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37% Of Farmers Are ‘Not At All’ Confident In Tariff Aid Package

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 06:18:40 GMT

Last week, the Trump Administration announced that it will roll out a $12 billion aid package to farmers as early as this September. The emergency aid is designed to offset financial losses farmers affected by tariffs are expected to incur as a result of the trade disputes between the U.S. and China. But only 10% of farmers responding to a Farm Journal Pulse survey last week said the relief plan alleviates their financial concerns.

Nearly 670 farmers responded to the question: To what degree does President Trump’s $12 billion relief plan for U.S. farmers relieve your concerns about the impact of tariffs on your farm income? Thirty-seven percent of farmers responded “not at all.” Another 24% said the plan alleviates their concerns only “somewhat,” while 29% percent said they are “not sure.”

= Completely	67	10 %
= Somewhat	162	24 %
= Not At All	245	37 %
= Not Sure	192	29 %
Total # of Responses	666

Farm Country Sees Midterm Elections As Vote To Support Trump

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 06:12:05 GMT

While his name will not appear on a ballot Nov. 6, President Donald Trump looms large over the midterm elections. In rural America, that vote is largely seen as an opportunity to backstop the Trump administration, according to the latest Farm Journal Pulse Poll.

Respondents were asked if President Trump will have an influence on their midterm votes. Of the 919 respondents, 62% said they planned to vote for Republican candidates in order to support the president. Just 11% indicated plans to vote for Democrat candidates to oppose the president.

The polling comes after a couple of significant political wins for the president: the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court and a tentative, revised trade deal with Canada and Mexico.

Twenty-six percent of the poll’s respondents said presidential politics will play no role in Congressional balloting next month.

Nationally, the latest FiveThirtyEight poll shows Democrats with a nearly 9% advantage in the popular vote margin.

15% Of Corn Growers Report Moderate To Severe Rootworm Issues

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 06:12:50 GMT

If you saw a lot of corn rootworm (CRW) beetles on your combine windshield this fall while harvesting soybeans, plan to protect your 2019 corn crop from the pest.

“That and beetles in your bean fields this season say your fields are at risk, and hybrid selection needs to be a big consideration for the year ahead,” says Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

Bayer Monsanto research from 2016 and again in 2017 shows that rootworm hot spot areas are of particular concern and most prominent in northwest Illinois, northern Iowa, northeast Nebraska and northeast Colorado.

A Farm Journal Pulse survey conducted in 2018 supports that finding. The survey, conducted in November, asked farmers whether their corn rootworm infestation this year was severe, moderate or no problem. While 85% reported no problem, 15% of the 704 farmers responding said they had moderate to severe problems. A look at the map below shows the approximate location of the farmers responding, corroborating Bayer Monsanto’s findings.

Researchers say these areas of the country are routinely affected by CRW infestations, because they have a long history of continuous corn planting to accommodate livestock feeding or high-production, irrigated fields.

Annually, CRW threatens an estimated 50 million acres of U.S. cornfields, costing producers about $200 million each year in preventive measures and $800 million in yield loss. Research shows every root node nibbled by larvae results in a yield loss of about 15%. In addition, weakened roots can impede harvesting, further reducing grain yield by 15% to 34%, Bayer Monsanto reports.

With some corn traits struggling to keep CRW at bay, it’s more important than ever to use best management practices, per the National Corn Growers Association Take Initiative program:

Plant the required refuge. Take into account the product and geography you’re in: corn-growing states’ refuge is 5% in-bag or a 20% structured refuge, and cotton-growing states are 20% in-bag and 50% for a structured refuge.
Use insect resistance management strategies: rotate crops, use pyramided traits, rotate traits and rotate and use multiple modes of action for insecticide seed treatments, soil-applied insecticides and foliar-applied insecticides.
Actively scout to see if control methods are working, and whether there are escapes or possible resistance. Take additional action to control pests when necessary.

37% Of Farmers Are ‘Not At All’ Confident In Tariff Aid Package

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 06:11:11 GMT

= Completely	67	10 %
= Somewhat	162	24 %
= Not At All	245	37 %
= Not Sure	192	29 %
Total # of Responses	666