The Scoop

Don’t Rush The Replant: Field Conditions And ROI Outweigh The Calendar

Thu, 14 May 2026 20:34:56 GMT

Corn and soybean growers facing slow emergence, shrinking planting windows and cool soils shouldn’t reach for the replant button too quickly, say University of Wisconsin’s Harkirat Kaur and Shawn Conley. They emphasize that field conditions, stand uniformity and return on investment matter more than the date on the calendar.

When damage occurs in corn, the first step is to diagnose what happened to cause the loss, advises Harkirat Kaur, Extension corn specialist at the university.

“Are you seeing stand loss because of seedling issues? Was the hybrid vigor not there? Is there waterlogging? Those things are important to understand, because replanting a field which is damaged is still an extra cost that we incur,” Kaur says.

She believes stand uniformity often matters more than the plant population for corn.

“A uniform stand at a low population is better than having a stand which is at a higher population but has quite a few gaps in it,” she says. “No. 1, it will impact your overall nutrient uptake for the entire field. Secondly, it will also impact your overall operations as you move further into the season.”

Calendar date, surviving stand quality and hybrid maturity all have to be weighed together in the decision.

“If you are looking at a surviving stand which is less than 70% of what your original target was, then you might want to go for a replant,” Kaur says. “But is that replant going to be this soon? It depends if the field is clearly showing no signs of recovery, showing a complete loss of uniformity across the field.”

In many cases, she recommends patience – especially when a frost or hail event enters the picture.

“It is always good to give the crop some time to recover,” she advises, particularly when hail strikes while the growing point is still below ground. “Most of the corn plants in May or early June have their growing point still under the ground (in Wisconsin), and those plants often have the ability to recover from these stresses.”

Running The Corn Replant Math

To frame the replant decision, Kaur walks through a replant return-on-investment scenario for a southern Wisconsin field that was planted May 5 with a full-season 113-day hybrid.

Extension corn specialist Harkirat Kaur shared this example of when replanting would deliver more ROI than sticking with the existing crop. The decision to replant would make sense, depending on how many acres would be able to deliver this financial advantage.

(Harkirat Kaur)

In her example, a stress event drops the stand from a target of 34,000 plants to around 18,000 — roughly 60% to 65% of the original population. That moves expected yield from about 215 bushels per acre to a range of 130 to 160 bushels, or roughly $602 per acre in gross income at current price assumptions.

Replanting later in May means giving up some yield potential to fewer heat units, but it may still pencil out.

“With replanting, the yield potential comes down to about 80% to 85%, which brings the number to approximately around 180 bushels per acre,” she says. “Then we need to account for the replant cost — the cost for new seed, the cost for your fuel, and the time that you’re spending.”

In her example, even after those expenses, the net return on replanting comes out ahead.

“That would bring us to a net of around $675 per acre,” Kaur says. “We are having anywhere around a net advantage of replanting of about $70 to $72 per acre, which could be a bigger number when we are looking at hundreds of acres.”

Still, she frames replant as a decision of last resort.

“Replanting only when the ROI is likely to be positive is critical,” she says. “Keeping ROI over all the operation in mind is the No. 1 thing.”

Nitrogen, Natural Gas And Timing

Kaur also links replant timing to nitrogen management and volatile natural gas markets.

“Natural gas is very critical for agricultural production, because it drives the production of our nitrogen fertilizers,” she says. “When we are looking at overall gas price instability, it reflects in our agricultural cost anywhere between two to eight weeks when it is happening at the global scale.”

Before deciding to replant, she urges farmers to know where they stand on nitrogen availability.

“We need to ensure how much nitrogen is already in the ground and how much nitrogen is still available to be used for the crops,” she says. “Doing another soil analysis might be of use. It might help save the cost of applying more nitrogen, or also putting in hours of applying that fertilizer.”

Kaur says split nitrogen application strategies become more valuable in a tough economic year like this.

“Protecting existing nitrogen investment is critical,” she says. “If you (can), plan for a sidedress. Then replanting before the sidedress is something that can help you save some of your time and also some of your money.”

For Soybeans, ‘Don’t Change Anything’ — Except Row Width

On the soybean side, Shawn Conley, Extension soybean and small grains specialist at the University of Wisconsin, offers his take on next steps at this point in the season.

“In short, basically, don’t change anything except maybe narrow your soybean rows up if you can,” he says. “

Most of his university research plots across Wisconsin are already planted, though some beans are still sitting in dry soil waiting on a rain.

Conley adds that he expects Wisconsin farmers to plant roughly a half-million more soybean acres in 2026 than they did in 2025, based on current projections and spring conditions.

Prioritize Corn Now, Finish Beans After

For growers juggling both crops, Conley says the yield penalty curve has flipped solidly in favor of corn.

“At this time of the growing season, where we are sitting in May, we’re really in this significant decline in yield penalty for delayed planting in corn versus where we are with soybean,” he explains.

“We’re obviously losing yield by delaying soybean planting, too, but not to the extent that we are with corn,” he adds. “It pains me to say, and I tweeted this out last week — it’s time to prioritize corn planting, if possible, if the ground is fit.”

His message to farmers: get corn wrapped up, then come back and finish soybeans.

Seeding Rate And Replant Thresholds

Conley does not see a need to bump soybean seeding rates for now, even with cooler conditions.

His economic analysis shows little payoff to cutting rates aggressively at this point, once seed cost and yield are both considered.

Optimal seeding rate for planting would be 100,000 seeds per acre, even in mid-May, according to Shawn Conley. “But, that really doesn’t take into effect delayed canopy and management of waterhemp,” he notes. For replanting considerations, Conley says he tells farmers that unless they have under 60,000 plants per acre and actively growing, his advice is “don’t do anything.”

(Shawn Conley)

“Optimal seeding rate would be 100,000 seeds per acre, even in this May 13 timeframe,” he notes. “But, that really doesn’t take into effect delayed canopy and management of waterhemp.”

In high weed pressure, Conley says most farmers should stay with about 140,000 seeds per acre unless they have a “very strong weed management plan on the waterhemp.”

On replant decisions, his threshold is clear.

“Generally, what we tell farmers is that unless you have under 60,000 plants per acre and actively growing, don’t do anything,” Conley says. “Don’t even touch that crop.”

If stands fall below that mark, he recommends what he calls a repair plant, not a full reset.

“If it is under 60,000, just do a repair plant, which means you don’t start over from scratch,” he says. “You just go into that field, set the planter at an angle so as not to run over or disturb any of those existing growing plants, and then just plant into your existing stand.”

“The population that’s in the field right now has a higher yield potential than anything you’d be putting in the ground today,” he adds.

Consider Row Spacing

Row spacing is the one area where Conley does advise a change for mid-May and later planting — when farmers have the equipment to do it.

“As our yields have increased due to earlier planting, the yield difference between wide rows and narrow rows shrank,” he says. “However, as we get into lower yield potential — i.e., later planting — then we see those yield differences still remain.”

That shows up particularly in 30-inch rows planted in mid-May and later.

“The longer it takes from planting date to when those soybeans hit R3, the smaller the yield difference between row spacings,” he explains. “Because we’re delayed planting, the number of days between when you plant today and when you get to R3 is going to be in that 50- to 60-day range. You’re going to see a yield penalty if you stick with the 30-inch rows.”

“If you have the capacity — you still have a 15-inch row planter and you maybe haven’t been utilizing that — I think you need to be able to break that out and use that for finishing off your soybean planting,” he says.

American Soybean Association Clears Up E15 Stance as Senate Debate Intensifies

Thu, 14 May 2026 19:09:57 GMT

The House vote to expand year-round E15 on Wednesday should have been a clean policy victory lap for ethanol supporters. Instead, it’s become a multi-layered debate involving competing economic models, social media confusion, and an increasingly complicated Senate runway that may determine whether the win in the House actually translates into law.

The House narrowly passed legislation Wednesday allowing year-round sales of E15, 218 to 203, marking a major win for ethanol advocates and corn growers. But that bill also included reallocation of Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs), which some groups say made the bill more complicated than just a straight bill that would clear the way for year-round sales E15.

But even as supporters celebrate, the conversation around what’s actually in the bill, and who benefits most, has only intensified.

And according to the American Soybean Association, much of the online backlash in recent days is rooted in a misunderstanding of the legislation itself.

“We Support Year-Round E15. 100%.”

ASA CEO Stephen Censky told Farm Journal the organization is not opposed to year-round E15.

“Absolutely. We have always supported year-round E15. We think it’s positive,” Censky says.

But Censky argues the social media controversy stems not from the ethanol provision itself, but from additional language in the House bill that deals with Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

“It’s those other provisions that provide exemptions to small refineries that undermine that positivity,” he says, also noting that multiple independent analyses suggest those provisions could shift the broader farm economy in less favorable ways.

ASA Statement on House Passage of Year-Round E15 Legislation: pic.twitter.com/bbewbGSF6c
— American Soybean Association (@ASA_Soybeans) May 13, 2026

FAPRI Study Adds Fuel Ahead of Vote

One of those studies came from the University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI). Just ahead of the House vote, new modeling from FAPRI added fresh insight into the debate show that when you add in the reallocation of SREs, the House bill is a net negative for agriculture.

The analysis found that year-round E15 alone is relatively modest in its near-term market impact, largely shifting demand between corn and soybeans. But when paired with changes to Small Refinery Exemptions, the economic picture becomes more complicated.

“It takes what is really a trade-off between corn and beans and makes it an overall negative for both what the government spends and for the farm income for the sector,” says Seth Meyer, director of FAPRI.

NCGA Disputes Modeling Assumptions

After the report was released on Tuesday, groups like the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) pushed back on the recent economic analysis by both FAPRI and the CBO.

NCGA Chief Economist Krista Swanson argued that key assumptions in the studies underestimate both policy strength and adoption speed.

“Year-round E15 saves drivers money at the pump, supports America’s corn farmers and improves energy security for our country,” she says, adding that the group’s own modeling shows stronger outcomes for farm income.

ASA Pushes Back on “Corn vs. Soy” Narrative

Even though controversy swirled on social media, claiming ASA’s lack of support for the House version of the bill shows a split between corn and soybean groups, Censky rejects the idea.

“No, I mean, again, I think that comes from a misunderstanding or maybe too simplistic of looking at things,” he says. “We support year-round E15, so does NCGA.”

He points to shared support from the NCGA, while emphasizing that the disagreement centers on refinery exemption language, not ethanol blending policy itself.

“It’s those other provisions (SREs) that were attached to that bill that we have the problems with,” he says,.

Senate Outlook: A Far More Complicated Road Ahead

If the House vote represented momentum, the Senate introduces a much higher degree of uncertainty .

Washington analyst Jim Wiesemeyer says the House approval was still a meaningful breakthrough for ethanol supporters, but the path forward now runs into procedural hurdles, committee jurisdiction battles and a Senate math problem that doesn’t easily resolve.

“Senate passage remains uncertain,” Wiesemeyer notes, pointing to the fact that Clean Air Act authority tied to E15 summer sales rests largely with the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, not the Senate Ag Committee.

Wiesemeyer reports while Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has expressed support for including year-round E15 in a broader farm bill effort, the jurisdiction split complicates the path forward. EPW Chair Shelley Moore Capito has supported compromise language similar to the House bill, but without the more controversial SRE-related reforms. Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), meanwhile, is expected to oppose expansion efforts tied to ethanol policy under Clean Air Act authority.

That leaves Senate Ag Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.) in a key position, but without full control over the underlying regulatory levers.

But even Boozman was clear after the Senate vote that the House version could face resitance in teh Senate. Boozman, who akso serves as Chairman of the House Ag Committee, telling Politico the House version may not have enough support to make it through the upper chamber, saying after the vote, “I think we have a good chance to pass an E15 bill. I don’t know if it will be that one.”

Senate Ag Chair John Boozman tells @politico the House-passed E15 bill doesn’t seem likely to survive the Senate:

“I think we have a good chance to pass an E15 bill. I don't know if it will be that one.”

Reiterates he and other Rs have small and medium size refinery issues https://t.co/4suzybfgrr
— Meredith Lee Hill (@meredithllee) May 13, 2026

Even if a path emerges through committee, Wiesemeyer notes that a stand-alone bill would still need 60 votes for cloture on the Senate floor, an uphill climb given opposition from refining-state senators and lawmakers concerned about emissions, fuel volatility, and air-quality standards.

That bipartisan resistance could force supporters to consider alternative strategies.

One option, according to Wiesemeyer, is something increasingly discussed in Washington: attaching year-round E15 to a must-pass legislative vehicle later this year, such as a broader energy package, government funding bill, or end-of-year omnibus-style agreement, where controversial policy riders are often resolved in larger negotiations.

For now, Wiesemeyer’s bottom line mirrors the broader tone emerging from both the economic analysis and the policy debate: the House delivered a meaningful win for ethanol supporters, but in the Senate, the path forward is anything but settled, and the final outcome is still very much in play.

Where the Uncertainty Really Sits

Much of the debate now centers on variables that remain unresolved: how quickly E15 is adopted, how EPA interprets Renewable Fuel Standard obligations, and how aggressively Small Refinery Exemptions are implemented in practice.

Those unknowns, analysts say, will ultimately determine whether the legislation is a modest reshuffling of crop demand or a more meaningful shift in long-term farm income trends.

ARA Applauds House Passage of Year-Round E15

Thu, 14 May 2026 17:57:53 GMT

The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) today praised the U.S. House of Representatives for passing legislation that would allow year-round sales of E15 gasoline in all 50 states, permanently eliminating the annual regulatory uncertainty that has long hampered agricultural retailers, fuel retailers, and the farmers they serve.

“This is a victory for rural America,” said ARA President & CEO Daren Coppock. “Year-round E15 is a market-driven, no-cost solution that strengthens farm income, lowers prices at the pump, and reinforces America’s energy independence. We commend the House for acting, and we urge the Senate to move swiftly.”

H.R. 1346, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, would make permanent what emergency EPA waivers have only temporarily provided: the ability to sell E15 year-round without disruption. Ethanol consumes 5.6 billion bushels of U.S. corn annually, and broader E15 adoption could generate demand for an additional 2.4 billion bushels each year — critical market support for farmers facing weakening commodity prices and rising input costs. Consumers would also benefit, saving 10 to 30 cents per gallon compared to conventional gasoline.

ARA believes ethanol and biodiesel fuels, including soy-based renewable diesel, are critical to strengthening America’s energy independence. While the House action on year-round E15 is an important step forward, we encourage Congress to continue advancing policies that strengthen all domestic biodiesel and renewable fuel pathways.

Beyond the Surfactant: Product Focuses on Water Optimization

Thu, 14 May 2026 17:08:30 GMT

Huma has announced the California registration of Surf-Max, a next-generation water optimizer and surfactant designed to help growers “make every drop count” amid tightening water allocations. Moving beyond traditional surfactants, Surf-Max is positioned as a water efficiency optimizer that reduces surface tension by 50%, ensuring moisture and nutrients reach the root zone instead of pooling or evaporating.

Official California Registration

The most significant news is that Surf-Max is now registered for use in California. This opens up access to 9.6 million acres of irrigated land where water scarcity is an issue. While previously available in other parts of the West and Southwest, this registration allows Huma to target the high-value specialty crop market in California directly.

Data-Driven Results: 7 Years of Significant Water Savings

The product is backed by a substantial seven-year research study from Spain (Agron) that demonstrated a 10% to 30% reduction in water use while maintaining consistent yields.

“Previously, this product was mainly marketed a surfactant, and then there’s been some recent research that’s come out of our distributor in Spain that says, holy cow, it’s really a water efficiency utilization tool,” says Fred Nichols, executive vice president, chief sales & marketing officer.

Specific highlights include:

22% water savings in lettuce
20% water savings in olives
15% water savings in tomatoes

“Making Water Wetter” with Micro Carbon Technology

Nichols describes the product as a “water efficiency optimizer” rather than just a traditional surfactant.

“There’s all kinds of surfactants on the market, and a lot of times, it’s the lowest price wins. This is not that. This is something totally different thanks to the Micro Carbon Technology,” Nichols says.

Powered by Huma’s proprietary Micro Carbon Technology, Surf-Max reduces water surface tension by 50%. This prevents pooling, puddling, and evaporation, instead creating a “wetting bulb” that moves water and nutrients horizontally and vertically into the root zone (down to about 15 inches).

“It’s a two-for-one. It’s a water optimizer, while being an excellent carrier with our humic-based liquid carrier. It delivers what you want, where you want it. And when you put that on with your fertigation, it will not pool, it will not puddle, which leads to higher evaporation,” Nichols says.

Enhanced Nutrient Density & ROI

Beyond hydration, the product acts as a high-efficiency carrier that improves nutrient uptake. Field results showed significant increases in nutrient density for processed tomatoes, including:

50% increase in phosphorus
28% increase in copper
11-17% increase in iron and manganese

Small Dose, Big Impact: One Pint Per Acre

Surf-Max is designed for modern irrigation systems, including drip tape and pivots, without the risk of clogging or equipment damage. It features an low use rate of just one pint per acre, making it an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution for growers looking to maximize their return on investment (ROI).

“This is an eco-friendly, biodegradable product that is a great fit for fertigation,” Nichols says.

Strategic Evolution for Huma

This launch represents a shift in Huma’s brand positioning. By moving beyond traditional soil amendments into “water optimization,” Huma is broadening its portfolio to provide diverse, technology-driven solutions for the “today’s reality” of restricted water allocations.

“In the past, this product was a modest product for us. But with the new registration, the long-term study from our distributor, and our better placement in market, we are changing the reach of this product,” Nichols says.

US House Passes Bill Allowing Year-Round Sales of E15 Gasoline

Thu, 14 May 2026 12:31:16 GMT

The U.S. House passed legislation on Wednesday that would allow nationwide year‑round sales of gasoline containing 15% ethanol, handing a major win to biofuel producers and farm groups while raising concerns among refiners about higher compliance costs.

The H.R. 1346 bill , or the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, approved by a vote of 218 to 203, would permit fuel retailers to offer E15 year‑round, removing seasonal restrictions linked to smog concerns.

The legislation would need to pass the Senate, where it needs 60% of votes, and get a signature from President Donald Trump to be enacted.

Supporters say allowing year-round E15 sales would expand biofuel demand and help lower fuel prices that have spiked since the start of the Iran war. Critics argue it risks raising costs for refiners already facing higher compliance burdens under federal biofuel mandates.

Some lawmakers have also raised fiscal concerns, with Representative James McGovern, a Massachusetts Democrat, saying the measure will add billions to U.S. debt.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would increase direct spending by $2.7 billion while raising revenues by $0.4 billion, resulting in a net deficit increase of about $2.3 billion between 2026 and 2036, based on an assumption that the legislation would take effect in August 2026.

High fuel prices due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, conduit for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, have become a major vulnerability for President Donald Trump and his Republican party ahead of the November midterm elections.

(Reporting by Siddharth Cavale in New York; Editing by Sonali Paul)

‘We Need Rain’: Dry Fields Stall Corn Planting

Thu, 14 May 2026 15:06:23 GMT

Planting season sounds different across central Kansas this year. By mid-May, planters usually run full tilt, pushing long days and short nights as growers race to get corn, soybeans, and grain sorghum into the ground. Instead, silence hangs over many fields. Drought-stressed soils, soaring fertilizer costs, and mounting economic pressures have kept many farmers from even starting, according to Matt Splitter.

“We’ve had 1.2 to 1.5 inches of rain this year during a window where we should be at 28 inches,” says Splitter, who farms in the I-35 corridor between Kansas City and Wichita. “It is dry. I can’t even find the right words for how dry it is.”

The data backs up his frustration. Approximately 65% of topsoil moisture in Kansas is currently rated as “short” or “very short,” according to the May 11 Crop Progress & Condition Report.

#DroughtMonitor 5/12: Drought worsened in large parts of the Northwest and Plains. Also the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic.

Improvements in AZ, CO, and the Southeast.

Mixed for WY, S. Plains, South, Northeast.#Drought2026’s Footprint: 51.3% of the USAhttps://t.co/mljsjQE3B9 @NOAA pic.twitter.com/ONOWe9IEfP
— NIDIS Drought.gov (@NOAADrought) May 14, 2026

On a recent school run, Splitter looked across empty fields that would typically be full of machinery.

“I took the kids to school and didn’t see one machine in a field — no tillage, no applications, no planting,” he told Chip Flory, host of AgriTalk. “Planting progress here is non-existent.”

Personally, Splitter gambled early on planting his corn, hoping the scant moisture near the soil surface would be enough to get a stand.

“We went early, thinking we were probably making the wrong decision,” he says. “We had just enough moisture for germination. The corn is up, but it can’t hang in there much longer.”

The National Picture

Corn planting in central Kansas, other parts of the High Plains and in the Southeast has been slow-going this spring. However, some states are surging ahead. Nationwide, 57% of the 2026 corn crop is in the ground, outpacing the five-year average of 52%.

The Crop Progress Report indicates the national average is being buoyed by high-efficiency corn planting in parts of the mid-South and Midwest:

The Early Birds: Tennessee and Kentucky are nearly finished, reporting 92% and 87% completion.
Midwest Movers: Iowa leads the I-states at 72% planted, while Illinois sits at 54%. Minnesota is at nearly 70% completion.
Emergence: Nationally, 23% of the crop has emerged — trailing last year’s 26% due to cooler, drier soils across the Central Plains.

Farming From A Desk in Kentucky

In central Kentucky, millennial farmer Quint Pottinger is planting corn from behind a desk, watching his fully autonomous tractor crawl across his fields, thanks to a computer screen. Pottinger says technology is his primary weapon against the brutal economic environment U.S. farmers are dealing with.

High expenses led him to equip a 100‑hp tractor with a Sabanto retrofit kit, sell his big-frame 8,000‑series tractors and 40‑foot planters, and move to a smaller 20‑foot planter. The result: he’s running a lot slower, but cheaper.

“We sold two large tractors, two big planters. That was the only way we knew how to cut costs in this economic environment we’re in, and we had no idea if it would work,” Pottinger says.

The trade-off is speed, but the gain is efficiency. “I can slow this planter down to 2.5 miles an hour to get the right depth as the soil dries out,” he adds.

Despite a smoother start than the flood-plagued springs of the last two years, weather remains a hurdle. A sudden frost during pollination “dinged” his wheat crop, causing a 20% loss in some areas.

The one bright spot? His rye grown for the whiskey industry is looking good. “It just grinds through this weather and keeps going. It’s a whole different animal,” Pottinger says.

The Fertilizer Squeeze

For both farmers, the drought collides with a second crisis: fertilizer prices. In Kansas, Splitter is trimming his nitrogen rates by 25% to 30%.

“We’re so dry that even if you apply fertilizer, the risk of volatilization is just too high,” Splitter explains. “We’re not spending as much money, because it wouldn’t do any good anyway. But there’s no truly ‘good’ decision here — it’s a perfect storm of bad options.”

Moisture outlook for farmers in Nebraska and Kansas is DEPRESSING. Opportunities this weekend are isolated in nature, and anyone who gets a drink probably deals with severe weather impacts. Another opportunity in late May, early June.

30-day outlook from EPS weeklies: pic.twitter.com/a36c7FuXWQ
— Andrew Pritchard (@skydrama) May 14, 2026

In Kentucky, Pottinger’s attempt to lock in prices failed when global political shocks in the Strait of Hormuz voided his deferred pricing contracts. He was forced to buy at market price — when he could find supply at all. He worries the fallout will last years, especially if natural gas production for nitrogen doesn’t fully recover.

“This should be a problem for 2027, not 2026,” Pottinger says. “I fear farmers will get taken advantage of in both seasons, potentially stretching into 2028.”

Searching For Optimism

Despite the stalled planters and market anxiety, both men are looking for reasons to stay positive — be it through cost-saving technology or policy shifts like higher ethanol blends that could drive demand.

“In tough times like this, everybody’s trying to find something to be optimistic about,” Splitter says. “We should be that way as an industry as a whole. We shouldn’t be pitting one guy against the other. That’s not what American agriculture is about.”

For now, optimism for Splitter and Pottinger depends on a simple, old‑fashioned variable neither farmer can control.

“We need rain,” Pottinger says. “We need rain now.”

Hear the full planting discussion and more on AgriTalk at the link below:

Rethink Your Herbicide Strategy In High-Residue Systems

Wed, 13 May 2026 17:24:45 GMT

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reduction In Control Assessed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Researchers Evaluate 21 Herbicides

A group of University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists recently studied which herbicides make it to the ground and provide residual waterhemp control in high-residue farming systems. The controlled-environment study evaluated 21 single-active-ingredient corn and/or soybean herbicides compatible with high-biomass cereal rye. Here are the results, courtesy of GROW :

Corn herbicides identified as effective for waterhemp control and compatible with high-biomass cereal rye in this study included:

Acetochlor (Harness – Group 15)
Dimethenamid-P (Outlook – Group 15)
Pyroxasulfone (Zidua – Group 15)
S-metolachlor (Dual II Magnum – Group 15)
Atrazine (Group 5)*
Isoxaflutole (Balance Flexx – Group 27)
Mesotrione (Callisto – Group 27)

*waterhemp population used in this study is still susceptible to atrazine applied preemergence.

Soybean herbicides identified as effective for waterhemp control and compatible with high-biomass cereal rye in this study included:

Dimethenamid-P (Outlook – Group 15)
Pyroxasulfone (Zidua – Group 15)
S-metolachlor (Dual II Magnum – Group 15)
Flumioxazin (Valor – Group 14)
Fomesafen (Flexstar – Group 14)
Metribuzin (Group 5)

The Wisconsin researchers say soybean growers should pay close attention to application timing restrictions. Flumioxazin-containing products for instance must be applied within three days of soybean planting, while metribuzin must be applied prior to soybean emergence. The remaining soybean herbicides listed above can be applied preemergence or early postemergence, offering flexibility for growers who plant early and delay cereal rye termination until after soybean emergence.

A standard program in planting green systems where the cereal rye is terminated after soybean emergence may include glyphosate for cereal rye termination, combined with soil residual herbicides fomesafen plus a Group 15 herbicide (e.g., pyroxasulfone, S-metolachlor, or dimethenamid-P) and a Group 2 herbicide such as imazethapyr (Pursuit), cloransulam (FirstRate), or chlorimuron (Classic) for broad spectrum weed control.

Corteva Launches New Fungicide For Sugarbeets

Wed, 13 May 2026 13:31:03 GMT

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

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

New Mode of Action

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

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

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

Combating Resistance

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

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

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

Environmental Impact

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

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

Why High GDUs Aren’t Guaranteeing Quick Emergence This Year

Tue, 12 May 2026 20:35:28 GMT

While farmers keep a close eye on the thermometer and their favorite weather app during planting season, Phil Long says the most important metric right now might be the one they can’t see: the temperature beneath the soil surface.

Long, a regional agronomist with Liqui-Grow, says growers in north-central Iowa are reporting sluggish emergence for corn and soybeans. That’s despite the fact the region accumulated roughly 197 Growing Degree Units (GDUs) from April 10 to May 1, outpacing the 30-year average of 121 GDUs.

“It takes about 130 or so GDUs to get corn or beans out of the ground,” says Iowa-based Long. “So why aren’t more crops emerged?”

The discrepancy, he contends, lies in the difference between air GDUs and soil GDUs. While air temperatures are important, seed reacts almost totally to the heat of the soil surrounding it. For a seed to germinate and push through the soil surface, it requires consistent warmth that hasn’t materialized during recent chilly conditions in some areas.

“What’s most important to the corn and beans out there in the ground is soil GDUs,” Long says. “Even corn up to V6 is regulated primarily off the heat in the ground.”

Why Some Crops Have ‘Just Sat There’

The formula for calculating GDUs relies on a base temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit and a ceiling of 86 degrees. When nighttime temperatures dip into the 30s, as they have recently in Iowa and parts of the Eastern Corn Belt, the soil temperature can linger in the 40s and 50s. At those levels, the “heat engine” for the seed essentially stalls.

“We’re not getting that soil temperature up there very far,” Long explains. “That does not stack up GDUs very quickly.”

Long notes that along with the chilly weather conditions, two additional factors can act as “buffers” against soil warming: crop residue and cloud cover.

While heavy residue is often a benefit in the heat of July, it can act as an insulator in the spring, preventing the sun from reaching the soil. In some cases, high-residue fields can see a 50% reduction in GDU accumulation compared to conventionally tilled ground, Long notes.

Furthermore, a stretch of overcast days will rob the soil of solar radiation.

“If there’s heavy cloud cover, that can reduce solar radiation by 80%,” Long says. He explains that even on a cool 55-degree day, direct sunlight can push soil temperatures much higher. But persistent clouds have kept the ground locked in a cool cycle.

As planting continues into the heart of May, Long advises farmers to look beyond the air temperature and keep in mind the micro-climate of the seedbed as they plant.

“Although we’re ahead in terms of air temperature GDUs for this year compared to the ‘average’ year, we’re probably behind in terms of those seeds sitting in the ground,” Long says. “That soil GDU is a big factor when it comes to getting crops out of the ground.”

House E15 Bill Could Boost Corn Prices While Pressuring Soybeans, FAPRI Finds

Tue, 12 May 2026 19:43:45 GMT

As the House prepares to vote on year-round E15 , there’s a new study out from the University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) , and it’s is giving agriculture and biofuels groups an early look at what expanded year-round E15 sales and changes to Small Refinery Exemptions (SRE) could mean for farmers and rural America. While there are positives for ethanol and corn demand, the report also highlights some clear tradeoffs, especially for soybean oil, biodiesel and even short-term farm income as soybeans could be negatively impacted by the House’s legislation.

According to FAPRI Director Seth Meyer, the study’s clearest takeaway is that year-round E15 alone doesn’t dramatically reshape the farm economy in the near term, but proposed changes to small refinery exemptions could pressure farm income while increasing government spending.

Meyer says the headline is pretty straightforward. The biggest market disruptions in the analysis don’t actually come from allowing year-round E15 sales. Instead, the larger economic consequences show up when the House proposal to reduce SRE reallocations gets layered into the equation.

“The key of the report is that E15 itself is not, at least in the short term, a major disruption to the market in terms of producer incomes or government costs,” Meyer says. “It becomes mostly a tradeoff between corn and soybeans.”

SRE Allocations Changes the Story

Meyer says the study found that if it was just a clean E15 bill, the results would be different. But when you factor in the SREs, and the fact it’s still unknown on how big that volume would end up being, the House version of the bill becomes a negative for the entire agriculture sector very quickly.

“I think what was important was to put out some information that says E15 in and of itself is largely, at least in the near term, a trade-off between corn and beans,” says Meyer. “It’s good for the corn part of the balance sheet, maybe a little harder on the soybean part of the ballot sheet because there are trade-offs. But then the bill also proposes small refinery exemptions that are essentially a reduction in the mandates, and that is a negative overall. That takes what is really a trade-off between corn and beans and makes it an overall negative for both what the government spends and for the farm income for the sector.”

In FAPRI’s modeling, reducing the amount of waived refinery obligations that get redistributed across the rest of the refining sector effectively lowers Renewable Fuel Standard volumes. That shift weakens biofuel feedstock demand and creates more pressure on soybean markets and farm income.

“It is the addition of the small refinery exemptions and the proposal to not reallocate 75% of those obligations that government costs we track begin to rise and farm income begins to fall,” Meyer explains. “Those SREs are the main drivers of government costs and reductions in farm income because they are, in effect, a reduction in the RVOs or mandates.”

The FAPRI analysis looked at three scenarios tied to HR 1346, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act:

E15 expansion alone
E15 plus 600 million gallons of SRE reductions
E15 plus 900 million gallons of SRE reductions

Under the model, E15 adoption gradually grows by 0.25% annually, eventually pushing the average ethanol blend rate to 13% by 2035. That increase would add roughly 2 billion gallons of domestic ethanol use by the mid-2030s, while simultaneously changing the balance between ethanol and biomass-based diesel under the RFS structure.

What Happens to Corn and Soybeans?

FAPRI’s findings show E15 expansion boosts corn demand and corn acreage over time. By 2035, corn prices rise about 14 cents per bushel versus baseline levels, with additional corn acres pulled into production as ethanol demand expands.

But, according to the report, the gains for corn do not translate evenly across the broader crop sector. As ethanol demand rises, biomass-based diesel demand weakens, which directly pressures soybean oil values and eventually soybean prices. That’s especially true under the SRE scenarios, where lower mandated renewable fuel volumes further reduce demand for biodiesel feedstocks.

“So while corn may benefit, a reduction in the RVO has negative implications for soybeans that outweigh those corn benefits,” Meyer explains.

The report projects soybean prices could fall between 38 and 43 cents per bushel by 2035, depending on the SRE scenario. Soybean acreage also trends lower throughout the projection period as acres shift toward corn production.

Meanwhile, soybean oil prices take an even larger hit because biodiesel absorbs much of the downside under reduced RFS obligations. Meyer says that dynamic is rooted in how current mandates are being met today.

“You see bio-based diesel decline in all cases because, at the moment, the majority of the marginal gallons to meet the mandates are biodiesel,” Meyer says. “If you expand the small refinery exemptions, those volume reductions are no longer a tradeoff between ethanol and bio-based diesel, but a reduction in the marginal gallon, which is bio-based diesel.”

Farm Income Turns Negative Before Recovering

One of the more notable findings in the study is that net farm income trends negative for several years under the SRE scenarios before eventually recovering later in the outlook period. While stronger corn demand helps offset some losses, it isn’t enough in the early years to counter the broader drag from weaker soybean and bio-based diesel markets.

Under the larger 900-million-gallon SRE scenario, net farm income falls by as much as $1 billion annually during the early 2030s before improving later in the decade. FAPRI also projects higher government outlays under the SRE scenarios as weaker commodity prices trigger additional farm program support.

Meyer says soybean losses are the biggest driver behind the weaker farm income projections. He also notes that ripple effects extend into livestock feeding costs because of tighter soybean meal supplies and higher corn demand.

“The notable driver in the outcome is the losses for soybeans as the SREs cut mandates,” he adds.

The livestock sector also sees higher feed costs as corn demand rises and soybean meal supplies tighten. Over time, those higher feed costs work their way through animal agriculture and eventually impact consumer meat prices as producers adjust inventories and production decisions.

Key Points From the Study

E15 expansion alone modestly boosts corn demand with relatively limited disruption to overall farm income.
Reduced SRE reallocation lowers effective RFS mandates and creates the largest negative impacts on crop receipts and government outlays.
Biomass-based diesel demand declines more sharply than ethanol demand under the proposed changes.
Corn acreage rises while soybean acreage falls across all scenarios.
The long-term outcome depends heavily on how quickly E15 adoption actually happens — and whether EPA eventually expands the conventional ethanol “gap” above 15 billion gallons.

That final point may be one of the biggest wildcards in the entire discussion, said Meyer. FAPRI’s analysis assumes the conventional ethanol portion of the Renewable Fuel Standard effectively remains capped near 15 billion gallons. If EPA policy or future legislation allows that cap to move higher, the economics for agriculture could look considerably different.

“You call out a very important assumption,” Meyer says. “If the passage of E15 were to drive an expansion of that 15-billion-gallon conventional gap to 16 or 17 billion gallons and raise total mandates by that same amount, this would increase benefits or reduce losses in the ag sector across all the scenarios.”

Corn Growers React, Disagrees With “Two Fundamental Assumptions”

The recent analyses examining the potential impacts of year-round E15 adoption are drawing sharp disagreement from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), which says key assumptions in those models undercut the policy’s real-world effects.

In response to the reports, Krista Swanson, NCGA’s chief economist, argued that the studies fail to account for recent federal biofuel policy changes and underestimate how quickly E15 could be adopted in the marketplace.

“We disagree with two fundamental assumptions with recent analyses related to year-round E15 adoption: they do not factor in the historically high final RVO volumes recently set for biomass-based diesel and they assume slower E15 adoption than industry projections,” Swanson says.

Swanson added that NCGA’s own modeling reaches a very different conclusion on the policy’s impact on farm income and fuel markets.

“NCGA has also conducted its own analysis of year-round E15 and all outcomes point in the same direction: E15 strengthens corn demand and farm income for corn farmers, most of whom also raise soybeans. Year-round E15 saves drivers money at the pump, supports America’s corn farmers and improves energy security for our country. H.R. 1346 deserves a yes vote.”

The Biggest Unknowns

Meyer says there are still several major uncertainties surrounding both E15 adoption and how EPA ultimately implements future RFS obligations. Those unknowns could significantly alter how these market impacts unfold over the next decade.

“I don’t think there is a single assumption on this complicated issue, so let me state three,” he adds. “First is the true path of E15 expansion and more importantly, the second is how that might drive changes in mandates as a result. Third, what is the true volume of exemptions that would result from the legislation? Because we don’t have this information, we did two scenarios.”

The pace of actual consumer adoption also matters. While the model assumes gradual E15 growth over time, Meyer says a slower adoption curve would likely soften some of the corn demand benefits while making the negative impacts tied to SRE reductions more apparent.

“If growth in E15 is slower and we look just at the ‘clean’ E15, it just changes the amount of tradeoffs between corn and soybeans,” Meyer said. “But if we had slower E15 growth with SRE reductions, we would show more negative impacts on crop prices and farm income from the SREs.”

USDA Projects Smallest US Wheat Harvest Since 1972 Due to Plains Drought

Tue, 12 May 2026 19:00:03 GMT

U.S. farmers this year will harvest their smallest wheat crop since 1972, as a severe drought in the U.S. Plains has curbed production of hard red winter wheat, the largest variety grown in the U.S., the Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday.

This autumn, U.S. growers will also harvest their second-largest soybean crop on record, while corn production is expected to drop 6% from last year, the USDA said in its first official forecast of the 2026/27 crop season.

Rising fuel and fertilizer prices due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have sent grain production costs sharply higher, heaping further stress on the U.S. farm economy already reeling from trade disruptions caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff battles.

May 12, 2026 WASDE Winter Wheat

(Farm Journal)

U.S. growers expanded plantings of soybeans, which require less fertilizer than grains like corn and wheat. Winter wheat was already planted when the war began at the end of February, but soaring fertilizer costs curbed spring nutrient applications for winter wheat and spring-seeded crops like corn, soy and spring wheat.

Benchmark hard red winter wheat futures KWv1 and soft red winter wheat futures Wv1 on the Chicago Board of Trade rallied by their daily 45-cent-per-bushel trading limits.

The USDA projected U.S. wheat production in the 2026/27 season at 1.561 billion bushels, down from 1.985 billion in 2025/26, as a severe drought in the U.S. Plains was likely to slash the hard red winter wheat crop by 25% from a year earlier. Analysts polled by Reuters, on average, expected the USDA to project a 1.735-billion-bushel all-wheat crop.

The USDA rated just 28% of the U.S. winter wheat crop in good-to-excellent condition in a weekly crop conditions report on Monday, the lowest rating for this point in the growing season in four years.

May 12, 2026 WASDE Corn & Soybeans

(Farm Journal)

The USDA pegged the 2026 U.S. soybean harvest at 4.435 billion bushels, up from 4.262 billion bushels last year, but below the average trade estimate of 4.445 billion.

Corn production was forecast to decline to 15.995 billion bushels from a record 17.021 billion bushels last year. The estimate was above the average analyst estimate of 15.934 billion bushels.

But soybean demand remains unclear as top importer China has slashed purchases from the U.S. amid ongoing trade tensions between Washington and Beijing and abundant supplies from rival exporters Brazil and Argentina.

China and the U.S. may reach a farm deal at their summit this week that expands Beijing’s purchases of grains and meat, but market watchers said they did not expect major new soybean purchases beyond what was agreed in a deal last October.

The USDA projected U.S. soybean exports in the current 2025/26 season at 1.530 billion bushels and at 1.630 billion bushels in the 2026/27 season.

U.S. soybean stocks were forecast to shrink to 310 million bushels by the end of the 2026/27 marketing year, from 340 million at the end of the current season on August 31.

Corn supplies were expected to remain ample at 1.957 billion bushels at the end of the 2026/27 season, down from 2.142 billion for 2025/26.

(Reporting by Karl Plume in Chicago; Editing by David Gregorio)

Xi-Trump Summit May Yield Farm Deal, But China Has Limited Soybean Appetite

Tue, 12 May 2026 19:00:21 GMT

China and the United States may reach a farm deal at their summit this week that expands Beijing’s purchases of grains and meat, but market watchers said they did not expect major new soybean purchases beyond what was agreed in a deal last October.

Agriculture is among the less-contentious areas of the bilateral relationship, but the final shape of any deliverables from the May 14-15 summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping remains uncertain just days out, officials, traders and analysts said.

The White House is seeking bigger commitments from Beijing on soybean and other agricultural purchases, said a person familiar with the talks.

“They know it’s something that they need. They know it’s something we want to sell. So, whether it’s at the trip or shortly thereafter is to be seen,” said a senior U.S. official who briefed reporters on the trip, without specifying any products.

More than a dozen CEOs and top executives , including Brian Sikes, chair of U.S. grain trader Cargill, will join Trump on his visit, according to a White House official.

However, traders and analysts said any deal is likely to be limited by what they see as Beijing’s unwillingness to buy more soybeans, the biggest-ticket crop, beyond a commitment made last October , given weak demand and cheap alternatives from Brazil.

Instead, markets are looking for new deals for corn, sorghum and milling wheat as well as beef and poultry, some of which was hinted at during high-level talks in March.

“There’s still some space to strike purchase deals for other major U.S. exports. That could take the form of volume purchase deals for key products like corn and sorghum,” said Even Rogers Pay, director at Beijing-based consultancy Trivium China.

In 2024, before Trump returned to office, China bought roughly $4.5 billion of those products, a sum dwarfed by $12 billion in soybeans.

China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Soybean Status Quo

China has dramatically scaled back its reliance on U.S. farm goods since Trump’s first term, sourcing roughly 20% of its soybeans from the U.S. in 2024, the year before he returned to office, down from 41% in 2016.

Last year, China bought just 15% of its soybeans from the U.S.

Markets are awaiting clarity on how China will fulfil last year’s commitment to buy 25 million metric tons of soybeans annually until 2028, which would be the most since 2022.

“China hasn’t ever officially confirmed the details of the agreement. It’s also not clear whether the targets apply to calendar years or crop years,” said Pay.

Any confirmation of renewed Chinese demand for U.S. soybeans would likely lift Chicago soybean Sv1 prices, which are already near two-month highs, partly on expectations China will step up purchases.

“When President Trump and Xi meet, we’d be thrilled to see additional purchases from China that would put us closer to the typical amount of exports in a typical year,” said Virginia Houston, director of government affairs for the American Soybean Association, declining to specify a target volume.

(Reporting by Ella Cao, Lewis Jackson and Trevor Hunnicutt in Beijing, Naveen Thukral in Singapore and Heather Schlitz in Chicago; Editing by Sonali Paul)

Soybean Gall Midge Emerges As Top-Tier Threat

Mon, 11 May 2026 20:19:27 GMT

Soybean gall midge is no longer just a curiosity or annoyance for many Midwest farmers. The pest is chewing into yield and profitability for soybean growers across parts of at least seven states – Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota.

Iowa State University Entomologist Erin Hodgson reports the pest’s footprint is significant, present in at least 42% of the 45.4 million acres of soybeans farmers harvested across the seven states in 2025.

“At least 19 million soybean acres are potentially impacted by this pest,” Hodgson says, noting that the pest continues to spread. Eight new counties were confirmed in 2025, with five of those being in Iowa .

According to a recent farmer survey led by University of Nebraska Entomologist Doug Golick, the pest has become a major threat in parts of Nebraska. “In the last year or two, soybean gall midge is approaching as near high of concern as herbicide-resistant weeds for survey respondents,” Golick says.

Since 2018, the soybean gall midge has spread to 185 total counties in seven states, including five new counties in Iowa this past year, according to Erin Hodgson, Iowa State University Extension entomologist and professor.

(Erin Hodgson)

Look For Small Orange Or White Larvae

Damage from the insect starts at the base of the soybean plants, largely out of sight. Adult midges emerge from the ground in May and June, then seek out tiny fissures in young soybean plants near the soil line to lay eggs, according to Thales Rodrigues da Silva, a master’s student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

The larvae cause severe, localized yield losses from 20% to 100% loss along field edges and 17% to 50% reductions in entire fields average under heavy infestation, according to University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension. The larvae – small, orange worm-like pests – feed inside the base of the stem, causing plants to wither, die, and lodge (break), with damages sometimes extending 100+ feet into fields. Scouting for the pest should occur after the second trifoliate (V2) growth stage, according to the Crop Protection Network.

This damage in a soybean plant at the soil level shows the result of soybean gall midge larvae feeding.

(University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension)

Because the pest often feeds along field edges, the damage in affected plants is often mistaken for issues caused by compaction or herbicide injury, according to Stine Seed Company .

To confirm the pest’s presence, Stine agronomists recommend digging up compromised soybean plants and splitting open the stem. If white or orange larvae are found feeding within the inner layers, growers should check the Soybean Gall Midge Alert Network tracking system to determine whether the pest has been reported in their area. Next, they should contact their local Extension specialist to help confirm the diagnosis and report the finding if their county is not yet documented in their area.

Cultural Practices Show Promise

Unfortunately, there are few strategies to manage and control soybean gall midge, according to Tony Lenz, Stine technical agronomist.
With no labeled, consistently effective in-season insecticide program and no established treatment threshold, researchers are testing cultural and mechanical tactics that might give farmers at least partial relief.

Tillage ahead of planting — a tough sell in no-till systems — shows some promise in reducing early infestations in current-year soybean fields.

“Turns out that disking alone, at least in (our) study… did reduce infestation,” says Justin McMechan an entomologist and associate professor at UNL.

“There’s a significant reduction as we move from no-till to that… where it’s just disked and planted into, and then disking and hilling (a practice used in growing potatoes), which really is effective, because you’re covering up the infestation site,” McMechan adds.

He notes that even subtle changes in seedbed shape may help by covering fissures or altering microclimates at the stem base.

On planters running row cleaners, McMechan says adjustments at field edges might be one of the more accessible tools.

“There are not huge differences, but they are statistically significant,” he adds.

Field edge management has been another area of experimentation, including mowing or managing dense vegetation next to infested fields. Results are mixed, but McMechan says there are situations where mowing modestly cuts pressure.

“Nebraska saw on occasion where mowing would reduce infestation and lead to marginal yield benefit… we’re talking like 6-bushel differences,” he says, adding that weather and nearby corn canopy can override those gains.

There are no insecticides currently available to control soybean gall midge. A combination of cultural practices and mechanical efforts is likely the best option, for now, to stop or slow the pest.

(Justin McMechan)

Scientists Evaluate ‘Out-Of-The-Box’ Practices

Other work by researchers is pushing even further outside the box to find control measures. At UNL, graduate research assistant Kristin Heinrichs Stark is testing whether a biodegradable surface barrier called BioWrap can physically trap larvae in the soil and prevent emergence.

The work is early-stage and raises reasonable questions about cost and field-scale application rates, but it points to the kind of layered, non-chemical tactics Extension researchers say will likely be needed to address the pest.

Even as these cultural and physical strategies are developed, Hodgson reminds farmers that the ag industry still lacks any clear control option once larvae are inside the soybean stem.

“We really don’t have a treatment threshold, or a rescue treatment option at this time,” she says. “We know that the soybean gall midge certainly can cause yield losses, plant death, and that directly relates to yield. But we don’t really have great answers on like, how many plants does it take? How many larvae per plant (causes yield loss)?”

For now, farmers dealing with soybean gall midge are being asked to combine careful field scouting, crop rotation, and targeted cultural tactics to address the pest as the research community races to find answers and close those gaps.

Specialists from three Midwest universities provided the latest updates on soybean gall midge (SGM) this spring in a webinar, available at the link below:

Year-Round E15 Faces Vote In The House This Week

Mon, 11 May 2026 19:21:27 GMT

This week, the House is expected to take a vote on legislation to allow year-round E-15.

In the latest schedule published by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, HR 1356, Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 (Sponsored by Rep. Smith (NE) / Energy and Commerce Committee) is on the calendar for Wednesday. This may be the last hurdle to enable more widespread sales of the fuel blend that includes 15% ethanol, which is compatible for use in 96% of cars on the road today.

Temporary Waivers Have Been A Band Aid

The legislation could bring clarity and predictability to issue that has been dealt with piecemeal solutions. There’s been the “summertime ban” on E15, which is typically restricted from June 1 to September 15 due to outdated volatility regulations under the Clean Air Act. Proponents argued that the Farm Bill was a natural home for the policy to support corn growers and lower fuel prices.

Earlier this year, the EPA issued an emergency waiver allowing for summer sales of E15. While it gave some certainty of E15 availability for the time being, the temporary waivers didn’t meet the threshold of industry advocates.

Then, more recently, year-round E15 was included in the Farm Bill but was stripped out before vote. The goal was to provide a permanent legislative fix, which has iterated to become the pending action on legislation this week.

Standalone Legislation

H.R. 1356 has industry and farm group support. The American Farm Bureau Federation highlights:

E15—also sold as Unleaded 88—can save drivers 10–30¢ per gallon while supporting rural jobs and retain energy dollars in the U.S.
Expanding access to E15 could increase corn demand by up to 2.4 billion bushels annually.

Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuel trade association, announced now more than 5,000 retail locations sell E15. This milestone comes after a 15% to 24% increase annually in the number of stores selling E15 since 2020.

“An important part of this legislation is to finalize the rule making that clears the air on infrastructure,” says Emily Skor CEO of Growth Energy. “It would kind of grandfather in some of the underground storage so that it’s easier for a retailer to just simply say ‘I want to start offering this’ and not have to change our infrastructure or invest in infrastructure.”

Fuel retailers sold nearly 2.5 billion gallons of E15 in 2025. Skor adds her group expects to see 1,200 more locations add E15 in 2026, and if Congress allows year-round sales, that number will be “exponential growth.”

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, which has initiated a member alert for grassroots action, “This is a critical moment for farmers and rural communities. Year-round E15 is a market-driven, no-cost solution that increases demand for U.S. corn, strengthens farm income, lowers gas prices, and improves America’s energy independence.”

Will it Get Passed?

Skor says the issue has been punted twice, but unlike previous efforts the standalone bill is proceeding differently because it’s the first time the House has got to vote on just this issue.

“There’s mounting pressure to get something done and take action,” Skor says. “My attitude is one step at a time. If we get a successful–I’ll say when we get a successful House vote–it will help us, because it will signal to the Senate the House does support it and it can be done.”

She adds, “Our opposition is small, but they’re spreading a false narrative. So we really have to get in there and educate people. At the end of the day, for those people if they may not be swayed by the importance of this to the farm economy, they’ve got to be swayed by the price savings at a time when gas prices are at a four year high.”

Turn Daily Farm Work and Data Into a Custom Podcast With Help from AI

Fri, 08 May 2026 20:19:19 GMT

Instead of listening to music or making calls on his way to work, Mitchell Karstetter tunes into his favorite podcast. It’s not a celebrity or news pundit; it’s two digital hosts, powered by artificial intelligence, talking about data from his farm during harvest season.

“I like that it’s breaking down everything that we’re doing,” says Karstetter, the owner of RJK Farms. “It’s giving me real-time data that I can use to make decisions faster.”

A grower pulls up his HarvestReplay dashboard. HarvestReplay provides operational insights in the form of daily, updated intelligence briefing to inform real-time decision making, like where to shift a harvest crew or when to start them, based on a grower’s own data such as daily harvest labor and on-farm weather sensors.

(Innov8.ag)

Karstetter is using Innov8.ag’s HarvestReplay system to collect data and make decisions based on their workforce. Each day, it gathers data from the farm and then synthesizes and relays it to growers in the form of an audio podcast.

“ With HarvestReplay, they now have access to the kind of operational insight they have gotten used to having on the row crop side of their business,” says Steve Mantle, CEO and founder of Innov8.ag .

He says right now, this new technology is helping specialty crop growers due to the labor-centric nature of the business, but there are plans for growth into other areas of farming.

How HarvestReplay Scanners Provide Real-Time Insights

For the HarvestReplay to work, they need an automated labor and tracking system. FairPick and FairTrak , which have two ways to track how much a single employee has harvested throughout the day, are examples of these systems.. The first option is for employees to put their harvested product on a scale-like scanner, where it tracks work output, such as pounds per hour picked. The second option is to have their badge scanned by a phone-like handheld scanner to report their statistics. At RJK, they are currently using it on around 600 acres of apple and cherry trees. This allows farmers to track and follow worker’s efficiency and ultimately their productivity.

“It gives you something where you can go, ‘Why is this guy, who’s normally my best guy, not performing as well,’” Karstetter explains. “It helps you identify problems faster.”

Field laborers weigh their cherry bins using Innov8.ag’s FairPick harvest scales, ruggedized, legal-for-trade field scales that record every pick weight, time, GPS location and picker ID, creating automated, real-time harvest labor data used to inform HarvestReplay.

(Innov8.ag)

The HarvestReplay also tracks future weather conditions to help make important decisions, such as when the best times are to harvest or spray. It uses on-farm or state-operated weather sensors, such as AgWeatherNet .

It can also incorporate a grower’s harvest data from previous years to help provide insights into the farm’s historical trends. Adding it all together, AI hosts can then educate farmers on things like how early frost impacts crop volume and quality.

“It’s giving me insights into fields that were not as productive as I thought they were on cost, labor or efficiency,” says Ellie Norris, owner and CEO of Oregon’s Norris Blueberry Farms.

The Three-Tiered Power of HarvestReplay’s Data Ecosystem

The system produces three types of podcasts, depending on who’s listening and their role in the operation:

CFO/owner podcast focuses more on economics, such as comparing orders from different buyers.
The farm manager podcast can be either in English, Spanish and/or other languages. It discusses what happened on the farm and offers advice on decision-making for the upcoming day or season.
The crew lead’s podcast is typically in Spanish. This revolves around recommendations for improving operational efficiencies that affect the bottom-line economics of the farm.

It’s part of a bigger smart data interface. The podcast is only one-third of the HarvestReplay system:

Replay History looks to turn multi-year harvest and labor records into reports and goals. This shows the past performances and economics of previous harvest decisions.
Replay Live gives same-day feedback using GPS labor tracking. It can raise or flag issues such as congestion, slowdowns or misallocated crews so managers can adjust.
Replay Podcast is an AI-generated audio briefing built from the grower’s own harvest data.

“Farms don’t have data analysts, IT teams or CTOs,” says Mantle. “HarvestReplay handles the heavy lift of data aggregation and integration while keeping their data private and the decision-making customized to their operations.”

Leveraging Real-Time Data to Protect Farm Profitability

In 2025, there was a 46% increase in U.S. farms declaring bankruptcy from the previous year. HarvestReplay’s goal is to target areas where farms lose money such as labor, crop production and decision-making.

The system uses the data it collects to recommend changes in order to provide a path for growers to save money. Karstetter shares an example of quickly using the HarvestReplay’s information to switch things up.

“We can go into a block and see that some cherries have been on the smaller side, so we need to prune heavier,” Karstetter explains.

It also allows him and his managers to make decisions on the crews that are working. Karstetter says that in the latest podcast entry, it shared that one group was being more productive than the other. Now he can use this information to see what one group is doing differently and how it sets them apart.

“It’s giving you a kind of like a real-time look at what you’re doing and where you’re at,” Karstetter says. “We really don’t have that unless you sit down and input all this stuff manually.”

Beyond Amber Waves: Oklahoma State Introduces High-Antioxidant Purple Wheat to Cater to Consumers

Fri, 08 May 2026 21:05:28 GMT

The “amber waves of grain” are a patriotic staple of the American summer, painting a familiar slice of Americana across the horizon. While rolling fields of hard red winter wheat have long defined the landscape of the Plains, researchers at Oklahoma State University (OSU) are beginning to change that picture with a wheat variety that is anything but ordinary.

Known as OSU P92, this variety stands out for its deep purple hue and its potential to revolutionize the nutritional profile of staple foods.

A Class of Its Own

For decades, Oklahoma’s wheat industry has been built on hard red winter wheat and the occasional hard white variety. However, according to Brett Carver, Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences at OSU, their latest development represents a departure from the status quo.

“This is not just any other new wheat variety,” Carver explains. “It’s very different. We normally talk about hard red winter wheat... but this is not either one of those. This is a class we don’t even have.”

While the crop may grow and behave like the hard red winter wheat farmers are used to, it is actually a new innovation known as “purple wheat.” The grain boasts a deep purple hue on its outer layer, but the real breakthrough lies beneath the surface.

The Science Behind the Color

The unique appearance of OSU P92 is driven by anthocyanins, which is the same class of phenolics that provide the vibrant colors in blueberries, blackberries, black beans, and peppers. By bringing these compounds into a grain staple, OSU is bridging the gap between traditional row crops and high-antioxidant superfoods.

“Those colors come from a compound called anthocyanins,” says Carver. “So this purple wheat has those anthocyanins that would be present in common fruits and vegetables. That benefit we get from eating the fruits and vegetables also come now through the wheat.”

Breeding for the Real World

Creating a nutritionally superior grain is one thing, but making it viable for a commercial farm is another. The development process was far from simple. Researchers had to breed a variety that could handle Oklahoma’s volatile climate, resist local diseases, and still deliver the strong yields that keep farmers profitable.

To achieve this, Carver’s team had to look beyond traditional plant breeding. “Doing all these extra things meant we had to branch out a little bit because we just don’t have the expertise to measure phytochemicals,” Carver says.

The team leaned heavily on the expertise of OSU’s Nutritional Science Department. Notably, Carver credits a student researcher for driving the project forward, stating that her findings directly influenced the decision on how to advance the variety.

Stability from Field to Table

One of the biggest hurdles in developing purple wheat was ensuring the color, and the nutrients they bred into the wheat, lasted. Anthocyanins are notoriously unstable, but the team eventually selected a line that maintained its integrity.

“To maximize the color at harvest, we want to make sure we have that deep color that persists,” Carver notes. “With these compounds, they aren’t the most stable. But with this one, it’s one of our more stable colors.”

What’s in the Name?

While the variety is groundbreaking, its name remains humble: OSU P92. The “P” stands for purple, and “92" was its experimental selection number. Carver says the goal wasn’t to have a flashy name, but to let the performance and the final products—like breads and tortillas—take center stage.

If OSU P92 delivers on its promise of high performance and enhanced nutrition, it could do more than just change the color of the fields; it could redefine what farmers grow to meet the demands of health-conscious consumers.

Are Your Fields A Green Light? Use the Three-Factor System To Guide Planting Decisions

Fri, 08 May 2026 16:52:22 GMT

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie is urging farmers to pay close attention to soil conditions and local weather forecasts as planting accelerates across the Midwest.

Ferrie and his team at Crop-Tech Consulting recommend using a “red-yellow-green light” system to guide planting decisions. The practice is based on three factors: soil moisture, seed chilling risks and the 10-day emergence forecast.

The information on the green-yellow-red color system for planting is pretty self-explanatory, says Ken Ferrie. Once you know the light color, you can see the meaning and the action he recommends taking.

(Crop-Tech Consulting)

Regional Forecast And Recommendation

Despite ongoing weather struggles from cold and rain in some parts of the country, planting progress continues across much of the upper Midwest.

For central Illinois, Ferrie says there is a green light for Monday, with some areas getting a yellow or red light for Tuesday. The U.S. National Weather Service says a weak cold front will bring the next chance for storms later on Tuesday, some of which could be severe. Temperatures will turn cooler for midweek.

Ferrie warns that the first 12 to 24 hours seed corn is in the ground are the most critical. During this window of time, the seed absorbs 30% of its weight in water. If that water is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the cells lose elasticity and tear. Chilled seed corn can easily result in a 10% stand loss.

“You can literally tell the difference between fields that were planted in the morning compared to in an afternoon that’s going into a cool night,” Ferrie says. “That is why you’ll see our lights change at noon some days, trying to get enough water absorbed before the soil temperature drops.”

You can get more information from Ferrie on the perils of seed corn chilling in this brief video:

Ferrie says if corn takes longer than 11 days to emerge, those kernels that were planted “spike down” will struggle to compete.

“The spike-down plants can be a week or two weeks behind the spike-up plants,” Ferrie explains. “At that point, they will be more than a collar behind and not produce a regular-sized ear.”

Listen to Ferrie’s complete recommendations in his Boots In The Field podcast:

Soybean Farmers Detail ‘Sustainable Practices’ That Can Pay Off

Fri, 08 May 2026 12:57:17 GMT

Cover crops were nearly scratched off Laurie and Jim Isley’s list of practices on their Michigan farm a few years ago. The reason? Production costs were adding roughly $35 an acre to their budget, which was already stretched beyond thin.

“Things were really limited for us, so we looked at that practice really, really hard,” says Laurie, who farms with her husband near Palmyra, Mich. “We can absolutely be environmentally sustainable, but the bottom line is we’re not going to stay in business unless we are profitable.”

The use of cover crops is back on firmer economic ground now, she adds, thanks to cost-share programs such as Farmers for Soil Health (FSH), which help make soil health investments possible for income-strapped growers.

Making Cover Crops Cash-Flow

The biggest hurdle for cover crops has always been the upfront cost versus the delayed gratification of better soil structure. The Farmers for Soil Health initiative is currently bridging that gap for growers in 20 states. Isley says the program offers up to $35 per acre in cost-share, plus technical assistance.

For many farmers, the frustration with government or industry programs often lies in the “fine print.” Isley highlights two specific features of the FSH program that make it a more useful tool for many row-crop growers:

The “No Look Back” Policy: Unlike many programs that only reward “new” adopters, FSH is open to almost any grower. “You are eligible for this program whether you are planting cover crops for the very first time, or whether you’ve been planting them for 10, 15 or 20 years,” Isley says.
Short-Term Commitment: “It’s a one-year contract, but you can re-enroll in it year-after-year (with up to 2,000 acres per operation) through the length of time Farmers for Soil Health continues,” Isley notes.

Beyond the dollars, the program addresses the “how-to” hurdle. Each state has designated advisers to help with cover crop species selection, seeding methods (including the use of drones), and termination timing.

“It isn’t just, ‘Go forth and find cover crops,’” Isley says. “Sometimes you just need some expert help in order to get started on something. Even if you say, ‘I’m only going to do 100 acres this year,’ that’s still 100 acres you’re going to get that $35 an acre on to get started.”

High-Oleic Soybeans: A Revenue-Side Opportunity

While cost-shares help manage expenses, Matthew Chapman is looking at the other side of the ledger: revenue. For his east-central Indiana farm, high-oleic soybean contracts have been a game-changer.

“This project’s really been a home run for the whole soybean industry,” Chapman notes. He says that backed by checkoff investments and partnerships with industry giants like Bayer, Corteva, and Beck’s, the specialty beans have already delivered over $400 million in total returns to U.S. farmers.

Chapman started off growing high-oleic soybeans on 20% of his acreage and eventually scaled to 100%. The premiums — ranging in his area from $0.75 to $1.25 per bushel last year — were a huge boost to his bottom line. But he says they have some requirements that farmers need to consider.

“Oftentimes you’re going to need to store this crop, depending on how far away your purchaser is,” he notes. “Your weed program and your plan need to start in the fall. There’s just a lot to consider ahead of time.”

The market is also evolving. High-oleic oil is prized by restaurants for its long fry life and trans-fat-free profile, and new markets are emerging. Chapman notes that his 2026 crop is destined for dairy feed — the beans will be roasted, cracked and fed whole.

United Soybean Board (USB) projections suggest that by 2027, about half of the U.S. high-oleic soybean crop could be headed to the dairy sector. Industrial uses are also gaining traction in asphalt, bioplastics and fire-resistant hydraulic oil, especially in sensitive environments like mining or near waterways.

Navigating The Carbon And Fuel Frontier

While the federal process for carbon intensity (CI) modeling is still unfolding, farmers see opportunity in markets tied to carbon scores and renewable fuels.

USB is currently funding research to ensure farmers aren’t left behind as these markets mature. One surprising finding from Iowa State University: simply planting earlier can reduce nitrous oxide emissions, a major contributor to CI scores.

“That really costs us nothing to do,” Isley says. By documenting this “free” practice change, farmers can potentially lower their CI scores and increase the value of their grain in renewable fuel markets.

However, participation requires data. Chapman emphasizes that farmers need to be the masters of their own information.

“Whenever you’re selling the data off your farm, which is what this is, it starts with knowing what we have,” he says. “It’s hard to sell something unless you know what you’ve got when you start off.”

In southeast Kansas, farmer Charles Atkinson sees this playing out in the biodiesel and renewable diesel sectors. He believes that using the product on the farm is the best way to support the market.

“It’s a product that we’ve developed, that we’ve raised, and it should be No. 1 on our priority list to use it,” Atkinson says.

The “Plan A Through F” Mindset Is Needed

Beneath all the programs and markets, the three growers say long-term profitability still depends on flexibility: having enough tools and plans on the shelf to adjust to whatever the season and markets throw at them.

The need for flexibility shows up in day-to-day decision-making. Atkinson describes his operation, based near Great Bend, as one that constantly shifts among no-till, cover crops, chemistry options and even occasional tillage, depending on the year’s weather, pests and markets.

“It seems like we have plan A, B, C, D, E and F, and depending on what gets thrown at us and what Mother Nature gives us, we have to figure out what plan to run,” he says. “Last year, I had a beautiful plan together. It was all going to work. And I think we were down to plan D before we got finished up.”

Chapman takes a similar view. He says farmers like having “a lot of tools in the toolbox,” even ones they rarely use.

“As the world’s always changing, we want to be proactive and we want to do stuff that we can voluntarily do on our farm,” he says. “Move towards that goal of leaving the farm better than you found it, and hope the day never comes that something’s your only option.”

Isley says programs such as Farmers for Soil Health, along with EQIP, CSP and state or watershed initiatives, help move more growers toward that toolbox mentality by reducing risk.

In her view, profitable sustainability isn’t about any single practice, but about using the right mix of programs, premiums and practices to fit each farm.

“I think we often are hesitant to look for help, because we want to be self-reliant,” she says. “But sometimes it really makes a difference if we look for technical assistance and for those resources that are out there and available to us.”

Isley, Chapman, and Atkinson shared their perspectives in a webinar, “How Sustainable Production and Economic Viability Can Coexist,” on Thursday. The program was hosted by Agri-Pulse in partnership with the United Soybean Board.

The Only Thing That Lasts: How Ted Turner’s 2 Million Acres Redefined Land Ownership

Thu, 07 May 2026 17:58:49 GMT

Ted Turner’s rise to the top of the Land Report 100 marked a transformative era of American land ownership. Once the largest private landowner in the U.S., Ted Turner had many titles, business accomplishments and accolades as well.

With his death on May 6, 2026, the discussion of his legacy began. And undoubtedly his impressive 2 million acres is the driving force with a “save everything” philosophy toward land stewardship.

“If you visit any of Ted Turner’s properties, there’s a bumper sticker available that reads, “Save Everything,” says Eric O’Keefe editor of The Land Report. “That was his approach, as far as being a landowner. He was a conservationist, first and foremost.”

Turner built a revolutionary business empire—taking father’s billboard company to building a global media powerhouse, pioneering 24-hour news with CNN and acquiring the MGM film library. His business success fueled his land purchases as he reinvested those profits into large tracts of land across the country, and notably in the western states.

“He was one of the original, in this generation, of corporate magnates who plowed their profits into land, O’Keefe says. He adds Turner was friends with the current No. 1 largest landowner John Malone, who he “gave the land bug to.” And it was Turner’s investments that inspired others including Bill Gates.

Turner’s acquisitions gained momentum in the 1990s, making his the first No. 1 largest landowner when The Land Report started its first ranked list in 2007. In the 2025 Land Report list, Turner was the fourth largest with 2 million acres located in Montana, South Dakota, New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, Georgia and more.

“He looked around corners in ways that few of us can really comprehend. He was buying the greatest ranches in the American West, and these phenomenal quail plantations decades before anyone else,” he says.

O’Keefe says a hallmark of Turner’s land buying was not only in its accumulation but how he enhanced it with conservation efforts.

“I love that Gone with the Wind quote, and of course, Ted acquired the MGM Library and, owned Gone with the Wind. And the quote is, ‘land, it’s the only thing that lasts.’ And at the end of the day, that was, to him, in my opinion the most powerful element of his legacy.”

Southern Rust in Corn: A Retailer’s Guide to Proactive Control Strategies

Wed, 06 May 2026 19:09:13 GMT

Help your growers avoid a southern rust corn calamity—and possible yield losses of up to 45%—by calmly and clearly advising them on fungicide for rust ahead of this disease’s arrival.¹ Generally, treatment is most effective at VT stage, which happens around mid to late July.

As a trusted adviser, you can assist growers by interpreting disease pressure maps, recommending fungicides with multiple modes of action and determining the economic ROI of treatment depending on the crop’s growth stage and environmental risks.

Here’s what you need to know to support growers in treating southern rust in corn before it escalates.

Consult regional monitoring and alert tools

A free online tracker from university experts, such as the Crop Protection Network’s Southern Rust of Corn Map or ipmPIPE’s Current Map for Southern Corn Rust , can help you keep tabs on encroaching corn rust in neighboring counties. Your local county extension office can also be a valuable resource.

If corn rust is detected in an adjoining county, it’s important to be vigilant. Southern rust spreads rapidly via wind currents. The disease presents as numerous small and round pustules on the upper part of leaves that leave orange or tan streaks on your fingers when rubbed off.²
It’s most common when temperatures hover between 77 F and 82 F, with at least six hours above 95% relative humidity.³

You can also share this free fungicide efficacy tool from Crop Protection Network with your growers so they can start evaluating fungicide for rust treatment options.

Talk through evaluation timing, efficacy and modes of action

Explain to your growers that for maximum disease suppression and economic return, it’s important to target fungicide applications between corn’s tasseling (VT) and milk (R3) growth stages.

Recommend fungicides such as BASF’s Veltyma® fungicide or Headline AMP® with multiple modes of action. With these products, your growers can experience southern rust control that typically lasts beyond the two-week protection period that often comes with a single mode of action.⁴

Explain the growth stage cutoff for fungicide efficacy

Your growers should be aware that applications of fungicide for rust fungi after milk stage rarely pencil out. That late in the season most grain fill is done, and the potential gain in yield protection isn’t substantial enough to recoup the cost of fungicide, fuel and time needed for treatment.

At the same time, later applications might reduce your growers’ losses from low test weight and lodging. As with any decision, advise your growers based on their unique situation.

Help growers fight southern corn rust damage throughout the season

Work with your growers through the dent stage (R5) to monitor and manage around southern corn rust damage. The disease has a tendency to reduce test weight and damage stalk integrity, which creates greater risk of lodging.

If this persists at harvest, consult extension resources on harvesting fields with southern rust for specific combine settings that can help.

Experts are available to help you and your growers make their southern rust corn treatment decisions. Reach out to a nearby extension office agent or your regional BASF representative .

________________________________________________

Endnotes

Jackson-Ziems, Tamra, and Jenny Brhel. “Corn Disease Update: Fungicide Expectations for Disease Control.” CropWatch, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 15 Aug. 2024, https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2024/corn-disease-update-fungicide-expectations-disease-control/ . Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
Duffeck, Maíra. “Corn Disease Update – July 14, 2025.” Oklahoma State University Extension E-Pest Alerts, July 2025, https://extension.okstate.edu/e-pest-alerts/2025/corn-disease-update.html . Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
Jackson-Ziems, T. et al. “Corn Disease Update: Fungicide Expectations for Disease Control.”
Mueller, John. “Fungicides and Southern Rust in Corn.” Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service Blog, 11 June 2021, https://blogs.clemson.edu/sccrops/fungicides-and-southern-rust-in-corn/ . Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.

A Frustrating Spring: Spotty Spring Rains Push Southwest Iowa Planting Slightly Behind

Wed, 06 May 2026 18:33:19 GMT

USDA’s latest Crop Progress Report showed as of Sunday, 22 percent of Iowa’s corn crop is planted, which is right in line with the five-year average. Soybean planting sits at 11 percent, which is just slightly behind. But those statewide numbers don’t tell the whole planting story this year. In southern Iowa, spotty spring showers are creating a far more uneven planting picture for farmers trying to make progress in the field.

In the far southwestern corner of Iowa, farmer Pat Sheldon is finally back in the field and relieved to see planters rolling again after a stop-and-start spring.

“We’ll be 25 or 30 percent done with the beans by the end of the day,” says Pat Sheldon, a farmer from Percival, Iowa.

While Sheldon prefers to be wrapped up planting by now, this season is running just a bit behind his typical pace.

“Usually we like to try to have almost everything done by now. We’re shooting for the end of April, but we usually don’t make it. So we’re a little behind where we normally are,” Sheldon says.“For no sooner than we started, we’ve come right along.”

About 80 percent of his corn is already planted, but some acres remain too saturated to finish, especially on his heavier ground.

After being out of the field for much of the past week due to wet conditions, Sheldon says the moisture hasn’t been as severe as in other parts of the region, but still enough to delay progress.

“We’re not as wet as it’s been east and south, but just enough to keep you out,” Sheldon says.

Even so, he is confident that progress will accelerate quickly if the forecast holds.

“The forecast looks good for here anyway, dry weather for a week or so, and I can get a lot done on the bottom when it’s dry,” Sheldon says.“ Just need dry weather and sunshine and let us work. It won’t take long. It’ll go in fast once it stays dry like this for a few days.”

Input costs have been a concern across agriculture, but Sheldon says his operation avoided the worst of recent fertilizer price spikes by planning ahead.

“We had all of our dry on last fall and over half of our anhydrous before it got too nasty for us to keep going, and we finished it up this spring,” Sheldon says. “We had it all pre-bought before all the prices went crazy, so we were fortunate on that aspect.

With planting back up and running this week, Sheldon says their operation is “in good shape,” and it’s that sense of stability is a stark contrast to conditions just seven years ago.

Sheldon’s family farm is situated next to the Missouri River. It’s fertile ground that’s been in his family for generations. But in 2019, Sheldon’s farm was devastated by flooding along the Missouri River, with water levels reaching several feet high in areas that are now being planted.

“There was probably three feet of water where we’re standing. Nothing got planted in the bottom ground. There was some stuff in the hills, but that was about it,” says Sheldon.

The floodwaters lingered for months, leaving lasting reminders still visible today.

“The water was here about 100 days. It was late June, I think, when they closed the breach,” Sheldon says.

And he says for the water lines still stained on the rain bins, it’s a constant reminder of what the Missouri River can take away, often without warning.

“You have a reminder every day,” says Sheldon. “You see it every day.”

Farming along the Missouri River means managing both risk and resilience. Despite the challenges, Sheldon says recent years have brought more favorable growing conditions, and he’s hopeful this year is shaping up to be the same.

“Are you optimistic about this growing season,” we asked.

“Very, very, as far as raising a crop,” Sheldon says of his outlook for 2026. “We’ve got decent moisture, probably better than we had going in last year. We’ve been lucky the last two or three years—timely rains, not a lot of rain, but at the right time—and we’ve raised really good crops. We’re hoping for more of the same.”

Metabolic Weed Resistance Crisis Builds Across The Heartland

Wed, 06 May 2026 16:51:05 GMT

Waterhemp, Palmer amaranth and some other tough broadleaf weeds and grasses are no longer slipping past just single herbicides. Across the Corn Belt and beyond, they are tolerating entire herbicide programs. Weed scientists say that pattern points to a critical issue more farmers are facing: metabolic resistance.

Unlike traditional target-site resistance, which is often specific to a single herbicide class, metabolic resistance is even worse because it can confer cross-resistance to multiple, unrelated herbicide groups .

Aaron Hager, University of Illinois Extension weed scientist often warns that when a tough weed like waterhemp learns to metabolize one herbicide, it becomes easier for it to “learn” to detoxify others. That ability has helped lead to the 7-way resistance with waterhemp seen in some Illinois counties, according to weed scientist Patrick Tranel, one of Hager’s colleagues.

At least 13 states have reported having some degree of “highly suspected” or confirmed cases of metabolic weed resistance. Here are three of the broadleaf weeds demonstrating metabolic resistance and states where they’re located:

Along with these broadleaf weeds, some common and giant ragweed, marestail/horseweed, annual (Italian) ryegrass and barnyardgrass populations have also demonstrated metabolic resistance.

(Weed Science Society of America, GROW, BASF, Syngenta)

Target-site resistance can be identified through DNA tests. But metabolic resistance is a “guessing game” involving potentially dozens to hundreds of genes working in tandem, making it difficult for scientists and farmers to know which products will still work in their specific fields.

Tommy Butts sees the trend for metabolic resistance taking root in Indiana. He says HPPD resistance in waterhemp is “getting widespread,” and the failures are expanding to other chemistries as well.

“We had more complaints last year about things like mesotrione or Callisto starting to fail, which is really scary in the corn acres,” says Butts, Purdue University Extension weed scientist. “Corn is supposed to be our easy year to control waterhemp, and now, all of a sudden, we start losing Callisto.” He addresses this in detail in the latest Purdue Crop Chat .

The bad news does not stop there.

“You start talking auxins and glufosinate, and we have confirmed resistance in the state to those,” he says. “I wouldn’t say that’s as widespread, but it’s definitely popping up.”

With metabolic resistance chipping away at PPOs, HPPDs, atrazine partners, auxins and glufosinate, the old playbook of “just switch products” no longer works well.

Glufosinate alone 😀⁰Mesotrione alone 😕⁰Glufosinate + mesotrione 🔥😎

That’s the power of effective herbicide tank mixtures.

Deploying synergistic tank mixes with multiple effective sites of action is critical for improving weed control and helping delay herbicide resistance… pic.twitter.com/FggZJrQQ1Q
— Rodrigo Werle (@WiscWeeds) May 6, 2026

“Hammer With Residuals” And Build Effective Combinations

Butts’ first message to corn and soybean farmers is straightforward: no more solo herbicide passes in the field.

“We have to hammer weeds with effective residuals and then mix up our posts as much as possible,” he says.

In his view, that means at least two things for row-crop growers. First, use layered residual programs that keep fields clean as long as possible and reduce the number of emerged weeds that ever see a post pass. Second, use post-emerge applications that combine multiple, truly effective modes of action at full labeled rates.

Cutting rates, he warns, is exactly how growers “train” metabolism-based resistance to take root.

With soybean trait systems, he pushes hard against relying on a single flagship product.

“If we’re growing Enlist soybeans, don’t just rely on Enlist and don’t just rely on Liberty,” Butts advises. “Do the tank mix. The tank mix trumps everything.”

This field shows the result of waterhemp seeds that were spread during harvest by a combine.

(Aaron Hager, University of Illinois)

Pay More Up Front To Avoid Making Expensive “Revenge Sprays”

Metabolic resistance can thrive when weeds are hit with chemistry they can partially tolerate. That is why Butts keeps coming back to strong, early, soil-applied programs.

He hears pushback from farmers every year on using multiple products in the tank.

“A lot of people tell me, ‘Well, it costs way too much up front with $20 for a pre. Corn gets even more expensive,’” he acknowledges.
However, Butts points to work by Purdue University Extension and other states showing those dollars pay off when the entire season is measured.

“If you can get a strong residual program out and get it activated, the whole-season economics of it makes sense,” Butts says. “It’s consistently shown that if you have that strong pre up front, you don’t have what I like to call the revenge sprays in August, where we’re going across the field three different times trying to kill waist-high waterhemp.”

Check out this tool from GROW on how to address waterhemp specifically.

Protect Herbicide Tools To Extend Their Use

As more herbicide modes of action come under pressure, Butts singles out metribuzin as an example of a product that still pulls its weight in soybeans.

“Metribuzin is a big one in soybeans, because we don’t have a lot of resistance to that,” he says.

“I will also put in the plug for AMS in general, across the board,” Butts says. “That always helps with some of those products… when we start getting later in the season, we get more stressed weeds. AMS even tends to help there.”

Butts does caution farmers that AMS is not allowed in dicamba tank mixes for XtendFlex soybeans.

Underlying all of it is a blunt warning about what happens if growers decide to skimp on their weed control efforts.

“If you let it go even one year, now you’ve made yourself a mess for the next five to 10 years,” he says. “You’ve got to try and stay on top of weeds as much as possible.”

5 Practical Recommendations To Address Metabolic Resistance

Because metabolic resistance is so unpredictable, weed scientists have shifted their advice away from “rotating chemicals” toward a “zero-threshold” approach to control. The following metabolic resistance management recommendations have been presented by Aaron Hager, University of Illinois Weed Scientist, and Beck’s agronomists:

1. The primary focus of metabolic resistance management should be on decreasing the weed seed bank. This means that weeds must be eliminated before they ever go to seed.

2. A robust residual herbicide program should be used, not because residuals represent a different herbicide family but because they eliminate weeds at the earliest growth stages – slashing contributions to the weed seed bank.

3. Physically cutting weeds out of the crop must be included in the management plan, because physical elimination of weed escapes further slashes contributions to the weed seed bank.

4. Post-herbicide programs should shift from calendar-based timing to scouting-based timing. Once weeds break through a pre-emerge residual program, they must be eliminated. Such early targeting further slashes contributions to the weed seed bank.

5. Mechanical techniques, field cultivators, etc., should be used where possible to further the cause of decreased seed production.

How Soil Mapping Tech Can Save Water in Orchards

Wed, 06 May 2026 17:49:52 GMT

An all-terrain robot decked out with industry-changing technology autonomously navigates through an orchard using sensors to collect data tree by tree. Once in the hands of the grower, the information elevates water management based on need and timing.

“The goal is to improve the way [growers] use water so they don’t have to abandon agriculture in some areas,” says Elia Scudiero , associate professor of precision agriculture and the director of University of California, Riverside’s Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment .

How The Robotic System Predicts Moisture Tree-by-Tree

The robot travels through an orchard measuring the soil electrical conductivity, which shows how easily electricity flows through the soil based on moisture, salt, clay and other factors. The technology then pairs this data with fixed moisture sensors to predict the water content across an entire orchard.

“Using this method, growers will finally know how much water they have, and how much they need, and can water specific trees if they’re dry,” Scudiero says.

Currently, some growers determine when to irrigate by relying on soil moisture sensors in the ground. However, these sensors are only installed in a few locations, leaving farmers to guess the conditions of hundreds or thousands of trees.

“The information those sensors provide is very limited,” Scudiero says. “It really only tells you what’s happening in the immediate areas where they’re placed.”

Protect Tree Health Through Precise Moisture Management

California’s strict regulations for water use in agriculture call for precise and efficient management. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, passed in 2014, requires local agencies to reduce groundwater overdraft and achieve sustainable use by 2040.

“If water becomes limited, farmers have two choices,” Scudiero says. “They can retire orchards, or they can find ways to produce the same crops using less water.”

The right moisture level is vital for the plant’s health to avoid stress and vulnerabilities to pests and diseases. It’s a balance because having too much water can deprive the tree’s roots of oxygen.

Nutrient Efficiency Comes Into Play

Targeting water use and timing is also beneficial for nutrient management.

“If you apply only the amount of water the plants actually need, you reduce the risk of washing those nutrients away from the roots of the crops and into the environment,” Scudiero says.

The robot is currently being tested at UC Riverside’s research farm. The next step is to work with local farmers to expand testing before making it commercially available.

Diesel Prices Are Breaking Records Across Multiple States, And Relief May Not Come in 2026

Wed, 06 May 2026 12:53:37 GMT

On Tuesday, President Trump stated that high gasoline prices are a “very small price to pay” for the ongoing war with Iran, arguing they are necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He predicted prices will “come crashing down” once the war ends. But for farmers and ranchers, diesel prices have risen more than gas, putting a further strain on already high input costs for 2026.

Trump on Oil Prices:

I looked today, it's like at 102 and that's a very small price to pay pic.twitter.com/2V8LC93wFj
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 5, 2026

To start the week, diesel prices went on another run with the national average diesel price is just 20 cents away from reaching a new all-time high. And across the country, a growing number of states aren’t waiting to get there. About six states are already seeing the national average price of diesel reach record highs.

From the Great Lakes to the West Coast, roughly a half dozen states have already smashed previous records, as a late-April dip in prices quickly faded and a fresh surge took hold.

“Diesel now averaging about $5.65 a gallon nationally. That is only about 20 cents away from a new all-time record high,” says Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy . “So even though we had that short-lived break, we’re right back knocking on the door of records again.”

That “break” didn’t last long. De Haan says even though diesel prices saw a bit of a respite for April, with even prices starting to trend down in mid-April, those prices re-accelerated in the last week.

New records for diesel in:
Michigan, $6.01
Illinois, $6.01
Wisconsin $5.67
(Indiana 0.2c/gal away), $6.03
(Ohio ~19c/gal away), $5.93 https://t.co/DV0387vvMR
— Patrick De Haan (@GasBuddyGuy) May 5, 2026

Now, the rally is showing up in state-by-state records, especially in the Midwest.

“Looking at it state by state, Great Lakes states have seen some tremendous refining issues that have really caused prices to rise dramatically,” he says. “Michigan has now set a new all-time record high for diesel over $6. Indiana is just a few tenths of a penny away from setting a new all-time record. Illinois has set a new all-time record. Wisconsin has set a new all-time record.”

And it’s not just a regional story. States in the West were some of the first to not just see the highest prices, but now also hit record levels.

“Out on the West Coast, Arizona set a record a couple of weeks ago, and Washington state is at an all-time record,” he adds. “So there are probably about a half dozen or so states that have set new all-time records, and again, the national average itself is just 20 cents away.”

Perhaps the most telling shift, though, is there’s no longer a low-price refuge.

“No states any longer have diesel averaging below $5 a gallon,” De Haan says. “Texas was the last holdout, and it now is above $5 per gallon. So across the board, $5 diesel is now essentially the floor, and in some areas, that’s actually the cheaper end of the spectrum.”

At the high end, prices are reaching extremes with California’s average diesel price now surpassing $8 per gallon.

Global Tensions Cloud Relief Outlook

With prices continuing to climb, farmers are looking for relief. What would it take to reverse course? That answer remains tied to global uncertainty.

“Relief may be a little bit elusive,” De Haan admits. “It really just depends on the daily developments in the situation between the U.S. and Iran—whether the Strait is open or not, or whether we’re in phases of escalation.”

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical chokepoint for global energy supply, moving roughly 20 million barrels of oil per day.

“Nothing else matters to the oil market more than this waterway,” he emphasizes. “We’ve seen attacks that have pushed oil prices higher, which in turn pushes diesel wholesale prices up. You may get a little bit of day-to-day relief, but there really is no ‘coast is clear’ until there’s some sort of definitive resolution.”

And even then, he says a turnaround won’t happen overnight.

“If there is a definitive signal to the market, if the Strait reopens and both sides are aligned, prices could start falling within 48 hours,” De Haan explained. “But the rate of decline is likely to slow after that initial drop.”

Prices Likely to Remain Elevated Through 2026

Not only is the rate of decline projected to be slow, but De Haan says diesel prices aren’t likely to drop back to pre-war levels by the end of the year.

“Roughly half of the increase we’ve seen over the last couple of months could come down within the first few months of positive news,” he said. “But the other half could take many more months. We may not get back to pre-conflict diesel prices until late this year—or even into 2027.”

For agriculture, that prolonged stretch of elevated prices carries real consequences.

“When you look at what comes out of a barrel of oil, diesel only makes up about 25%,” De Haan explained. “Gasoline is a larger portion, so it’s been less impacted. Jet fuel, which is an even smaller share, has been hit the hardest. So it’s almost inverse to how much is produced.”

Why Diesel Is Climbing Faster Than Gasoline

If it feels like diesel prices are rising faster and hitting harder than gasoline, there’s a reason rooted in how a barrel of oil gets used.

“Diesel has seen more of the sticker shock compared to gasoline,” says De Haan. “And a lot of that comes down to what comes out of a barrel of oil.”

Not all fuels are created equally in supply. Gasoline makes up the largest share of a refined barrel, while diesel represents a smaller slice, making it more vulnerable when supply is disrupted.

“Gasoline is the top product flowing out of a barrel of oil, so it’s been the least impacted,” De Haan explains. “Diesel, on the other hand, only accounts for about 25% of a barrel, so it’s been more impacted when there are supply issues.”

That imbalance becomes even clearer when looking across the full spectrum of refined fuels.

“The most significant impact has actually been to jet fuel, which is only about 9% of a barrel,” he adds. “So if you look at it inversely—the smaller the share of the barrel, the bigger the impact we’re seeing right now.”

For agriculture, that dynamic matters more than most sectors.

Diesel isn’t optional on the farm. It’s essential. From planting to harvest, it powers tractors, trucks and the supply chain that moves commodities across the country.

“Diesel is the fuel that drives agriculture,” De Haan say. “And that’s why these price increases are so impactful, not just at the pump, but all the way through the economy.”

And while prices are already elevated, the full effect is still working its way downstream.

“Consumers really haven’t even seen the full onset of some of these higher prices yet,” he adds. “That’s going to continue to trickle through in the weeks ahead.”

Demand Holding...for Now

Even with these high prices, so far, demand hasn’t shown many signs of slowing.

“We have not seen much meaningful decrease in demand yet,” De Haan says. “We’ve seen very little, if any, diesel demand destruction so far, which tells you the economy is essentially preparing to pay these prices because it still needs the fuel.”

But there are warning signs ahead.

“If diesel nationally hits $6 a gallon, that’s likely when we start to see consumption slow,” he says. “For gasoline, that number is about $5 a gallon. We’re getting very close to those thresholds.”

Until then, the pressure continues to mount. And for farmers heading deeper into the growing season, that pressure is becoming harder to ignore.

Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Why Fertilizer Relief is Years Away for U.S. Farmers

Tue, 05 May 2026 21:55:31 GMT

As the Iran war and the closure of the Strait reach its tenth week fertilizer supplies aren’t moving. That means the window for a fertilizer price correction this spring has officially slammed shut.

Fertilizer Prices Near Record High Before Iran War

Phosphate and nitrogen prices were already elevated before the Iran war according to Josh Linville, vice president of fertilizer with StoneX, as China, the world’s number two nitrogen exporter, banned exports.

Urea: Prices have nearly doubled since early December.
Potash: Up approximately 10% since the start of the year.

Then came the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz which added insult to injury as three of the top 10 largest urea and anhydrous exporters are cut off. Linville points out that’s because the Strait closure also shut down LNG or the natural gas supplies used to produce nitrogen fertilizer products, which further elevated prices at New Orleans, Louisiana.

Even if the Strait opened today, the last tons of fertilizer won’t reach U.S. farmers for 60 days. Still Linville is not sounding the alarm despite figures quoted by USDA officials and other trade groups that 20% of the U.S. fertilizer supply was not in place for spring planting.

“I believe North America’s actually in good shape on urea. Now, you look at anhydrous, we produce most of what we need and we’re sitting okay there. From UAN, we produce most of what we need,” he says.

(Source: Kpler)

U.S. Cheaper Than Global Prices

Still Linville says U.S. farmers are in a better position than the rest of the world as U.S. nitrogen and phosphate values are $250 lower than global fertilizer prices, on the aggressive end. He says using more conservative estimates that number tips slightly lower.

“If I go low on the Middle East price based on where futures have been trading, if I go low on the vessel freight, if I go low on every single thing, it’s still $150 a ton cheaper than that rate.”

Jordan Scott, who farms near Valley Springs, South Dakota, pre-booked his fertilizer but some farmers in his area are not that fortunate.

“Some couldn’t even get it for spring or had to wait and when they could get it, the prices were just 30 to 40% higher,” Scott says.

Scott says that is forcing some farmers to cut corn acreage for spring of 2026. “I’ve heard some of that where people are switching rotations to go to more beans. It takes less fertilizer to produce beans.”

Early estimates have called for a one to two million acre cut in corn plantings off the 95.3 million acres in the USDA Prospective Plantings Report, with a direct shift to soybeans.

Linville isn’t sure the cut to corn acres will be as high as predicted, and he’s seen no evidence of surveys quoting nearly half of farmers can’t afford fertilizer.

“I have not seen anything that indicates demand is down 50% across the board. We’ve not seen those type of numbers. Nothing close to it. In fact, some people are starting to come back and say, I’ve actually been surprised how many more sales I’ve made,” he says.

No Fix to Fertilizer Prices for 2026 and 2027?

Scott, who is also secretary of the American Soybean Association, says that group has been urging the Commerce Department to take action and drop the countervailing duties (CVDs) on Moroccan phosphate imports into the U.S. He knows there isn’t a short-term fix to the fertilizer price increase, but that would help.

“We’ve been pressuring the administration to work on the the countervailing duties. There was a study that came out that said it costs farmers almost $7 billion last year in in extra cost for fertilizer,” he explains.

Last week, the Trump administration announced its plan to lower fertilizer prices, which includes a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into price fixing by U.S. fertilizer companies and clamping down on anti-trust enforcement. USDA data indicates four players control 75% of the fertilizer supplies in North America and represent a monopoly.

Linville begs to differ.

“Is there really a monopoly? No. A monopoly is a market controlled by one party. Oligopoly, that’s where the argument could be had. That’s a, you know, controlled by a few people. Again, I’m splitting hairs here, right? I think the verbiage is important to talk about,” he says.

However, he points out that fertilizer is a global market and prices are also influenced by global and geopolitical events such as those playing out right now in the Middle East.

Is Domestic Investment the Answer?

The Trump administration has also assembled a plan to uncover more critical mineral production and to provide investments into U.S. fertilizer facilities. However, Linville says fertilizer production manufacturing infrastructure is expensive and so it will take a long time to fix prices by expanding U.S. fertilizer production capacity.

As such, Linville thinks the near to record high prices for fertilizer will linger into the fall of 2026 and even the spring of 2027 for U.S. and farmers around the world.

“This will still have phosphate and nitrogen impacts on the price spring of ’27. I really struggle to see how we can solve this in such a short amount of time,” he adds.

Build A High-Yield Powerhouse From The Bottom Up

Tue, 05 May 2026 17:40:53 GMT

The planter monitor in your tractor cab insists the seed corn is tucked away at a 2.5-inch planting depth, but Randy Dowdy says to question that placement. The high-yield row-crop grower explains there is often a difference between what the planter monitor says and what the soil shows — and the gap between the two can rob farmers of yield potential before the crop ever breaks the soil surface.

“You have to distinguish between the planting depth and what we call the germination depth. It’s a potential problem we talk about all the time with our farmers in Total Acre ,” says Dowdy of his agronomic business he co-owns with David Hula, world champion corn grower.

Iowa State Extension defines planting depth as the placement of the seed corn in the soil, while germination depth (emergence) is where the corn nodal roots will form, regardless of the planting depth.

The discrepancy that can occur between the planting depth and germination depth often happens at the moment the seed trench is closed or shortly thereafter. The planter might place the seed at 2.5 inches, but the closing system can shift seed upward — especially in dry, loose soils. As the dirt settles the seed can end up germinating at a significantly shallower depth than the grower intended.

“When we check seed placement in an open furrow, there’s no doubt about it, we were planting at 2.5 inches,” Dowdy notes in a recent video. But as he moves behind the machine to inspect the closed row, the reality changes. In Dowdy’s field demonstration, the shift is dramatic, showing the seed is now sitting much closer to the soil surface.

“When we dig into that closed trench, we find that the seed is now sitting in the ground at about 1.5 inches to 1.75 inches, and that’s not what you want,” Dowdy says. Watch the video on Farm Journal TV .

The result of that shallow germination depth is a fundamental threat to corn, Iowa State Extension reports. Shallow germination can impact early root development and contribute to rootless corn syndrome, susceptibility to herbicide injury, poor drought tolerance and other issues that can impact growth and development throughout the season and, ultimately, reduce yield.

(Farm Journal TV)

To combat this, Dowdy’s philosophy is simple: trust what you learn using a shovel to dig behind the planter to locate the seed; don’t depend only on what the planter monitor in the tractor cab shows.

Dowdy and Hula advocate for establishing a consistent germination depth for seed corn across the field, ensuring that plants have the strong foundation they need to thrive.

“For proper root development, we like to maintain a consistent two-inch germination depth,” advises Dowdy, who’s based near Valdosta, Ga.

Dan Quinn, Purdue University Extension corn specialist, says the “most common seeding depths recommended for corn range between 1.5 and 2 inches deep, and these planting depths can work very well within most conditions, however, certain soil moisture conditions at planting may warrant further examination/change in seeding depth.”

This year, with dry soil conditions in the Southeast, farmers have had difficulty achieving a 2-inch planting depth consistently for good emergence. Dowdy’s directive to growers in dry ground is to account for the “settle” in soils at planting by adjusting planter settings to go a bit deeper with planting.

Iowa State Extension agrees, noting that a 3-inch depth is usually OK in drier soils. While deeper planting can take slightly longer to emerge, it can lead to more uniform stands compared to shallow planting.

“My advice in these (dry) conditions is to plant a bit deeper, knowing the ground will settle, and you’ll get better root development,” Dowdy says.

By prioritizing the physical reality of the seedbed over the digital feedback in the cab, Dowdy believes farmers can unlock better performance without any additional overhead. By doing so, growers “will do a better job, and you’ll have proper root development and help you on your yields for free,” he says.

You can hear more about how this season is shaping up for Dowdy and Hula on their latest edition of Breaking Barriers With R&D podcast with Chip Flory on AgriTalk. Listen at the link below:

50 Years of Trust: How Marion Ag Service Navigates the Future of Independent Ag Retail

Tue, 05 May 2026 15:35:25 GMT

John Hockett, CEO of Marion Ag Service, is the second-generation leader for this family-run ag retailer located in Oregon. As a previous recipient of ARA’s Retailer of the Year, Marion Ag Service exemplifies excellence in its business in many ways, which Hockett boils down to “little things matter.” This year marks 50 years of business, and on The Scoop Podcast Hockett shares a bit on their vision for the next 50.

Trust-Driven Service

Hockett emphasizes that the foundation of Marion Ag Service is built on listening to growers and solving their specific problems. The retailer serves a wide range of customers, from row crop and specialty crop growers, to nurseries, turf managers, and distributor partners within the 11 western states.

“Marion Ag was built on listening to growers and solving real problems, not just selling products. And that mindset hasn’t changed in 50 years,” he says.

He describes their “trust-driven” approach as being willing to “jump through almost any hoop” to ensure customer needs are met with speed and accuracy.

The Power of Independence

A major theme is the flexibility afforded by being a family-owned, independent retailer. Hockett notes that this allows them to make local decisions quickly and maintain accountability to their community without answering to corporate mandates or outside shareholders.

“Independence gives us the speed and flexibility, along with accountability to our community. Simply put, we care,” he says.

Culture and People Over Infrastructure

While the company has invested in modern facilities, Hockett insists that the “people inside” are the true differentiator.

His role as CEO began in 2022, and he’s worked at the company for over three decades.

“My role is really to protect our culture, and focus on long-term relationships, and position the business for sustainable growth while staying grounded in the needs of our growers. And even as we’ve grown, we’re still very hands-on and customer-driven,” he says.

He highlights the importance of protecting the company culture and investing in the next generation of leaders through coaching and succession planning.

“We’re still family-owned,” he says. “And we’re developing the next generation of leaders.”

Strategic Focus and Adaptation

The company has evolved from a local feed and supply business to a major nutrient delivery and technical service provider. This includes the disciplined decision to move away from non-core segments, like feed manufacturing, to focus on their strengths in fertilizer and soil health.

In the podcast episode he discussed in detail that decision to move on from the feed mill and his own entrance into the company and leadership roles.

Navigating Complexity as an Opportunity

Hockett identifies market volatility, rising input costs, and increasing regulations as the industry’s biggest challenges. However, he views these as Marion Ag’s greatest opportunities to provide value as a trusted partner helping growers stay profitable and efficient.

“We value all customers, and so even if it’s a one 50-pound bag of fertilizer, or it could be 10 truckloads, it’s important that we get it right, and that we’re on time,” he says. “Growers need trusted partners to help them navigate regulations and use inputs more efficiently, improve soil health, and stay profitable. And those are areas where Marion Ag is deeply invested and well-positioned.