German parliament members “pilloried” Bayer’s buyout of Monsanto this week, report Bloomberg writers Patrick Donahue and Naomi Kresge. The debate Wednesday “laid bare the depth of resistance to Bayer buying a U.S. company that many Germans view as a champion of genetically-modified crops and a weedkiller they believe might cause cancer.” The writers quote one […]
German lawmakers ask regulators to curb Bayer-Monsanto deal Read More »
As we enter the last half of September in our march to the start of harvest we seem to have two widely differing camps. On one side are the absolute lords of the high yield predictors who continue to insist that record yields are in every acre’s future and we will be drowning in excessive
Consultant Streit: Is that predicted corn yield really out there? Read More »
The total pounds of active herbicide applied in the U.S. accelerated from 2005 to 2011. That’s the latest detailed data available reported in a comprehensive study by researchers at four universities. They include the University of Virginia, Iowa State University, Michigan State University, and Kansas State University. The trendline projected on through 2016 indicates that farmers will
As weed resistance builds, total herbicide use keeps climbing Read More »
The Environmental Protection Agency made available to the public on Sept. 12 a “Glyphosate Issue Paper: Evaluation of Carconogenic Potential” in which EPA cites a lack of evidence that glyphosate causes cancer. This document establishes the rationale for re-approval of glyphosate use in the United States. The key finding is that glyphosate is “not likely to
EPA released evaluation Sept. 12 claiming glyphosate does not cause cancer Read More »
Today, we received an e-mail from Dr. Don Huber, Professor Emeritus of Purdue University with expertise in crop diseases and plant nutrition. He linked to a University of Nebraska field report commenting about stalk rot diseases, specifically naming: Anthracnose stalk rot Charcoal rot Fusarium stalk rot Diplodia stalk rot Physoderma brown spot Dr. Huber’s comment,
Goss’ wilt appears to be part of the disease pressure behind corn’s “early die-down” Read More »
Since 2008, we’ve been field-testing WakeUP’s effectiveness at translocating foliar-applied nutrients into crops. In general, we’ve found that WakeUP Summer adds a yield “bonus” to a micronutrient blend or NPK package. Example: Suppose a trace pack or other foliar nutrient formulation adds 5 bu. more yield. Including WakeUP Summer as a surfactant/penetrant/mobilizer typically stimulates another 4
How WakeUP outperformed two leading surfactants Read More »
This report was first published Sept. 13, 2016: Company officials could announce agreement on Bayer’s purchase of Monsanto by Wednesday, Sept. 14, after a renewed round of negotiations lifted Bayer’s offer to about $130 per Monsanto share. Regulatory officials would still have to approve the transaction in the U.S. and European Union. The Financial
Bayer acquiring Monsanto for $66 billion Read More »
During the last two or three weeks the first signs and feel of fall have begun to invade. Nightfall comes earlier, the nights have cooled off and the crabgrass is in all its glory. The crops have begun to change color and in multiple cases are within a week or two of early harvest beginning.
Crop consultant Bob Streit: Why USDA crop condition surveys may prove over-optimistic Read More »
As of Sept. 10, 2016, our soybean research strips in Black Hawk County, northeast Iowa, are among the few bean fields which haven’t yellowed and dropped at least some leaves in broad, irregular swatches. Below is one of our own research patches. This is a non-GMO eMerge Genetics E3192 bean, planted in mid-May. As of Sept. 10,
A tale of two soybean fields Read More »
One of our WakeUP clients in Indiana tipped us this morning that there’s an upcoming announcement of a new world soybean yield record: 171.8 bu. by Randy Dowdy of Brooks County, Georgia. Randy is already known as a corn yield champion with 503 bu. per acre. An online report written by Kevin Dowdy posted Sept. 8 says
171.8-bu. soybean yield by Randy Dowdy breaks former world record Read More »