rust in recent years, and the severity of the disease on varieties previously thought to be resistant is also cause for concern."

To read what Grace Flying Service reported concerning wheat fungicide applications in their March newsletter, please click here.

Glyphosate Resistant Kochia Has Arrived 
March 3,  2010 
There are many weeds which now exhibit glyphosate resistance. Sadly, resistant kochia has been found in Western Kansas. 

According to this article, Kansas State University scientists have completed long-term evaluations of a limited number of independent kochia (Kochia scoparia) populations on privately-owned land in western Kansas that are now confirmed to be glyphosate-resistant. These populations have undergone both greenhouse and field testing by K-State and Monsanto personnel.

Read the entire article here.

GM Wheat Would Drop Prices 40% 
February 18, 2010 
The Western Organization of Resource Councils says that introduction of genetically modified (GM) wheat would drastically drop the price of wheat for farmers in the United States.

The report concludes that wheat buyers in Europe, Japan, and other Asian countries are likely to switch to GM-free wheat from other countries if GM wheat is introduced in this country. As a result, the price of U.S. hard red spring wheat would fall 40 percent, and the price of durum wheat would drop 57 percent.

"Consumer attitudes in the European Union and Japan are not ready for GM wheat," according to the report author Neal Blue. "In addition, Asian countries such as South Korea and Taiwan are leery about importing GM wheat. Major customers of U.S. wheat, particularly the EU and Japan, have labeling and traceability requirements that make it difficult to sell GM wheat."

"In 2004, Monsanto withdrew its application to introduce GM hard red spring wheat because of strong consumer resistance by foreign consumers to genetically modified organisms. Despite that consumer resistance, a coalition of some wheat industry stakeholders in Australia, Canada and the United States agreed in 2009 to pursue commercialization of wheat with GM traits. The coalition includes some wheat grower groups, the National Association of Millers, and technology providers."
 

Free $25 Gift Certificate
February 8, 2010 
BASF, the maker of Headline fungicide,  is  offering a $25 gift certificate (at Cabelas or BP fuel stations) if you will watch a 15 minute video which includes testimonials from farmers who use their products. The Flash based video is  interesting, but you may need a broadband connection to view it.

Don't wait: BASF only promises the $25 to the first 15,000 viewers. The URL is PlantHealthEducation.com, but you can simply click here.

Industry Alleges EPA Bias
February 3, 2010 
Yesterday, the EPA began a re-evaluation of atrazine. According to herbicide industry groups, this additional testing has no scientific basis, but rather is driven by a media blitz by environmental groups instead of hard science. “We want to set the record straight on the agriculture community’s broad support of this very effective herbicide that has been used by farmers for more than 50 years,” said Jere White, executive director of the Kansas corn and grain sorghum growers associations.

This article from the industry says, "53 groups representing tens of thousands of farmers in nearly every state and commodity call for decisions based on science, not politics" and continues to say, " Recent media events by agenda-driven organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council, Land Stewardship Project and Pesticide Action Network North America suggest a coordinated campaign to call atrazine’s safety into question and politicize what should be a scientific process. In fact, in an unprecedented move, the EPA itself identified NRDC material as part of its justification to launch the new review." The industry has written a letter of protest to the EPA, which you can read here.

Here is an August 25, 2009, article from the Washington Post which is purportedly one of many which were driven by the environmental groups' allegations against atrazine.

Monsanto-DuPont Update
January 20, 2010 
We recently reported that the US Justice Department was questioning Monsanto in response to claims by DuPont that Monsanto was misusing patent rights in RoundUp Ready seed.

Now, according to this Agprofessional.com report, the U.S. District Court has ruled that the Roundup Ready license agreements between DuPont and Monsanto contain an unwritten ("implied") term that prohibits DuPont from stacking its Optimum GAT trait with Monsanto's Roundup Ready trait in soybeans or corn. DuPont says that this narrow ruling does not affect the ongoing DOJ antitrust investigation of Monsanto, and that DuPont will continue to press patent and antitrust claims.

"This litigation is just beginning; we will now vigorously pursue our antitrust, license and patent fraud claims," said Thomas Sager, DuPont senior vice president and general counsel. "By gathering further evidence through the discovery process and proceeding quickly to trial, we will demonstrate that DuPont has the legal right to provide farmers with the best-yielding, most innovative seeds. . ."

To read the Agprofessional article, please click here. To read the DuPont press release, please click here

Record Corn Crop
January 14, 2010 
Despite difficult harvest conditions, the USDA reports that US corn farmers produced a record harvest in 2009. The Department of Agriculture estimates 13.2 billion bushels, and a record average yield of 165.2 bushels per acre. The average price is low, at $3.70 per bushel.

The record crop was produced on less acres than the previous record in 2007: 86.6 million acres versus 93.5 million.

The estimate is that corn stocks are up 9 percent over December, 2008, and that 4.2 billion bushels of corn will be used in ethanol.

To read the entire article, please click here.

Associated Press Slams Monsanto
December 28, 2009,  
A recent Associated Press article accuses Monsanto of using near-monopoly power in the seed market to stifle competition and raise seed pricing to farmers.

"They have the capital, they have the resources, they own lots of companies, and buying more. We're small town, they're Wall Street," said Bill Cook, co-owner of M-Pride Genetics seed company in Garden City, Mo., who also declined to discuss or provide the agreements. "It's very difficult to compete in this environment against companies like Monsanto." Click here to read the AP article slamming Monsanto.

Monsanto emphatically denies the AP's allegations, and has posted a point-by-point rebuttal on their website. Click here to read the Monsanto rebuttal.

In a related story, Forbes reports that a coalition of seed industry companies are trying to head off a Justice Department investigation of allegations that the seed industry is unfairly restricting trade and raising prices unfairly. They cite a coalition of 34 farm organizations which claim a tripling of some seed prices. Read the Forbes article here.

Finally, a coalition of farm groups is asking the Supreme Court to review a district court ruling concerning the safety of biotech alfalfa. The lower court issued an injunction against planting the biotech hay. To read more, please click here.

FMC and Monsanto Go To Court
November 5, 2009,  
In a strongly worded press release, FMC announced that it will take the EPA to court to fight the Agency's proposed ban of Furadan (carbofuran).

"EPA's unprecedented attempt to deny any review of its science deprives the registrant and the growers who use carbofuran the right to prove that the product is safe, and represents a bold abuse of power in contradiction of the agency's earlier commitments to transparency and good science," said Dr. Michael Morelli, FMC.

Click here to read the entire FMC press release.

In an unrelated story, Monsanto is asking the Supreme Court to review a lower court's decision which required farmers to stop planting of Roundup Ready alfalfa until an environmental review is complete. Monsanto thinks this decision is too harsh: "We feel the court took some real drastic actions when it didn't need do," company spokesman Garrett Kasper said.

The article also notes that Monsanto's genetically modified sugar beet seed might also be temporarily banned.

To read the entire Monsanto article, please click here.

Monsanto Questioned by Justice Department
October 22, 2009,  
A recent Bloomberg article reports that the US Justice Department is questioning Monsanto over a complaint by rival DuPont concerning patent rights on Roundup Ready seed.

DuPont reportedly accused Monsanto of misusing its patent rights to control the markets for “virtually every commercially important agricultural biotech trait in corn and soybeans.”

A Monsanto spokesperson said the claims are "baseless" and said Monsanto is complying with the requests from the Justice department.

To read the entire article, please click here.

Farm Bureau Strongly Opposes Climate Change Bill
 October 6,  2009
In a recent press release, the American Farm Bureau strongly opposes the US Senate's Boxer-Kerry climate change bill, commonly known as cap-and-trade.
 
 “America’s farmers and ranchers did not fare that well in the House-passed climate change bill and they fare even worse in the Senate bill,” said AFB Federation President Bob Stallman.
 
 The press releases lists several specific objections to the legislation, including the lack of agriculture credits for carbon sequestration, allowing the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act, and the lack of mandates for alternative energy sources.
 
 “Both the Senate and House bills would bring higher fuel and fertilizer costs to American farmers and ranchers, which puts us at a competitive disadvantage in international markets with other countries that do not have similar carbon emission restrictions,” Stallman said.
 
 To read the press release, please click here.

Monsanto Announces Price Cuts
September 30, 2009
In a recent press release, Monsanto announced that it is substantially increasing US-based production of Roundup, along with dramatic price cuts: “We anticipate farmers will see Roundup prices that are 50 percent of what they were last year,” said Glenn Stith, North American crop protection lead.

Monsanto said it is investing hundreds of millions of dollars into increased production facilities, and argues that the China based glyphosate products are sometimes less effective than the Roundup branded product: ". . .some quality issues from Chinese suppliers that led to crop safety concerns and failures in weed control.”

To read the entire Monsanto press release, please click here.

In a related story, a four year-long Canadian research project showed that herbicide mixtures are more effective than rotations in slowing the evolution of herbicide resistance. Since glyphosate resistance in the US is being reported on more and more weeds every year, studies which increase knowledge of the best ways to combat resistance are welcome.

To read the Weed Technology summary, or see the complete study, please click here.

Volunteer Wheat Control  
August 27, 2009
Controlling volunteer wheat is important for a variety of reasons. This article from UNL Nebraska gives hard data on yield increases and explains how the wheat curl mite acts as a vector for the mosaic virus. It also discusses other insects which are spread when the "green bridge" of volunteer wheat is not broken.

Click here to read the article.

Triple Stack Hybrids Exacerbate Corn Rootworm Resistance  
July 22, 2009
In a classic case of unanticipated consequences, a new Purdue study says that triple-stack corn hybrids may accelerate the evolution of Bt-resistant rootworm populations.

The problem occurs when glyphosate resistant volunteer corn appears in soybean fields, something which happens at a much higher rate with the Roundup Ready trait. The volunteer corn plants have a reduced level of the Bt gene, which allows corn rootworm larvae to survive and likely results in resistant offspring.  To read the entire story, please click here.

GMO Wheat Opposed  
July 12, 2009
In carefully worded statement, fifteen global agricultural and consumer organizations have restated their opposition to genetically engineered (GMO) wheat. The Canada, US, and Australian organizations cite historical, political, and economic objections to the technology, and they claim that it does not decrease world hunger nor increase yields.

To read the full text of the statement in a pop-up window, please click here.

No Ethanol Subsidies?
June 21, 2009
A recent Ipsos survey showed that a majority of Americans--56%--think that the US government should not subsidize ethanol production.

A careful reading of the article indicates some uncertainty on the subject, and perhaps the most interesting result of the survey is buried at the end of the article: fully two thirds say that lower gas prices are more important to them personally than reducing the emissions from gasoline and nearly that many say that lower food prices are more important to them personally than reducing the emissions from gasoline.

To read the entire article, please click here.

Drought Tolerant Corn Seed
June 11, 2009
A naturally occurring gene has been discovered which will allow corn and other crops to have greater drought tolerance, according to a joint BASF-Monsanto press release. They claim that the new seed will produce the first biotechnology-derived drought-tolerant crop in the world.

The cspB gene, from Bacillus subtilis, allowed yield enhancements of 6-10 percent in field tests in the Great Plains last year. The companies call this seed a "first generation" product and expect their $1.5 billion collaborative effort to yield even greater results in the future. The seed may be available as soon as 2012 if regulatory hurdles cause no undue delay.

In 2008, Monsanto pledged to double yields in its three core crops - corn, cotton and soybeans - by 2030 compared to a base year of 2000. To read the entire article, please click here.

K-State Sues Farmers
May 25, 2009
In a headline story on May 23, 2009, the Salina Journal reported that Kansas State University is suing several farmers over alleged misuse of wheat seed developed by KSU. The article also says that similar suits against farmers have been filed by the Kansas Wheat Alliance.

Unspecified settlements occurred in some cases, but in the article says that Clayton Fisher, Okeene, OK, paid $50,000 in damages, agreed to destroy all disputed seed, and that he is subject to ongoing inspections of his seed and crops. The lawsuit alleges Fisher sold "brownbagged" wheat in violation of the Plant Variety Protection (PVP) certificate which accompanied the seed. The PVP offers patent-like protection to some seeds, and it prohibits resale of harvested seed.

The entire article and a copy of the lawsuit in PDF format are available by clicking here.

Fungicide Improves Corn Yield, Again
 April 25, 2009
 A three year study by the University of Tennessee and Pioneer Hi-Bred showed yield increases of up to 23.5 bushels per acre on gray leaf spot susceptible corn varieties after fungicide treatment.
 
 Moderately susceptible varieties had a 12.5 bushel increase, and tolerant varieties increased 6 bushels per acre.
 
 "Depending on commodity prices, the data from this study suggests spraying tolerant hybrids in a very heavy disease environment can be a viable practice for growers," said Greg Luce, Pioneer.
 
 The crops were treated with a single fungicide application at full tassel stage. The article cautions against treatment prior to full tassel.
 
 Melvin Newman, plant pathology specialist, University of Tennessee, advised that farmers should consider three things when considering a foliar fungicide application: "These are 1) knowing the susceptibility rating of the hybrid, 2) factors that can increase potential for the disease, such as, corn-after-corn, no-till or minimum-till fields and 3) the weather environment--ample rainfall and humidity or irrigation."
 
 To read the entire article, please click here.

Roundup Resistance is Real
 April 18, 2009
Bill Johnson, Purdue University, adds his voice to the growing chorus of people concerned about Roundup (glyphosate) resistance. Exclusive use of glyphosate on crops creates weeds that are resistant, and chemical companies do not have alternative products in the pipeline, according to this article.
 
 "Farmers do not think resistance is a problem until they actually have it," Johnson said. "And they think the chemical companies can turn on the spigots and produce a new herbicide whenever they want. The problem is, since Roundup is so effective, there's not been any money for new herbicide discovery."
 
 Solutions include rotating between conventional and Roundup Ready crops and using herbicides other than glyphosate to slow the development of resistant weeds. Read the entire article by clicking here.

Corn Fungicide Tests
 April 6, 2009
 A 2008 University of Minnesota corn yield test showed that applying fungicides to the corn, even when there was no disease pressure, resulted in 5-6 bushel yield increases and slightly wetter corn at harvest. The test was not "statistically significant at the 10% probability level", according to the study, and more testing in 2009 is expected. Click here to read the article.

Grassland Sale Results
March 27, 2009
A section of Kansas grassland sold today in Goodland for $375 per acre. The pasture is located in the southwest corner of Cheyenne county, on the Sherman county line. The sellers were Herbert and Carolyn Schritter. The property included two windmills, 81.6 acres of crop base, and 82.6 acres of CRP. The legal description is 35-5-42.

Russian Wheat Aphids Appearing
 March 11, 2009
In this article, Texas A&M Extension says that Russian Wheat Aphids are appearing in high numbers in wheat in the panhandle of Texas. There are other reports of light infestations in wheat in eastern Colorado. The article quotes Dr. Ed Bynum, extension entomologist in Amarillo, who says the RWA "seem to be heavier and more widespread than we've seen in quite some time."

The article has a formula for calculating economic yield: For every 1 percent of the tillers infested, there is a 0.5 percent yield loss. Using 50 bushels of $5 wheat, this formula would require 10% of the tillers infested.

To see photos of RWA and read more about them, click here.

Should You Grow non-GMO Corn?
 February 25, 2009
In a recent newsletter, Ohio State University's ag department offers strong evidence that non-transgenic corn seed yields comparably with stracked trait hybrid seed. The article notes that the reduced seed costs, along with the 50 cent per bushel price premium available to non-GMO corn makes non-transgenic seed desirable and profitable for some corn growers.

The key to success seems to be control of corn borer and rootworm, along with careful herbicide selection. The proper use of herbicides is covered in the newsletter. OSU's ag department documents their conclusion with a large number of yield tests when they say, "A comparison of average OCPT plot yields of the non-transgenic hybrids with that of hybrids containing one or more events (16 different events and combinations of events) revealed that the non-transgenic corn yielded as well as most events and better than some."

To read the entire article, please click here.

Insecticides Boost CRW Hybrid Yields
 February 13, 2009
Soil insecticides increased corn yields significantly, even in corn seed which had the CRW trait, according to a recent two year, 11 university study. The study included 64 yield comparisons, and the average yield increase was 9.1 bushels per acre. In 27% of the trials, yield increases exceeded 15 bushels per acre.  To read more, click here.

New White Winter Wheat
 February 7, 2009
Anton, a hard white winter wheat which was developed by the ARS and the University of Nebraska, is now available for production. According to this article, Anton was developed over 15 years and has reduced levels of the enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO). The lower PPO levels result in better color stability in bread and noodles and presumably improved marketability.

According to the USDA ARS article, yields were competitive: "During 2007 trials conducted by NAES, Anton averaged 50 bushels per acre compared to 57, 53 and 54 bushels for, respectively, Millennium, Jagalene and Wesley,"

Anton grows to 31 inches tall, and is somewhat resistant to stem and leaf rust diseases, moderately susceptible to stripe rust, and tolerates wheat soil borne mosaic virus.

To learn more, click here.

EPA Considering 2,4-D Ban
 February 6, 2009
The Environmental Protection Agency was recently petitioned by the National Resources Defense Council to ban all uses of the herbicide 2,4-D. Jim Gray, executive director for the Industry Task Force II on 2,4-D, responded to the NRDC request by saying, "Extensive research, independent scientific reviews and regulatory evaluations worldwide have consistently found that authorized uses of 2,4-D do not pose risks of concern for human health or the environment."

2,4-D is used commonly in this area to improve the uptake and effectiveness of several newer herbicides. The loss of 2,4-D would presumably result in increased use rates of those products and reduced weed control. 

The comment period ends February 23, 2009, and the docket number is EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0877. If you would like to read the EPA post, click here, and if you would like to comment, please click here.

Biofuel in Bolivia
  January 27, 2009
 According to this Public Radio report, recently harvestedf soybeans in Bolivia, South American, are rotting in the field because of a shortage of diesel fuel to transport them to market. Many Bolivian farmers would like to use the soybeans to produce biodiesel, but Juan Pablo Ramos, Bolivia's Vice Minister of Environmental Affairs, will not allow biofuel production. Ramos says biofuel cuts into food supplies and harms the environment.
 
 Some Bolivian farmers are reportedly banding together to produce biofuel, despite the law prohibiting such actions.

IGUCA Public Meeting
 January 17, 2009
The Kansas Department of Agriculture has published new proposed regulations for Intensive Groundwater Use Control Areas (IGUCAs) (pronounced eye-gook'-uhs). You may read about the new regulations here, and there will be a public meeting in Topeka on February 12.

Furadan Available in 2009
  January 14, 2009
 In a strongly worded letter to its customers, FMC's Rick Kesler announced that FMC will continue to battle the EPA concerning cancellation of all uses of Furadan (carbofuran). In the January 8, 2009, letter, FMC says that it has voluntarily cancelled some uses, but insists that the uses which are "most economically important to growers" should be retained. The use of Furadan for corn rootworm rescue treatments is included in this category of "important."
 
 This is significant in our area, as farmers use carbofuran for corn rootworm rescue treatments on a regular basis. FMC emphasizes that it will engage in a "protracted" and "intensive" legal battle with the EPA if cancellation of all uses is proposed.
 
 Kesler also asserts that all uses of Furadan will be available throughout the 2009 growing season, including uses which have been voluntarily withdrawn by FMC.
 
 To read the letter, please click here. (pdf, 23 Kb)

Record Farm Net Income
  December 15, 2008
Doane's says that US farmers will have a record net farm income in 2008 of $86.9 billion, slightly above last year's all time high. "Prices have declined in recent months as the 2008 harvests have occurred but are still high by historical standards." The value of crops produced was 20% above last year, at $181 billion. Livestock, dairy, and poultry was forecast to be about one fifth less than crops at $143 billion.
 
Production costs are forecast to rise $38.2 billion in 2008 to a record-high $292.5 billion, USDA also forecast farmers would get direct government payments of $12.5 billion in 2008, up from $11.9 billion in 2007.

BASF Announces TwinLine Wheat Fungicide
 December 13, 2008
BASF's new wheat fungicide, TwinLine, has two active ingredients: pyraclostrobin (the active ingredient in Headline) and a triazole. BASF says that TwinLine will control aggressive wheat diseases, including stripe rust, and has some curative activity. Plant Health benefits include stronger stands, higher harvest efficiency, drought tolerance and improved yields.

In 27 replicated plots in 2008, TwinLine gave an average yield increase of 10 bushels per acre over untreated wheat. Labeled for barley, oats, rye, triticale and wheat, TwinLine is designed to be applied immediately after flag leaf emergence. More information? Click here.

Commodity Prices Revisited
 December 11, 2008
We recently posted a BBC news article which showed that commodity prices, after adjustment for inflation, are not currently high.

By looking up historical wheat prices and using a CPI inflation calculator, we were able to emphasize the point made in the previous article.

For example, the 1971 wheat price of $1.61 per bushel in 2008 dollars equates to $8.34. Strikingly, the 1974 wheat price of $4.24 comes out to $18.63 per bushel in today's dollars.

It is difficult to use these figures to determine how profitability in 1974 compared to today, since increases in production efficiency and the cost of inputs affect that calculation. But it is clear that consumers will tolerate higher food prices than we currently enjoy: Americans continued to eat bread in 1974 when wheat was over $18 per bushel in today's dollars.

Groundwater Meeting Held
 November 4, 2008
Cheyenne county, Kansas, farmers met on Monday, November 3, 2008, with Wayne Bossert  Groundwater Management District 4 (GMD 4) manager, to discuss management of a local High Priority Area (HPA).

HPAs are specific areas identified by the GMD as areas requiring special water management. More information is available in the this recent GMD newsletter. While the only HPA in Cheyenne County is the 5-40 township, there are several others in northwest Kansas. To see a map of these areas, click here.

The purpose of the meeting was to ask the affected water rights owners if they thought that the present rate of decline of the water table should be reduced, and if so, what the target rate should be? Then, given this agreed upon target rate, what methods should be employed to meet this goal?

While many HPAs are identified by having a decline in saturated thickness of more than 9% from 1996 to 2002, the township 5-40's decline is about half that rate. To see the actual measurements, click here. The township 5-40 HPA was selected based upon a formula which measures "2-mile reported water use density exceeding 2 AF per section". This means that it is possible, even likely, that there are areas in northwest Kansas which have a decline in saturated thickness greater than township 5-40's decline, but those areas are not identified as HPAs because their decline is less than 9% and they do not have the threshold level of reported water use.

A consensus of farmers at the meeting was that early intervention to manage the problem was better than waiting, and that the decline was noticeable from an operations standpoint. Some irrigators were concerned that adjacent wells not in the specific HPA identified had greater declines and were of more concern. The official summary of comments is available by clicking here.

It was also noted that the Water Transition Assistance Program (WTAP) might be important in this process. The WTAP is a program wherein water rights are purchased from irrigators using Kansas tax dollars, then retired permanently.

The WTAP program is only available to those in an identified HPA, but since this particular HPA was created because of the pumping rates, and not the saturated thickness decline, the retirement of relatively few water rights might reduce the pumping rates enough to remove the township from the HPA designation. Bossert explained that the funding for the WTAP program is now at a relatively low level, but if the program were used and successful, the legislature might increase funding in the future.

Big Rains!
 October 13, 2008
A slow moving upper level low dumped significant rain on the tri-state region on October 11 and 12, 2008. The largest rainfall amounts were in Cheyenne county, Kansas, and Dundy county in Nebraska, with rainfall amounts reported between 3 and 4 inches. By comparison, Armel, Coloado, reported 1.4 inches. The rain came slowly so there was minimal flooding and run-off damage.

Headline Fungicide On Sunflowers
  July 6, 2008
 A recent article in Sunflower magazine suggests that applying Headline fungicide at early bloom stage can significantly improve yields. The article cites yield increases as high as 544 pounds per acre, with a three year average of 205 pounds per acre. Plant health is improved, according to the article, so that disease prevention is likely not the only reason for increased yield.
 
 According to Vince Ulstad, BASF Ag Products, Headline suppresses the amount of nighttime respiration going on within the green plant cells, and this increases the concentration of an enzyme called nitrate reductase, which is the enzyme responsible for helping the plant convert nitrate-nitrogen — the form the roots take up from the soil — into the amino form, which is the one laid down in amino acid and proteins. The result is a smoother transition in the plant’s nitrogen conversion process.
 
 Sunflower growers should read the entire article: click here.

KDA Wheat Embargo Lifted
 June 25, 2008
Almost immediately after the June 25, 2008, Salina Journal reported that the Kansas Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the EPA, was embargoing wheat in three elevators from approximately 20 fields, Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Adrian Polansky announced the bans will be lifted based on test results that show no detectible traces of fungicide residue on the grain.

The suspect wheat allegedly was harvested within a time frame prohibited by the Quilt fungicide pesticide label.

In the Journal article, Polansky, is quoted as saying, "We hope this is entirely precautionary to protect the integrity of Kansas wheat." Polansky added, "I really don't believe there is a need for alarm, but we believe there is a need to be cautious and verify that situation before it moves beyond where it is at this point." Polansky also that the fungicide in question is "very safe" and that it has a "low toxicity for humans."

It was noted that if wheat tests showed higher than the recommended levels of residue, the wheat would be used for animal feed and not human consumption.

Are Commodity Prices Really High?
 June 14, 2008
A recent BBC article showed a graph of food prices in real (inflation adjusted) dollars from 1970 to the present. The graph shows that despite many current  headlines, food prices are now less than half what they were in 1973, and about equal to their 1995 levels.  To see a popup of the graph, please click here. To read the entire BBC article, click here.

Nebraska Land Prices Rise Dramatically
 March 24, 2008
Bruce Johnson, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln economist, says that Nebraska land values rose 23% last year, and that agricultural land values have risen 88% in the last five years. The new values are a record high, even in real (inflation adjusted) terms. The last peak occurred in 1981. To read the entire article, complete with extensive tables which show values by region and land type, please click here.

Ug 99 Stem Rust Threatens US Wheat
  February 25, 2008
 In an effort to protect the US wheat crop from a a new, virulent wheat stem rust named Ug99, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is counting on the "southern strategy" to work. Ug99, a strain which has spread from Uganda, Africa, (Uganda, hence "Ug") to the Arabian Peninsula. First discovered in 1999, Ug99 is spread by wind-blown fungal spores. The ARS strategy is to plant highly resistant wheat varieties in the southern US to form a barrier against invasion. You can read more here.

First Bt Resistance Documented
 February 11, 2008
Bollworm in cotton has the honor of being the first insect to exhibit resistance to the Bt toxin commonly used in seed to prevent insect damage, according to a new research report by University of Arizona entomologists.

Bt-resistant populations of bollworm, Helicoverpa zea, were found in more than a dozen crop fields in Mississippi and Arkansas between 2003 and 2006.

"What we're seeing is evolution in action," said lead researcher Bruce Tabashnik, professor and head of the UA entomology department and an expert in insect resistance to insecticides. "This is the first documented case of field-evolved resistance to a Bt crop.”  You can read the complete article by clicking here.

Wind Energy and You
 January 13, 2008
The Kansas Farm Bureau reminds farmers to carefully examine any contract they might sign with a wind energy company, since most agreements are legally binding and have long-term consequences. Some questions to ask include these:

-How much land is required, and for how long?
-How much will I be paid, and when will the money be sent?
-What rights will I give up and what activities will I be able to continue?
-Does the energy company provide adequate liability protection?
-What are the tax consequences to my farm?
-Will the company develop the property, or are they simply tying it up?
-Can the energy company sell or assign their interest without your consent?
-Can the company terminate the contract without penalty?
-What happens to the wind energy structures is the contract is cancelled?

BASF: Headline Fungicide Pays
 December 31, 2007
According to BASF, the maker of Headline fungicide, the practice of treating corn and soybeans is quite profitable for farmers. A recent press release says, "On-farm trial results released by BASF confirm that the outstanding disease control with plant health benefits of Headline fungicide helped corn and soybean growers yield more. In the more than 1,150 on-farm trials conducted in locations across the country in 2007, the average yield increase of Headline treated corn ranged from 12 to 16 bushels per acre, while Headline treated soybeans increased by an average of 4 to 8 bushels per acre. That works out to an extra profit of $34 to $51 per acre for corn growers and $28 to $74 per acre for soybean growers, estimated at current commodity prices and average application costs." To read the entire press release, click here.

Iowa Land Values Skyrocket
 December 31, 2007
The average value of an acre of farmland in Iowa increased by just more than $700 during the past year, to an all-time high of $3,908 per acre, according to an annual survey conducted by Iowa State University (ISU) Extension. The land boom is being driven by the developing biofuel economy, according to Mike Duffy, ISU Extension farm economist who conducts the survey. Read the entire article here.


Drought Resistant Corn
 December 20, 2007
Seed companies are working diligently to develop corn seed that will provide high yields with less water, something that will provide major benefits to our area. Wayne Fithian, Syngenta, says, “Water optimization technology could revolutionize corn production in the western and central Corn Belt where moisture is usually the limiting factor to yields and irrigation is a major expense."

Fithian goes on to say, “Multiple factors interact to influence how well a corn plant is able to produce yield when available soil moisture is below optimum,including pollination success, ability to maintain photosynthesis and root system strength. The impact that drought has on a corn crop is very complex, but the real yield killer is poor kernel set on the ears. Our goal is a crop that sets full ears under normal conditions, but also does an excellent job of setting kernels under drought conditions. These hybrids could also allow farmers to reduce the amount of water applied through irrigation.” 

Bt Corn May Damage Aquatic Life
 October 20, 2007
The National Science Foundation has published a new study which has evidence that genetically modified corn, commonly known as Bt corn, creates toxins which may travel long distances to harm stream insects that serve as food for fish.

The study was published in the October 8 edition of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and web link is available here.

The EPA's earlier studies had not predicted this sort of downstream damage. However, collected field data indicates that Bt corn pollen is being eaten by caddisflies, which are close genetic relatives of the targeted Bt pests, and increased caddisfly mortatlity from Bt toxins has been observed in laboratory studies. Todd V. Royer, a member of the research team from Indiana University, says that caddisflies "provide a food resource for higher organisms like fish and amphibians." There is also concern that stream flows containing the toxins might impact lakes further downsteam.

The study notes that the extent of the impact of Bt corn on aquatic systems is unknown. Previous studies of Bt corn have shown that corn-grown toxins may harm beneficial insects living in the soil.

Wheat Stubble Treatments Are Occurring
 August 16, 2007
Many local farmers are treating their wheat stubble for weeds. Recent rains coupled with high temperatures have created conditions conducive to rapid weed growth. Since farmers can now contract their 2008 wheat crop at more than $5 per bushel, any loss of future yield due to weeds is likely an expensive proposition.

2007 Farm Bill Passes House
 August 12, 2007
The House of Representatives recently passed the 2007 Farm Bill. The five year bill funds commodity payments to farmers, food stamps, and rural development and conservation programs.

More than 67 percent of the funding in the Farm Bill will go to food stamps. Representative Jerry Moran, Republican, KS, says that in the 2002 Farm Bill, 27 percent of the funds went to providing a safety net for America's farmers. In the current bill, this percentage was more than halved.

Moran adds that partial counter cyclical payments were abolished in the 2010 crop year, advanced direct payments were abolished in the 2011 crop year, and crop insurance was cut by $3 billion dollars.

Dicamba Resistant Crops
  June 18, 2007
Broadleaf crops resistant to dicamba herbicide may be available commercially in a few years. Monsanto has purchased the rights to such technology from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and is actively seeking EPA approval for the process. To see a photo of soybeans plants which have been treated with dicamba, click here.

Bush to Veto Farm Aid
 May 14, 2007
A bill which contains $3.5 billion in weather-related disaster aid for farmers and ranchers has passed the House by a 302-120 vote margin, according to a May 12, 2007, Salina Journal article.

Farm state legislators describe the aid as badly needed, but President Bush has threatened a veto, calling the aid "unnecessary and unwarranted." Bush added that the 2002 Farm Bill, when coupled with crop insurance, "already provides a generous safety net" designed to eliminate the need for ad hoc disaster assistance.

The Senate has promised to couple the farm aid bill with the controversial Iraq war funding, a strategy designed to prevent a veto by the President. Since Bush recently vetoed a $100 billion war funding bill, it is unclear if either bill will survive a presidential veto.

Tornadoes Wreak Havoc
 April 7, 2007
On March 28, 2007, at least ten tornadoes moved through the tri-State area, causing extensive damage to several homes. The strongest tornado, rated as an EF2, narrowly missed Bird City, Kansas. This storm had a 26 mile ground path and was estimated at 1/4 mile wide. It is possible that wind speeds reached 170 mph in this tornado. Power poles were ripped out, wildlife and domestic animals killed, and center pivots were twisted and destroyed.

A tornado near Benkelman, NE, spawned golf ball sized hail and did extensive damage to the local golf course. Another tornado damaged homes in Holly, Colorado, and at least three citizens of St. Francis, KS, found mail that originated in Holly and was apparently moved by upper level winds 120 miles to the northeast.

According to the Bird City Times newspaper, the farmsteads and homes that were damaged or destroyed near Bird City included these:

  ▪ Lynn and Candy Glasco had a brick home destroyed, trees ripped out, with much associated damage.
  ▪ John and Maria Kamla, who live seven miles south of Bird City, had their house destroyed and out buildings damaged.
  ▪ Ed and Phyllis Carson, just east of town, had their house damaged and lost a barn and shop building.
  ▪ Nick and Heidi Ketzner, three miles northeast of town, had their house, barn, and many trees destroyed.
  ▪ Bud Mears lost two barns lost and his house was damaged.

Links: Popup map showing storm tracks and a National Weather Service website article about the storms.

Tansy Mustard in Area Wheat
 March 16, 2007
Wheat fields in NW Kansas and Eastern Colorado are showing infestations of tansy mustard and other winter annuals. These weeds are best controlled early. For more information on control, click here.


U.S. Judge Stops Sale of RR Alfalfa
March 14, 2007
A preliminary injunction by a U.S. District Court in California has stopped Monsanto from selling RoundUp Ready™ alfalfa seed. However, growers who purchased their seed by March 12 may plant that seed until March 30, 2007.

Federal Eminent Domain Protection Bills Introduced
 February 28, 2007
 According to USAgNet, a bipartisan team in the House reintroduced a bill to withhold federal funds to municipalities that seize private property for economic development reasons.
 
 Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Stephanie Herseth (D-SD) hope that H.R. 926 will be a disincentive for local governments to use eminent domain for economic revitalization. Goodlatte says that the bill is necessary to protect homes, farms and businesses from "abusive land grabs." The 2005 Supreme Court decision in Kelo vs. New London has received criticism from a broad coalition of property rights advocates and civil rights activists.
 
 The new house bill would allow a property owner to sue the local government in federal court to prevent land seizure. A similar Senate bill, S. 48, will require political entities which apply for federal funds to certify that the money will not be used for eminent domain actions for economic development reasons. (previous articles on this issue)

Headline Fungicide Increases Corn Profits
February 14, 2007
BASF corporation has released exciting corn yield data from the 2005 and 2006 growing seasons which show dramatic yield increases in irrigated corn from the application of Headline fungicide at tassel.  The yield increases occur even when disease is not present, and in varieties considered disease resistant. 

To read more, click here.

Prion Free Cattle
January 4, 2007
A Sioux Falls, SD, biotechnology firm, Hematech, announced on December 31, 2006, that in partnership with the Japanese beer maker, Kirin Brewery Company, they have produced genetically engineered cattle incapable of producing the prions (brain proteins) which host BSE or "mad cow disease." So far, the resultant bovines appear to be immune to the disease, as expected.

The immediate impact of this research is unclear. One source said that cattle used to genetically create pharmaceuticals, for example, would greatly benefit from this development. However, since the disease is extremely rare and since there are vast numbers of cattle in the world, applying this technology broadly will likely be problematic. The FDA's stance on this development is also unclear.

Glyphosate Resistant Amaranth in Cotton
December 27, 2006
"It is potentially the worst threat since the boll weevil," said Alan York, weed scientist at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, referring to the voracious beetle that devastated Southern cotton crops in the early 1900s and forced farmers to switch to alternatives such as peanuts.

The resistant weed that is causing concern is Palmer amaranth, a type of pig weed that grows 6 to 10 feet tall. Amaranth that resists the most common herbicide used in cotton, glyphosate, has been confirmed in North Carolina and Georgia, and is suspected in Tennessee, South Carolina and Arkansas.

In Georgia, where the weed has been confirmed in 48 fields, amaranth took over some fields and the cotton had to be cut down rather than harvested, University of Georgia weed scientist Stanley Culpepper said.

Monsanto said its Roundup Ready cotton was planted on roughly 10 million acres in the United States in 2006. "This is something we do look at very seriously," said Monsanto representative Michelle Starke. Monsanto has suggested using Roundup in combination with other herbicides known to kill the resistant weed.

Andy Jordan, the Cotton Council's vice president for technical services, said, "If we don't respond, it could be very serious."  (This article was condensed from a 12-26-2006 AP story.)

Angry Nebraska Farmers
December 21, 2006
"Farmers angry with water deal" is the page one headline in the December 16, 2006, Salina Journal newspaper.

The article describes a heated debate at a McCook, Nebraska, meeting with nearly 100 farmers and natural resource officials attending. The proposal, which would reduce ground water pumping by 15% across the Republican River basin, is scheduled to take effect in 2008.

For irrigators within 2 miles of the river and its tributaries, the reductions would be much more draconian: 50%.

Because of previous violations of a three-state water compact resulting in over pumping of 200,000 acre feet of water over the last three years, Nebraska must either curtail pumping or pay monetary damages to Kansas. Kansas sued in 1998, and an agreement was reached over the violations of the 1943 water compact.

The Nebraska state legislature is reportedly unwilling to pay the monetary damages, and farmers favor augmenting the Republican stream flow with water from other sources.

EPA Regulates Dust
October 11, 2006
The EPA recently tightened Federal standards on fine and coarse particulate matter in the US. These regulations concern particulate matter of many types, including that expelled from tailpipes, factory smokestacks, and farm equipment. It also includes substances such as dust produced from tilling of soil, planting and harvesting crops, cattle moving in feedlots, and mixing of livestock feeds.

The ruling was controversial, with the AMA, the American Lung Association, and other groups asking for even tighter regulations than the EPA passed, while industry groups claimed the cost of compliance will be immense and that the health benefits the EPA predicts are not scientifically valid.

The fine Congressman from Kansas, Rep. Jerry Moran (R), has invited EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson to Kansas to see "firsthand the implication of the EPA's recent ruling." Moran is a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee.

Moran adds, "The EPA's final ruling on coarse particulate matter could have a devastating impact on agriculture in the United States. This (ruling) lacks common sense. The EPA has not based its decision on any conclusive scientific evidence documenting the potential health effects of coarse particulate matter. Beyond that, even if all available management practices are implemented by those in the agriculture industry, it will still be nearly impossible to comply with these regulations." You can read more of Moran's comments on his website.

The EPA's original proposal in December, 2005, included an exemption for sources of dust created from agricultural and mining practices. However, this exemption was removed in the September, 2006, final ruling. You can read more about the actual regulations at the EPA's website.

New Dairy Announced
August 23, 2006
TThe Century II Fund in Bird City, Kansas, is bringing a dairy to northwest Kansas. At a well-attended meeting on August 23, 2006, Tom and Judy McCarty, the owners of the new dairy, introduced their 4 sons, all of whom are full-time dairy men. One of them, Mike McCarty, will manage the new 1,800 cow dairy, which will be located 3.5 miles east of Bird City.

McCarty said they hope to move dirt in December, start construction in February, and be in production by July, 2007. He said their plans include expansion to 3,000 animals, and that they will employ 18 people initially. John Smith, a KSU extension dairy specialist, estimated the initial investment will be in the range of $3,500 per head, or $6-$10 million dollars.

The new dairy will consume large quantities of corn, silage, and alfalfa, which they hope to obtain locally with long term contracts. They will have approximately 70 bull calves available for sale every month. They expect to produce 115,000 pounds of milk every day of the year. The milk will be trucked to Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska, and Kansas City. McCarty noted that they never stop: "We'll be milking at 2:00 AM on Christmas morning", he said.

McCarty, in response to a question, said the manure will be handled through a 3 stage system, with lagoons and effluent pumped through a center pivot.

The family recently built a similar dairy in Rexford, Kansas, and several Rexford and Selden community members attended the meeting to praise the positive effect the dairy has had on their community. The Rexford mayor, Bill Dible, said the dairy was a "godsend" and that it had been "the salvation of our town." They cited the fact that enrollment in the schools had increased by 19 children, and that an over-abundance of empty houses had been virtually eliminated by employees of the dairy. They also cited stores that reopened after the influx of dairy employees into the community.

EPA Proposes Furadan™ Ban
August 3, 2006
Today the EPA proposed a ban-- with a four year phase out--of carbofuran, the active ingredient in the insecticide Furadan™.

Philadelphia-based FMC company manufactures Furadan™. EPA claims "millions of bird deaths" and some farmer worker illnesses as dangers of the insecticide.  FMC has vowed to defend Furadan™ in the 60 day public comment period, alleging that the EPA has overstated risks and understated the benefits of carbofuran. The American Bird Conservancy supports the ban.

Farmers in this area use Furadan™ on corn and alfalfa.  We'll keep you posted on developments as they occur.

Heavy Rains Arrive
July 10, 2006
Beginning on July 4th, much of Northwest Kansas has gotten heavy rains. Several rain events exceeded 3 inches, and over 5 inches was reported at Bird City on July 9, 2006. The combination of low welocity winds aloft and high humidity allowed large thunderstorms to build and move slowly, so the rains were spotty but often substantial.  Eastern Colorado and the western edge of Cheyenne county, Kansas, got somewhat less moisture.

In many places dryland corn is now thriving. Sadly, the rains came too late for most of the dryland wheat, which was especially difficult since the harvest-time price was good, near $4.75/bushel.

Wheat Disease
May 9, 2006
Treating your wheat for disease can return significant returns, according to Jim Swart, Texas A&M.  He says, “If a fungicide is properly timed and the disease is a present threat, a $2.50 return on every dollar spent is likely.” To read the entire article, click here.

Drought Update
May 2, 2006
On April 23rd, the National Weather Service in Goodland, Kansas, issued a drought information statement for the tri-state area. They said that moderate drought conditions continue across the entire area.

They reported that for Yuma county, Colorado, the 1 month precipitation was 60% of normal, the 3 month was 40% of average, and the 12 month was 110%. For Cheyenne county, Kansas, the 1, 3, and 12 month averages were 110%, 90%, and 100% respectively. Cheyenne county in Colorado fared much worse, with 10%, 50%, and 125% for the 1, 3, and 12 month periods. As shown in the graphic, areas to the south of us are in even worse condition.

When analyzing top soil moisture, they said that northwest Kansas was 75% adequate, with the 25% "short" or "very short." Eastern Colorado ranked only slight better.

 But for sub-soil moisture, they ranked NW Kansas as 16% adequate, and 84% "short" or "very short." Eastern Colorado ranked better for sub-soil moisture, at 41% adequate.

They  also noted that Bonny Dam is now 31% full, and  Enders Lake, near Imperial, Nebraska, is 28% full.

Pea Aphids in Alfalfa
April 13, 2006
We have treated several alfalfa fields for pea aphids. High infestations will cause the hay to yellow and wilt. KSU says that ten inch tall alfalfa should be treated if it has 50 aphids per stem. Sout by placing a paper or cloth on the ground and beating or shaking the plants.

Moisture Arrives!
March 21, 2006
Badly needed moisture, in the form of a major snowstorm, dumped between 8" and 12" of snow on the tri-state area on the first day of spring.  Highways and airports were temporarily closed, but the moisture was measured at between 3/4" and 1", and is expected to be beneficial both to wheat and the spring crops. 

Roundup Ready Alfalfa
March 2, 2006
Dealer Update newsletter reported that Monsanto has announced the launch of new Roundup Ready Aafalfa. Monsanto Marketing Manager Chris Peterson said, “With Roundup Ready Alfalfa system, growers will become familiar with a system that will allow them to produce cleaner, more yield, higher-quality alfalfa,  . . ."  No details as to when the product would be available were given.

Farm Land Values
February 20, 2006
The AgProfessional Weekly news letter gives this report on local land values for Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas:

FNC Real Estate Sales Associates Sandi Groshong and Gary Joseph from Cambridge, Neb., report: "Large tracts of high quality non-irrigated cropland are selling up to a high of $800/acre with irrigated tracts selling from $1,250 to $1,750/acre depending on the irrigation type and the water availability. Medium to lower quality farms are selling from $500 to $675/acre. Range land with good fences and water is selling up to $400/acre for top quality down to $275 the lower the quality and fencing. We expect high quality land values to remain level to strong with medium quality land to be weaker or even softening. Low quality farms are getting more difficult to sell unless they are next to a strong buying area."

Blue Angel Photos
February 7, 2006
If you would like to see a collection of photos of the Navy's aerial demonstration team, the Blue Angels, click here.

Farmers With Internet?
January 29, 2006
Slightly more than half the US farms have internet, according to the February, 2006, issue of Successful Farming magazine. In 2003, the number was 48%, and it is now 51%, a slight increase.

Of the farms which have internet, 69% have dial-up, instead of the faster broadband service.

Farm Subsidies Compared
January 25, 2006
In a recent Washington Post online article, Robert J. Samuelson argues for the elimination of farm tariffs and subsidies. He says this:
"Few economic laws are so clear. Cheap and efficiently produced food relieves poverty. As farming becomes more productive, people eat better; workers move into better-paying industrial and service jobs."

He notes that in 1820, 70 percent of the US labor force was in farming, and that it is now 1.7 percent. Interestingly, in Japan, the current percentage is much higher: 4.6 percent.

Samuelson blames the lack of global agreement on reducing tariffs and subsidies on European Union, noting that the Bush administration is pushing for lower limits in both categories.

Aside from sugar, the US has few high tariffs, while poor countries rely on tariffs to a much greater extent: "China, 65 percent on wheat and rice; India, 50 percent on wheat and 30 percent on soybeans; the Philippines, 50 percent on rice; and Indonesia, 23.7 percent on rice."

As to direct payments to farmers, Samuelson says that in 2004, US subsidies to farmers were 20 percent of farm revenue. This is much lower than Japan and Korea, at 60 percent, and lower than the European Union at 34 percent.

The article begins by quoting David Orden, an ag economist, with this: "No country gets rich by keeping its people in agriculture."

Iowa Farmers Buy Land in Brazil
January 6, 2006
Iowa leads the US in production of soybeans, hogs, and corn, and Brazil is in second place behind Iowa in global soybean production. According to NPR, some Iowa farmers are now buying large plots of farm ground in Brazil, and are moving to Brazil to farm their ground. A $26 million company in Iowa exists to help more Iowa farmers make the move.

Brazil poses challenges, the Iowa transplants admit: a new language, culture, financial system and even new pests in the crops. But compared to the $4,500 per acre land in Iowa, Brazil's prime farm ground sells for $220 to $600 per acre. And there is a lot of it: huge tracts of land are available. Some Brazilian farms are as big as 347,000 acres. In addition, labor is cheap. Good workers, who love working for Americans, are paid $550 per month, plus room and board.

In addition to soybeans, Brazil's climate is excellent for cotton production, a trend which reportedly worries US cotton growers, since higher yields are regularly obtained in Brazil. The report told of a region which had 70 inches of rain in six months, then was dry for the next half year.

Some Iowa farmers argue that moving to Brazil is a form a globalization, and compare it to their great, great grandparents moving from Europe to the US to farm.

Brazilian law requires that foreigners have a local partner, and that 20% of the land be kept in a natural state. They welcome foreign investment with open arms, according to the Iowa transplants.

EPA Allows Human Testing of Pesticides
December 27, 2005
The EPA has issued new guidelines concerning testing of humans with pesticides. 

The rulings are controversial, because they specifically discuss tests of children and pregnant women. The EPA argues that any US-based tests would not include intentional dosing of humans, but would only allow observation of those groups when exposed to pesticide residues in normal life.

Critics counter that the EPA allows such testing in foreign countries, noting that the EPA itself admits that it might consider foreign studies which are "scientifically sound but ethically deficient" if the "research is found to be crucial to fulfilling its mission to protect public health." This would include studies which involve intentional dosing of pregnant women and children.

The EPA, of course, has no jurisdiction outside of US borders, and could not control or prohibit such studies.
 
Water Meters Required On Irrigation Wells
December 16, 2005
Northwest Kansas irrigators will be required to equip their irrigation wells with meters to monitor water flow, announced Ray Luhman of the Northwest Kansas Groundwater Management
District No. 4 (GMD4).

At a meeting today in St. Francis, Kansas, Luhman explained that the program has a four year phase-in: wells in the northwest quarter of a section will be required to have an approved meter in place before pumping begins in 2006, and no later than December 31, 2006, even if the well is not used. Wells in the northeast quarter have until 2007, the southeast quarter in 2008, and the southwest quarter in 2009.

The meters and installation must be approved by the KDA's Division of Water Resources. Most older meters now installed will be "grandfathered in" until they are replaced. More information is available at  http://www.gmd4.org/meters.html or by emailing Ray Luhman at rluhman@gmd4.org. 

Cheating Farmers Go To Prison
November 17, 2005
Farmers who cheat on government programs are going to prison. A special report on NPR says that while most farmers are honest, the small minority who cheat face serious punishment in a recent government crackdown.

USDA's Risk Management Agency is using sophisticated tools, like LandSat satellite imagery, to monitor farm ground and insurance claims by farmers.

Robert and Vicki Warren each received some six years in federal prison. According to Gretchen Shappert, U.S. attorney for the western district of North Carolina, "the Warren Farms investigation is literally the mother of all crop fraud investigations. It was a result of a perfect storm of individuals who were involved in fraud."

Robert and Viki Warren are among eight people who pleaded guilty to swindling the government and insurance companies out of more than $9 million in bogus insurance claims from 1997 to 2003. The Warrens were among the largest tomato growers east of the Mississippi; at one point they owned 26 farms in three states.

An employee of the Warrens, Bobby Chambers, explained how he bought a bag of cocktail ice and a disposable camera, and, on his boss's order, created a foul-weather tableau. "The way we did it, we was down taking pictures, out this row, and then we just stood behind it and throwed the ice over the top. To me, it looked like a hailstorm," says Chambers.

To complete the scene of devastation, they then picked up wooden tomato stakes and attacked the unsuspecting vegetables. "They had one Mexican who did all the beating, he beat every 16,000 of them. He'd just go through there and knock the leaves off of them," says Chambers, as he illustrates the activity with a long stick. "It made it look like where the hail had beat it up."

Sean Devereaux, the attorney for Robert Warren, says that while his client admitted guilt, it's the whole system that's corrupt. "It's fine for the government to issue sentencing memoranda and make Robert Warren appear to be the Saddam Hussein of crop insurance, but he's not," Devereaux says.

"He basically was approached by people selling insurance and told, 'This is an easy thing to do. Don't worry, this is the government's money, it's not the insurance company's money.' "

The federal indictment, in fact, states that the Virginia-based insurance agent coached the Warrens, in detail, about how to perpetrate the fraud. What's more, the adjustor testified that his supervisor at the insurance company -- Fireman's Fund Agri-Business, one of the largest in the country -- instructed him to lie on crop-damage forms for the Warrens.

The overwhelming majority of the 788,000 American farmers who buy crop insurance are honest. USDA officials estimate about 5 percent of indemnities paid out each year go to phony claims, about the same proportion found in other types of insurance.

House Passes Eminent Domain Bill
November 10, 2005
On November 3, the US House of Representatives passed the Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2005.

The new bill is aimed at the controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. City of New London which allows governments to use eminent domain to condemn property for economic development purposes.

According to www.vafb.com, the bill was sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, and Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner Jr., The legislation passed in the House by a vote of 376-38. Goodlatte, the House Ag Committee chair, said, “This appalling decision (Kelo v. City) strikes a serious blow to the core values of our nation and has far-reaching implications. In defining public use so expansively, the court essentially erased any protection of private property as understood by the founders of our nation.”

 The Private Property Rights Protection Act will prevent governments from taking property from one private party and giving it to another private party for economic development purposes. In addition, the act prohibits the federal government from using eminent domain for economic development purposes.

New Ethanol Production Technology
 October 27, 2005
The website www.ethanol.org announced that a "remarkable new ethanol production technology is being unveiled today at the Mead Cattle Company near Mead, Nebraska."  The E3 BioFuels Complex is a new closed-loop system that combines ethanol production, livestock production, and waste management.

Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), said "Major advancements have been made in ethanol production technology over the past two decades, but this new closed-loop system is truly a revolution for the future of ethanol production in the U.S.. . .”

The system incorporates a dairy or feedlot, an ethanol production process, and an anaerobic digester into a self-sustaining, closed-loop system. The manure from the livestock is handled by an on-site waste management facility and turned into biogas. This biogas powers the ethanol production process, eliminating fossil fuel costs. Wet distillers grain – a co-product of the ethanol production process – is fed to the livestock, completing the loop.

The Mead Cattle Company feedlot's 30,000 head of cattle will produce approximately 24 million gallons of fuel-grade ethanol annually. The ethanol plant will process more than 8 million bushels of corn annually and produce 100,000 tons of wet distillers grain.

Customer Appreciation Lunch Announced
October 19, 2005
Grace Flying Service invited all of its ag customers to a customer appreciation steak sandwich lunch on Friday, October 28, at 11:30 CT at the St. Francis Fairgrounds.  UAP, Goodland, is helping with the lunch. A brief explanation of this website and a talk by Chris Soehner, UAP, about seed sales will proceed the lunch.  

FDA Proposes New Mad Cow Disease Rules
October 3, 2005
The Food and Drug Administration has proposed new rules to prevent the spread of mad cow disease, according to the New York Times. FDA proposes banning brains and spinal cords from older cows in all animal feed.

The new proposal still allows chickens, pigs and other noncattle animals to be fed material that some scientists consider potentially infectious, including the brains and spinal cords of young animals, and the eyes, tonsils, intestines and nerves of older ones.

Critics promptly denounced the new proposal as inadequate.

Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Pigweed Found
September 24, 2005
Roundup™ resistant pigweeds (Palmer amaranth) have been confirmed in central Georgia, according to Dealer and Applicator magazine.

Glyphosate is commonly used in our region for weed control, including control of this pigweed species. This announcement is the second of its type this year: In April, we reported on the existence of glyphosate-resistant common ragweed in Missouri, the first summer annual to be proven resistant to glyphosate.  To read that story, click here.

Using numerous field and greenhouse trials, Dr. Stanley Culpepper, a University of Georgia weed scientist, and Monsanto have confirmed heritability studies which show that the resistance to glyphosate is passed on to the next generation of Palmer amaranth.
.
"This Palmer amaranth population has tolerated extremely high rates of glyphosate applied in the field under excellent growing conditions," says Culpepper.

The resistant population infests 500 acres of Roundup Ready cotton in central Georgia.  Dr. Culpepper and Monsanto are surveying the surrounding area this season to determine if this biotype has spread beyond the study area.  We will keep you posted if more information becomes available.

Monsanto recommends avoidance of reduced rates of glyphosate and the use of alternative herbicides in Palmer amaranth infested crops.

Spartan 4F Production Increased
September 15, 2005
FMC reports that supplies of Spartan 4F™ --a popular sunflower herbicide--will be sufficient to meet demand for the 2006 crop season.

Eminent Domain Revisited
September 6, 2005
The controversial Supreme Court ruling that gives local governments greater eminent domain power  is being revisited, according to Dealer and Applicator magazine.  They report that House Ag Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte chaired the first hearing on the potential effects of the U.S. Supreme Court's June 23rd decision in Kelo v. City of New London. A week after the Court's ruling the House, by a margin of 10 to one, passed a motion disagreeing with the Court.

For an update on this issue, click here.

Seed Weevil in Flowers
August 2, 2005
Confectionary sunflowers are now being treated for seed weevils.  One weevil per plant is considered  economic, since severe dockage occurs if seeds are damaged.  In oilseed flowers, ten weevils per head are required to be economic.  

Rootworm Beetles In Corn
July 27, 2005
Corn rootworm beetles are being treated in many fields. The beetles reduce yields by clipping emerging silks, thereby adversely affecting pollination. In addition, females lay eggs which result in larvae in next year's corn crop damaging roots.

Controlling the adult beetles with methyl parathion or light rates of Penncap-M™ is feasible, but using 1.5-2.0 pints of Penncap gives the farmer the option of a second application to control females completely, thereby making granular insecticide treatments at next year's corn planting unnecessary. Properly done, the Penncap program is an inexpensive and effective way to control both adult and larval stages of corn rootworm.  Careful timing of the applications is the key to success.  

Western bean cutworm  (WBC) treatments are often "piggybacked" onto the beetle applications, because the timing is the same.  This means that the cost of treating Western bean cutworm is limited to that of the WBC insecticide, with no additional application cost. This is another advantages of the Penncap program.

European Farm Subsidies
July 13, 2005
A recent National Public Radio broadcast compared European farm subsidies to the US system.  In one example, an Austrian farmer-rancher was being paid $250 per acre to keep undergrowth beneath trees cleared by mowing and running cattle!  This service was called "landscape protection."

European subsidies are generally much higher than those in the US. Last year, the US total was $24 billion, NPR reported.

The European farmers are paid not to produce food, but rather to protect wildlife habitat and improve the scenery value of the landscape.  At least one European farmer resented this role, saying that food production was a more "noble pursuit", but the NPR story argued that these types of "landscape" subsidies are more palatable both to the general public and to the international Free Trade Commission. 


Soybean Rust and Hurricane Dennis
July 14, 2005
A US Department of Agriculture website predicts that hurricanes might spread soybean rust from the southeast US to crops further north. 

They say, "As new tropical storms, like Dennis, push through from the south to the north, there is more possibilities of spore dispersal from known infected sites in Florida and Alabama to the north. Additional moisture from the tropical storms will provide conditions conducive for soybean rust development." www.usda.gov/soybeanrust/

Corn, Milo, Feed Weeds
July 12, 2005
We are treating corn, milo, and feed fields for weeds.  In the case of corn, the RoundUp Ready™ option is a good one, because both grasses and broadleaf weeds can be treated economically.  Sometimes two applications of glyphosate (generic RoundUp™) are required,  but two applications are often price competitive with one application of more expensive products, and the net result is both excellent weed control and a high level of crop safety.

For milo and feed, early treatment is crucial, because the low rates of herbicide necessary to protect the crops do not have the ability to control large weeds.  Scout feed and milo when it is 2 inches tall. If treatment then occurs at 3-4" crop height, it is perfect timing.  Waiting reduces weed control and increases the chances of crop damage.

If you have palmer amaranth in corn, a difficult to control plant which is in the pigweed family, products such as Callisto™ can be used, but a single application can cost as much as two glyphosate applications. We have seen palmer amaranth mostly commonly in fields where manure has been spread as fertilizer.


Stem Weevils in Sunflowers
July 11, 2005
We have treated sunflowers for Longhorn Beetles and Stem Weevils in the last few days.



These insects belong to the family Cerambycidae or long horned beetles, which is descriptive of the long antennae found on the adult beetles.  The damage caused is from the insect boring into the plant, then girdling it near soil level, resulting in eventual lodging and yield loss from stalk damage.

The bluish gray adult stem borer is about 5/8 inches long with long banded antennae. (see above photo)

Russian Wheat Aphids
May 8, 2005
Russian Wheat Aphids (RWA) are being treated in large numbers south of us, and they are appearing in many local fields.  Most local fields are below economic levels at this time, but a few are at economic levels.

To find the RWA, look for symptomatic tillers: they have white or purplish longitudinal stripes.  The RWA will normally be found on these symptomatic plants, but they are in the tightly rolled tillers, so you must unroll them to find the insects.  The tightly rolled tillers provide protection for the RWA from predators and the elements.

At this wheat stage, 10 to 20% infested tillers represent an economic level.

RWA are light green with cigar shaped bodies.  Here's a photo from the KSU website: note the leaf striping caused by the insects.




Honor Student Program
May 5, 2005  
Grace Flying Service is recognizing top scholastic students in local high schools. To learn more, click here.
 
Alfalfa Weevils
May 4, 2005:
Alfalfa weevils are now appearing in local hay crops. The young larvae feed on the terminal and upper leaves of the plant early in the spring, reaching a quarter-inch in length in about three weeks. KSU says that "Most damage occurs prior to the first cutting, but damage by both larvae and adults can suppress yields by delaying re-growth after the first cutting."



 
Scouting is best done by carefully picking stems, and then beating them inside a container or on a pickup tailgate.  Count the weevils, and use the treatment level recommendations listed below.  If you harvest early to avoid treatment, you may have to treat the stubble to aid regrowth.  The weevils seldom "disappear" on their own: if you have them, treat early to reduce crop loss.  In some years, a second treatment is required.

Higher rates give longer residual control, and pre-harvest intervals can be from 3 to 28 days,  depending upon the product.  

Labeled products include carbofuran (Furadan™), Warrior™, Mustang Max™ and Lorsban™,

Scout early: by the time you  see the distinctive whitish cast from the road, a product of extensive tip feeding, you've lost significant yield.

Treatment levels: If alfalfa is 4-7 inches tall, treat immediately when feeding becomes evident on the top inch of growth. 1-2 weevils per stem.  You may need a second treatment prior to first cutting.

If hay is 8-15 inches tall, and the stems have 3-5 larvae, treat immediately with the maximum rate for your prehavest interval.. 

If the alfalfa is within ten days of cutting, early cutting can save an application, but this is a gamble.  If wet weather delays cutting, additional yield will be lost. Further, you will likely have to treat the stubble to speed regrowth. 

If you treat,  please tell us your expected harvest date so that we can use the correct rate.  



After harvest, monitor regrowth carefully. 4-8 larvae per square foot can cause damage. Hot weather will kill the larvae, but adults will live even in the heat. 



Adults (shown above) can slow regrowth, but are less likely to be a problem than the larvae.  The 3/16-inch long adult is light brown with a dark mid-dorsal line extending down the middle of the back, and has a distinctive weevil snout.  (see above photo)

Freeze Damage in Wheat
April 28, 2005: 
Spring freeze injury to wheat is a concern whenever low temperatures threaten.  The issue is too complex for us to fully cover, but Kansas State University has an excellent articled, entitled Spring Freeze Injury.  The article can be read by clicking here.  (Acrobat required, PDF, 340 kb)

It is an excellent discussion, complete with color photos and strategies for diagnosing freeze damage and what to do if damage has occurred. (Acrobat required, PDF, 340 kb)

Glyphosate Resistance Reported
April 27, 2005 
Glyphosate-resistant common ragweed has been confirmed in Missouri by the University of Missouri. Even when treated with 10 times the labeled rate, resistance occurred. This is the first summer annual to be proven resistant to glyphosate.

Prevention strategies include always using the full labeled rates of glyphosate, and employing other herbicides in a rotation when possible.

This information was provided to us by Syngenta™, a company which markets products  that compete with glyphosate. 

To return to the story about glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth, click here.

Mustard in Wheat
April 10, 2005:
We are currently treating wheat for tansy mustard and other winter annuals, including wild lettuce.  Treatment options include Rave™, Ally™ (metsulfuron), often with tank mixes of 2,4-D and Banvel™ (dicamba).  It is desirable to include dicamba in the mix, because resistant kochia can be a problem when it is not present.  However, once wheat reaches the joint stage, dicamba may no longer be used.  We can treat with Ally up to the soft dough stage.

Mustard is an aggressive competitor: one plant per square foot can reduce wheat yields by 10-15%, so if you have a 40 bushel/acre crop valued at $3/bushel, one plant per square foot could cost you $12-$18 per acre.  Treatment costs about $9/acre, depending upon the product that you use.



With Ally and Rave, there are recropping intervals to consider, but these can be avoided by using Harmony™ if you plan on rotating back to corn or sunflowers.



Many wheat fields have some thin spots, and with adequate precipitation, these can sprout summer annual weeds.  Fields treated with Ally or Rave for mustard should not have this problem, as the herbicide's residual effect will  likely protect the crop through harvest.  In addition,  these fields typically have less weeds in the stubble after harvest.

If you want top dress, we can tank mix in High NRG-N™ into the application, but this is best done before wheat jointing for maximum yield boost.   

eFlightLines announced
March 23, 2005
Our farming customers receive the paper version of our newsletter, FlightLines.   We now offer an electronic version, dubbed eFlightLines. 

We recommend that you sign up for eFlightLines, because it has several advantages over the paper version::

     » It arrives more quickly,
     » It includes color pictures, and 
     » It has "clickable" web links. 

We will still mail you the paper newsletter unless you ask us not to do so. However, there may be special instances when we only send an electronic version. 

For example, if soybean rust was discovered in our area a day after we'd mailed the paper FlightLines, we might simply send eFlightLines to alert those farmers who grow soybeans.