No-Till Farmer Blog

Just as Roundup Ready alfalfa has received an important approval to help clear its path toward usage, sugarbeet growers are left wondering what will happen with Roundup Ready sugarbeets in 2011. One judge ordered that the genetically modified beets needed to be destroyed, only to see another court block that ruling.

One of the effects of Roundup Ready crops is that the traditional herbicides used to control weeds in conventional crops are used less. As a result, manufacturers scale back on production of those products.

What we’re hearing now is that with the uncertainty of Roundup Ready sugarbeets is that these conventional herbicides could be in short demand and become very expensive if plantings of Roundup Ready sugarbeets is denied in 2011.

So what might be the impact? Higher production costs certainly could cause growers to switch to corn, soybeans, small grains or other crops, many of which have been soaring in price lately in the commodity markets. And could that mean a shortage of sugar eventually in the U.S.?

I don’t know the answer, and perhaps I’m looking to much down the road. Somehow, I find it unlikely that Roundup Ready sugarbeets won’t be banned from plantings in 2011.

What I do know is that for every action, there is a reaction. We’ll have to wait and see what eventually is the end game for Roundup Ready sugarbeets and how that impacts agriculture in 2011.

It’s less than a month until the National No-Tillage Conference. Can you believe that?

I was given the chance to conduct two topics. I chose seed treatments for my general session and nutrient balance for my nitty-gritty, get-down-and-dirty classroom session.

My first thought is to explain why I inoculate my seed. Maybe it should be, “Why I Treat My Treated Seed?”

I inoculate all my seed. I inoculate every seed, even perennials transplanted in the landscape, with SabrEx Seed Treatment. It’s the latest trichadermal to come out of the labs of Dr. Gary Harmon at Cornell.

With trichaderma, I get healthy plants, less disease, more yield and fewer replants. It all adds up to money.

To me, in my little world, every seed should be treated with it. It doesn’t hurt yield; it makes the plant healthier. I was able to purchase Rupp Seed Wheat of Wauseon, Ohio, from my local dealer with it installed right on the seeds. That is a big plus for farmers.

I’m out there in the field, sprinkling the treatment in the seed boxes and hoppers, because it makes me money. It slows me down, but it makes me money.

The same company came up with the latest soybean inoculant dubbed R09 or Rhizobia 2009. This little bug added 7 bushels per acre to my soybean yields again this year.

I don’t see why any soybean farmer would not inoculate and I surely don’t see why they wouldn’t use R09. On your farm, Vault or Optimize or something else may be better, but at least try it and use it!

I got my first shot at the American Seed Trade meeting in Chicago last week. That conference has changed since Monsanto bought up so many little companies. I could see the change. The hotels were not as full. Yields continue to increase and traits continue to make many farmers money, so this progression is natural.

Weed resistance was a discussion point. The Mid-South has a huge problem with glyphosate-resistant pigweed and I even see it in the Ohio Valley. It ruined our garden right next to some excellent, weed-free LibertyLink soybeans. Those beans were the most profitable crop on our farm this year.

On the micronutrients, I find good yield response by applying them when my tissue test shows a deficiency. The grade-card idea for farmers rings a bell, as “D” on your tissue test is a “D” on your farm grade card and it pays to get it up into the Satisfactory range.

Those are some of the things that I’m thinking about sharing at the National No-Tillage Conference. See you in Cincinnati.