Iowa Soybean Review, December 2013 by Iowa Soybean Association

Iowa Soybean Association, 1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny, Iowa 50023

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID DES MOINES, IA PERMIT NO. 1333

Iowa Farmers Giving Back December 2013

SOYBEANreview

IOWA

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Iowa Soybean Association

December 2013 | Vol. 26, No. 3

SOYBEANreview

December 2013

Iowa Farmers Giving Back

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID DES MOINES, IA PERMIT NO. 1333

Here at home, and around the world, there are people who are suffering and in need. Iowa farmers are giving back and helping others. Randy Van Kooten, soybean farmer from Lynville, is one of those farmers making a difference.

IOWA

Iowa Soybean Association, 1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny, Iowa 50023

ABOUT THE COVER:

14 Iowa Farmers Help Through Their Harvests

One 65-acre stretch of soybeans has special meaning to Dennis Lundy of Fontanelle.

20 Iowa Farmers Help the Hungry

Lynnville, Iowa soybean farmer Randy Van Kooten still tears up at that memory made during a World Soy Foundation project visit in Central America.

PAGE 14

22 Quality Crop Bolsters Soybean Exports The 2013 soybean harvest wasn’t a bin-buster in Iowa, but it yielded dividends that will benefit Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) members.

24 Weed War

When it comes to herbicideresistant weeds, it’s an uphill battle.

PAGE 24

Bringing stories to life. There has never been a more exciting time to be involved in the agricultural industry and we look forward to showing you why with IOWA SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION LIVE — a new app that is bringing stories to life in the Iowa Soybean Review. In three easy steps, you’ll get a more in-depth look at Iowa soybean farmers and stories that affect our lives.

PAGE 22

1. Get the FREE ISA LIVE app. Download it to your Apple or Android device by searching for IOWA SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION LIVE from your app store. Its free! 2. Once downloaded, start the app and hover over any photo that includes the ISA LIVE icon (shown here) with your mobile device and the movie will begin to play. 3. Watch as exclusive stories come to life.

Iowa Soybean Association

EXECUTIVE review Kirk Leeds Chief Executive Officer Iowa Soybean Association kleeds@iasoybeans.com Twitter@kirkleeds

Helping Others is What Farmers Do As I write this column, I am in China preparing to participate in the first “harvest” of fish at an aquaculture farm outside of Shanghai. The Iowa Soybean Association has provided key funding to the U.S. Soybean Export Council to demonstrate the use of an Intensive Pond Aquaculture system to improve fish production (using soybean-based feeds), while dramatically improving water quality in the fresh water ponds. Given the projected three-fold increase in fish production in a more sustainable system, you can imagine the interest this new technology is receiving from other aquaculture producers across China. Without question, this investment of soybean checkoff dollars in China is focused on increasing the demand for Iowa and U.S. soybeans through feed that replaces fish meal with soybean meal and soy proteins. However, it is also another demonstration of farmers’ commitment to help provide safe, nutritious and affordable food to a hungry world. Providing food and helping others is what farmers do. In this issue of the Iowa Soybean Review, we feature

stories that highlight just a few examples of how Iowans and Iowa farmers are giving back and helping others. Of particular note is a story about how soybean farmers have joined together through the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) to use soy foods to improve the diets of hungry and malnourished people around the world. Protein deficiency is a major problem in many parts of the world and soy is the least expensive way to provide high quality protein to those in need. I hope you enjoy the special stories in this edition of the magazine. As you do, my hope is that they will serve as a reminder that to those who much has been given, much is expected. Here at home, and around the world, there are people who are suffering and in need. Helping others is what farmers and Iowans do. From all of us at the Iowa Soybean Association, best wishes to you and your family for a blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year. American Soybean Association Directors Ray Gaesser, Corning Dennis Bogaards, Pella Jim Andrew, Jefferson John Heisdorffer, Keota Mark Jackson, Rose Hill

United Soybean Board Directors Laura Foell, Schaller Delbert Christensen, Audubon Larry Marek, Riverside Jim Stillman, Emmetsburg

For advertising information in the Iowa Soybean Review, please contact Larson Enterprises, (515)440-2810 or larson6@mchsi.com. Comments and statewide news articles should be sent to the above address. Advertising space reservations must be made by the first day of the month preceding publication. In consideration of the acceptance of the advertisement, the agency and the advertiser must, in respect of the contents of the advertisement, indemnify and save the publisher harmless against any expense arising from claims or actions against the publisher because of the publication of the content of the advertisement.

PAGE 18

Farmers adopt technology

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YOUTUBE LOGO SPECS Staff Credits

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The Iowa Soybean Review is black white no gradients published eight times a year by: BLACK WHITE C0 M0 Y0 K0

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Iowa Soybean Association 1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny, Iowa 50023 Phone: (515) 251-8640 Web address: www.soybeanreview.com watermark E-mail: aclinton@iasoybeans.com

Iowa Soybean Association can also be found on these sites:stacked logo (for sharing only)

Iowa Soybean Association Provides Information to Lawmakers By Policy Director Carol Balvanz

The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) Board has made a conscious decision to stay out of the Political Action Committee (PAC) business. Other organizations are able to provide funding to legislative campaigns. In the absence of a PAC, ISA works at providing information and opportunities to engage with farmers. During the past legislative session, 38 ISA leaders traveled to the Statehouse on eight different Wednesdays to meet with their legislators and discuss priority issues. ISA staff and producer experts on environmental performance, agronomic issues, and soybean checkoff investments regularly meet with legislative committees and caucus leaders to provide background. Twelve ISA leaders made the commitment to “adopt” urban legislators for the remainder of 2013, inviting them to their farms and exchanging information about rural and urban issues. This information exchange completed two important projects last fall—the late October Environmental Discovery Tour and our annual Legislator Survey. Seven legislators and four legislative staffers traveled to Webster County to see firsthand such practices as strip tillage, cover crops, a bioreactor and precision farming. They talked with farmers who were not only incorporating water quality practices

Official Notice

ISA Contract Lobbyist Jill Altringer and ISA Policy Director Carol Balvanz invite farmers to join them at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines.

into their farming operations, but also sharing those ideas with their neighbors. Legislators who attended the tour expressed surprise at ISA’s involvement in water quality and nutrient management efforts. When other legislators seek out information on the progress of the state Nutrient Reduction Strategy, we hope they will call ISA for data and discussion. It’s our intent to provide legislators with credible, scientific information they can share with their constituents. We hear from legislators, as well. Our annual legislator survey was distributed in November to all Iowa legislators. It’s their chance to study ISA’s priority issues and provide us their opinions. We aren’t looking at those survey results with the intent of distributing PAC funds, so we get pretty honest answers from legislators. The information provides us a benchmark for where legislators stand as the session begins. As the legislative session begins in mid-January, we hope that even more ISA members will decide to take the time to visit the Statehouse and get to know their local legislators — and more urban legislators — better. ISA will continue to work hard to be the agriculture information source.

I OWA S OY B E A N ASS O C I AT I O N A N N UA L M E E T I N G December 13, 2013, 9 am – 12 pm

Ankeny Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Ankeny, IA

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | S OY B E A N R E V I E W. C O M | 5

Happy Holidays!

Apricot Oatmeal

Soy Cookies

This is the time to honor traditions, spend time with family and friends and enjoy great foods associated with this time of the year. Have you thought about trying something new in your baking this year? We know that most people think soy protein is healthy, but most don’t know how to use it! I am NOT asking you to replace your meat protein, but add soy into some traditional foods just to make them a bit healthier. What’s it called? Textured Soy Protein (TSP) or Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) – same product by either name! Where do I find it in the grocery store? If there is a health market in the store, this is most likely where it will be found. It looks like little nuggets or like Rice Krispies®, although more dense than the cereal. If you don’t have a health market, look where the specialty foods are or in the flour isle. If you can’t find it, ask the store manager. If they don’t have, ask them to bring it in for you. How to use? Here are three easy ways: Oatmeal cookies- Replace half the oatmeal with Textured Soy Protein. Do not hydrate. Use it dry and measure in the same cup you use for the oatmeal or flour. (See recipe included.) Soups- Add dry Textured Soy Protein to your favorite soup (homemade or canned) for additional protein. It will hydrate in the soup and no one will know it is soy! Chili- Add dry Textured Soy Protein to your favorite chili recipe. It is lean protein with NO saturated fat, NO cholesterol and NO trans-fat. By adding just 1/4 cup dry TVP, you add an additional 12 grams protein, 4 grams of fiber, 594 milligrams potassium and it’s just 80 calories! Use with beef or pork, don’t go cold turkey! This cookie recipe is one of my favorites and is so pretty, as well as delicious! Go to www.thesoyfoodscouncil for lots of great recipes. Merry Christmas! Enjoy all the traditions of this season and maybe start a new one!

Linda Funk Executive Director The Soyfoods Council lfunk@thesoyfoodscouncil.com 800-383-1423

thesoyfoodscouncil.com | Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. 6 | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | S O Y B E A N R E V I E W. C O M

YIELD: 4 1⁄2 DOZEN

INGREDIENTS • 1 cup butter • 1 cup brown sugar • 1/2 cup sugar • • • • • • •

2 large eggs 1 cup flour 1/2 cup soy flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 teaspoon salt

• • • • • •

1 1⁄2 cups oatmeal 1 1⁄2 cups Texturized Soy Protein 1 cup chopped dried apricots 3/4 cup dried cranberries 3/4 cup coconut 3/4 slivered almonds, toasted

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 F. 1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. 2. Add next seven ingredients and mix until just blended. 3. Stir in remaining ingredients until blended. 4. Drop by rounded tablespoons, two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. 5. Bake 14-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Cool cookies on wire racks.

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2014 CROP ADVANTAGE SERIES Sponsored in part by the Iowa Soybean Association.

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January 6 - Sheldon January 8 - Okoboji January 9 - Mason City January 10 - Burlington January 14 - Ames January 15 - Storm Lake January 16 - Honey Creek January 21 - Atlantic January 22 - Fort Dodge January 23 - Waterloo January 28 - LeMars January 29 - Iowa City January 30 - Carroll

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2013 IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY SOYBEAN RESULTS RANK TESTED AS

BRAND

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CONTACT YOUR LOCAL NUTECH DEALER FOR MORE INFO. 800.942.6748

w w w.yieldleader.com D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | S OY B E A N R E V I E W. C O M | 9

‘Tis the Season for Meeting

With Your Distributor On Biodiesel By Jenna Higgins Rose

A renewed effort is underway to encourage more petroleum distributors in Iowa to carry biodiesel, and you can help! The Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB) and Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) are asking farmers in the state to lead an outreach effort on biodiesel, a true soybean checkoff and American energy success story. Iowa produces more biodiesel than any other state, yet a Department of Revenue report shows just 30 percent of on-farm diesel distributors reported they carried biodiesel blends in 2012. “We often hear from farmers that they cannot get biodiesel,” said Randy Olson, IBB executive director. “Yet, petroleum marketers say they see a lack of demand for biodiesel from their farm customers. We want to break this cycle and get biodiesel into every farmer’s tractor and truck.” That’s why the IBB, with ISA support, launched an ag outreach program last year. As part of that program, IBB and ISA are asking farmers to call their petroleum distributor and ask for a meeting to talk through the compelling reasons for carrying biodiesel. In support of this effort, IBB worked with the Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores of Iowa to develop a new brochure highlighting the benefits of adding biodiesel to their product lineup. It includes information on state incentives and how to access them. There are convincing reasons for all farmers – not just soybean producers – to use biodiesel. A study

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Infrastructu re Gr

ants 3 PofavBiodiesel called “Impact e the Way …Literally! on the Iowa Agriculture Economy” found that the increased demand for Iowa soybean oil and other vegetable oils and fats needed for biodiesel Moving yo ur p production supports higher business fo etroleum rward prices. This includes corn, Buy reand sponsibly... soybeans, soybean Buy FSC* industrial grade corn oil, cattle and hogs. Raising the crush demand for soybeans also increases production of soybean meal, and any rise in biodiesel use will reduce soybean meal prices to the benefit of Iowa’s livestock producers. For a copy of the brochure to take to your distributor, or to let us know how your meeting went, e-mail Jenna@ iowabiodiesel.org or call 866-683-4172. “Together, we can make Iowa not just the leading producer of biodiesel, but a leading user of its own product,” Olson said. “Not only is it in farmers’ best interests, it’s in the nation’s best interest as well.” Visit www.iowabiodiesel.org for more. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastr provides cos ucture Pro t-sharing gra gram distributors nts to renewa . Grant ince ble fuel ntives incl ude: Reimburse

men specific com t of up to 50 percen t of the cos ponents of ts for a project, commitmen with a thre t required e-year to sell bio diesel blen Reimburse ds. ment of up to 70 percen equipment t for specific or installa tion costs, commitmen with a five t to store -year and sell ren install cert ewable fue ain equipm ls and ent. Up to $10 0,000 per project for terminal equ hea ted biodies ipment and el /or infrastr ucture.

For more info rmation, visi grant progra t IowaBiodi m is manag esel.org. The ed by Harold Department Hommes, of Iowa (515) 242-62 Agriculture and Lan d Stewardsh 37, harold.hom ip, PH: mes@iowa The Iowa Bio agriculture die .gov. sel Board Renewable holds a sea Fuels Infrastr t on the ucture Boa rd.

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* The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) social interest is an independent, groups, For more information responsible retailers not for profit, & leading global membership about FSC, go to: www.fsc.orgforest companies to based organisation established FSC Trademark, develop standards, a certification in 1996 Forest system & credible 1993 by environmenta Stewardship lists, label for products Council A.C. from responsibly

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managed forests.

Biodiesel

5 Questions with Charles Sukup, President of Sukup Manufacturing Co. 1. Sukup is the midst of

off. A representative from Global Compassion Network heard of the Safe T Homes® and contacted us. They then made connections with I feel our most notable the Iowa Soybean Association and achievement is that we are a full-line “Special Delivery: Homes. Help. Hope. For Haiti” was launched. grain drying, handling, and storage manufacturer that employs around 4. This production year was full of 600 people and we are still familysurprises. What was your reaction owned and operated from smallto harvest? town Iowa, where our company The weather has had us on pins was born. It’s also noteworthy and needles this entire year. We had that, within our first decade as a drought last year, record rainfall this grain bin manufacturer, we quickly spring, then dry weather late in the became one of the top three bin summer. It was hard to guess what manufacturers in the world. harvest was going to bring. Overall, things seem better than expected and 2. You were recently named farmers appear to be up-beat and Engineer of the Year by the Iowa optimistic. There’s a lot of drying Chapter of the American Society going on this year, which we can of Agricultural and Biological help farmers with. We like to see our Engineers. What does that equipment being pushed hard and acknowledgment mean to you? performing. There is already lots of It’s always rewarding to be interest in grain bins and dryers for honored by your peers for your hard next year. Grain storage has been a work and dedication to the craft. Being named Engineering of the Year major profit center for farmers in the past few years and more and more was very meaningful to me. It was want to take advantage of that. also very surprising and humbling. I was the first person in our family 5. Sukup is currently constructing to earn a four-year degree and the a new office building at your first degreed engineer to work for the headquarters in Sheffield. How company. My engineering education will this expansion take Sukup actually started as soon as I could into the future? work on the farm with Dad. It Many of the people who continued once Sukup Manufacturing tour our manufacturing facility are surprised by the amount of Co. was born and I began talking to sophisticated machinery housed in and working with all the talented, our unassuming buildings, which creative people helping to develop has somewhat been by design. We our products. like to fly under the radar. We don’t 3. Sukup has been like to show off or draw attention instrumental in humanitarian (especially from our competitors). efforts in Haiti, with the This new office building is going to construction in the Village of change that some, though. It will Hope. Can you explain your speak to our role as a world-class involvement? leader in preserving the world’s Our people came together with grain supply, as well as our growing an idea for helping people affected role in providing shelter for the by the devastating earthquake in tools needed to do that important Haiti. These people were living work. The new office building will in tent cities or worse. One of our showcase our products and the employees wanted to modify a grain talents of our people, as most of the bin to use as a housing structure. A structural steel was fabricated at our team went to work on the idea and Sheffield facility and much of it will developed ways to make a grain bin be exposed and on display through livable and the Safe T Home® took the design. celebrating 50 years. What is the company’s most notable achievement?

“We are still familyowned and operated from smalltown Iowa.” -Charles Sukup, Sukup Manufacturing Co.

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | S OY B E A N R E V I E W. C O M | 1 1

Investing Checkoff Dollars

IOWA FARMERS HELP THROUGH THEIR HARVESTS By Heather Lilienthal

Fontanelle

All of Dennis Lundy’s farm acres are important to his work as a farmer in Fontanelle, but one 65-acre stretch of soybeans has special meaning. You see, these aren’t just soybean acres. They represent Fields of Faith, a project led by Lundy and several area farmers and United Methodist Church members, including Rolan Jensen

pictured above right, who donate seed, equipment, chemicals and labor to plant and harvest the grain. Once sold, the acres’ profits are donated to Foods Resources Bank, an international program that works with a number of church-based relief efforts. It all started in 2005 when he read a story about a north Iowa grain donation program. That planted the seeds for a local ag effort to help people living halfway around the world. “I read that story and knew that we could make that work here,” explains Lundy who provides the land for the program. “It’s something area farmers can do and we have a core group that keeps this going each year.”

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In addition to providing an opportunity to support charitable efforts, grain donations provide farmers with savings on federal, state income and self-employment taxes and allowing farmers to deduct input costs. The receiving charity retains 100 percent of the gift’s value. Farmers are encouraged to speak to their tax advisors prior to offering gifts of grain. Grain donations are popular fundraising options for many small Iowa towns, from supporting medical care to food programs to tourist destinations. In Le Mars, Chuck Jespersen is leading an effort to raise money for Floyd Valley Hospital’s new

Investing Checkoff Dollars

family medicine clinic and surgery center. “This is the first time in 40 years the hospital has sought the help of the community to renovate and expand our hospital and clinic,” says Jespersen, hospital foundation manager. “We’re embarking on a $26 million building project to build a new clinic and center. Our goal is to raise about 10 percent, which is $2.6 million.” Jespersen said his team wanted to give everyone in the county the opportunity to make a meaningful gift to this effort in a variety of ways. The “Harvest for your Hospital” campaign was a perfect fit for the area. Seventeen area cooperatives are accepting grain donations for the foundation’s campaign. “The gift of grain is a very meaningful gift for area grain producers who have farmed this land for generations,” he says. “Because we are an ag community, this seemed like a great giving option for people who support local, rural healthcare as well as a very helpful gift to our campaign goal.” In Gilbert, grain is not only used to feed people around the world, it’s helping the high school FFA chapter expand its Community Garden that provides fresh produce to area food banks, helping people close to home. “We launched the program this fall,” says Shele Blum, development consultant for the Gilbert Education Foundation. “We are working with FFA Chapter Advisor Jon Davis whose students tend to the garden program. The grain donation proceeds will go to the garden’s infrastructure.” In West Bend, a well-known tourist destination is need of maintenance and farmers are helping support that effort. The Grotto of the Redemption, the largest man-made grotto in the world that features scenes

of Christ’s life, is frequently considered the “Eighth Wonder of the World” and is listed on the National Register of Historical Places. But the structure dates back to 1912 and needs constant maintenance. So what better way to help boost the Grotto than grain? “The idea came from an area farmer who donated 500 bushels of grain and has challenged other farmers to join in, with the original donor agreeing to match additional contributions up to 2,000 bushels,” says Mary Straub Lavelle, Grotto director. Iowa’s youth also benefit from grain donation programs. The Iowa 4-H Foundation has accepted gifts of grain to fund scholarships for several years, according to Albert Grunenwald, foundation COO. “We have a core of a dozen or so producers who give on a regular or annual basis,” explains Grunenwald. “Some farmers will donate the proceeds to the general fund or to county programs. It offers a tax advantage to the farmer and benefits our programs and our members. Many of the donors have been involved in 4-H in one way or another, so it’s a wonderful way to pay it forward.” Lundy’s program in Fontanelle continues to grow, in acres, participation and funds raised. Since the program started, Lundy’s farmer partners have donated about $280,000. “We started with about 30 acres of soybeans to donate the first year and it’s grown to 65 acres. We’ve gone from running two combines during the harvest to six,” says Lundy. And he can’t help but notice the field conditions and yields of these special strips of crops. “These Fields of Faith always seem to out-yield many of my other acres,” comments Lundy. “It’s one of those things in which we feel God is on our side.”

“These Fields of Faith always seem to outyield many of my other acres. It’s one of those things in which we feel God is on our side.” -Dennis Lundy, Fontanelle

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Investing Checkoff Dollars

[ Continued from page 15 ]

How does it work? 1. Let the charity or organization know that you want to offer a grain gift and provide the elevator’s name to allow an account to be prepared. 2. Deliver the grain or notify the elevator of donated grain that is already in storage. The donor will request a transfer to take ownership of the grain. 3. The farmer receives a receipt documenting the bushels that have been donated and transferred.

To get involved with the grain donation fundraising opportunities highlighted: Harvesting For Your Hospital: For a listing of participating cooperatives and more info, go to www.avera.org/HarvestForFloydValley. You can also contact Chuck Jespersen, foundation manager, at 712-546-3348 or send an email to chuck.jespersen@floydvalleyhospital.org.

4. The charitable entity receives a contract-to-sell to complete the grain sale and the elevator issues a check to the entity with a bill of sale indicating the number of bushels and sale price.

Grotto of the Redemption: An account to receive donations has been established at MaxYield Cooperative in West Bend. Donors wishing to contribute to the grain challenge are asked to contact the Grotto to begin the donation process. Phone calls can be directed to 515-887-2371.

5. From an income tax standpoint, the farmer is in the same position as if she/he had sold the grain, generating income from the sale and donating the cash, which generates a tax deduction.

Gilbert Community Garden: Deliver grain to your local Key Cooperative and designate the number of bushels to be donated to the Gilbert FFA/Foundation account. For more information, call 515-232-3740.

6. The farmer has no tax on the donated grain because she/he didn’t sell it.

Iowa 4-H Foundation: For specific instructions on how to donate grain to support 4-H, contact Albert Grunenwald at 515-294-4780 or abgrunen@iastate.edu.

7. The farmer has no self-employment tax or charitable tax deduction for income tax purposes on the donated grain.

Fields of Faith: To learn more about this Fontanelle-area program, contact Dennis Lundy at haylundy@yahoo.com.

Linking Iowa soybean producers to global markets

AGP’s Export Terminal Port of Grays Harbor Aberdeen, WA 1 4 | D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | S O Y B E A N R E V I E W. C O M

Photo by Marc Sterling

Investing Checkoff Dollars

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WORK WITH YOUR EXPERT ASGROW DEALER TO IDENTIFY THE NEXT ROCK STAR FOR YOUR ACRES For more information regarding the intellectual property protection for the seed products identified in this publication, please see www.asgrowanddekalb.com. Asgrow and the A Design®, Asgrow®, Genuity®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup®, are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Always read and follow grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. ©2013 Monsanto Company.

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Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization. B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your Monsanto representative for the registration status in your state. IMPORTANT IRM INFORMATION: Genuity® RIB Complete® corn blend products do not require the planting of a structured refuge except in the Cotton-Growing Area where corn earworm is a significant pest. Genuity® SmartStax® RIB Complete®, Genuity® VT Double PRO® RIB Complete® and Genuity® VT Triple PRO® RIB Complete® corn are blended seed corn products. See the IRM/Grower Guide for additional information. Always read and follow IRM requirements. Roundup Technology® includes Monsanto’s glyphosatebased herbicide technologies. Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible. For more information regarding the intellectual property protection for the seed products identified in this publication, please see www.asgrowanddekalb.com. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready® crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Warrant® Herbicide is not registered in all states. Warrant® Herbicide may be subject to use restrictions in some states. The distribution, sale, or use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. Check with your local Monsanto dealer or representative for the product registration status in your state. Acceleron® and Design®, Asgrow® and the A Design®, Asgrow®, Bollgard® and Design®, Bollgard II® and Design®, DEKALB® and Design®, DEKALB®, DroughtGard®, Genuity Design®, Genuity Icons, Genuity®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, RIB Complete and Design®, RIB Complete®, Roundup Ready 2 Technology and Design®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield®, Roundup Ready PLUS®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Technology®, Roundup WeatherMAX and Design®, Roundup®, SmartStax®, Transorb and Design®, VT Double PRO®, VT Triple PRO® and Warrant® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Deltapine® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Company. Channel® and the Arrow Design® is a registered trademark of Channel Bio, LLC. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® is a registered trademark of Bayer. Herculex® is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Respect the Refuge and Corn Design® and Respect the Refuge® are registered trademarks of National Corn Growers Association. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2013 Monsanto Company. 2013R04

Twelve Iowa FFA Chapters

Awarded $2,500 “Be The Seed” Grants Twelve Iowa FFA chapters have been awarded $2,500 “Be The Seed” grants to spur innovation and progress in their communities while promoting the importance of farming. The “Be The Seed” Grant Program is sponsored by the Iowa Food & Family Project (Iowa FFP) in partnership with DuPont Pioneer and Iowa Soybean Association. Chapters will partner with an existing community or school group to conduct activities that are the “seed” of change, innovation or education to enhance their local communities. Chapters will incorporate food and farming themes into their programming, and to use the opportunity to educate others on the importance of agriculture, sustainability and community involvement. Grant recipients will be recognized in April at the Iowa FFA State Leadership Conference in Ames. One chapter determined to have conducted the most successful activity in partnership with their community will be recognized with a $5,000 Award of Achievement. More than 40 FFA Chapters applied for grant funding.

Bart Baudler, DuPont Pioneer business director, says grant program judges were impressed with the applications. “The tremendous response to this program is an indication of the growing interest there is in FFA and in food production. We look forward to working with grant recipients to implement their successful programs,” he said. Aaron Putze, director of communications for the Iowa Soybean Association and Iowa FFP coordinator, says the “Be The Seed” grant program furthers the goals of the Iowa Food & Family Project by directly engaging people in agriculture and emphasizing the critical link between farms and communities.

BE THE DuPont Pioneer | Iowa Food & Family Project

Grant Recipients: • Bison FFA, Buffalo Center

• Pekin FFA

• Clay Central-Everly FFA

• Sibley-Ocheyedan FFA

• Guthrie Center FFA

• South Tama County FFA

• Iowa Falls-Alden FFA

• Tipton FFA

• Midland FFA, Wyoming

• Tripoli FFA

• Murray FFA

• West Central Valley FFA, Stuart

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DUPPSY13039VA_120113_ISR

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IOWA FARMERS HELP S P E C I A L D E L I V E RY ’ S M I S S I O N

LIVES ON IN HAITI By Joe Murphy

The power of giving can never be underestimated according to Dennis Anderson of Global Compassion Network (GCN). Anderson, GCN, FFA and countless other supporters and volunteers continue to pull together to help those in need half a world away and in our own backyards. “Special Delivery: Homes, Help. Hope. for Haiti.” launched in 2011 after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated the island of Haiti. The campaign was coordinated by the Iowa Food & Family Project and led by the Iowa Soybean Association, Global Compassion Network and Sukup Manufacturing Co. The campaign, co-chaired by Lt.

Gov. Kim Reynolds and Ag Secretary Bill Northey, encouraged contributions totaling more than $400,000. The resources helped purchase and deliver nearly 60 Safe-T-Homes to the GCN’s Village of Hope near Les Cayes, Haiti and more than 230,000 servings of soybased Meals from the Heartland (MftH). “Special Delivery” officially concluded more than a year ago – June 7, 2012 – but its legacy lives on. Through the efforts of “Special Delivery,” more than 100 Haitians are now living and working at the Village of Hope. “The Village of Hope has saved lives,” says Brett Nelson, safety director for Sukup Manufacturing

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Co. “Some residents would have truly died if not for the safe, secure and stable community formed by the campaign and the Safe T Home. Perhaps generations of Haitians will now have a chance at life, education, and prosperity.” Nelson adds that the widespread support and belief by so many individuals, churches and organizations in Iowa has been transformational. “The past year has been very exciting, rewarding and even emotional. Seeing the development of the Village of Hope, from an empty field to a thriving community, is something we are all very proud of,” Nelson says.

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“Some residents would have truly died if not for the safe, secure and stable community formed by the campaign and the Safe T Home. Perhaps generations of Haitians will now have a chance at life, education, and prosperity.” -Brett Nelson, Sukup Manufacturing Co.

Members of the Sioux Central FFA, along with MftH, Sukup Manufacturing and GCN, have helped lead ongoing fundraising efforts to build more homes and provide infrastructure at the village. During the past year, four students from Sioux Central FFA have traveled to Haiti to help build a Safe-T-Home they purchased and donated to the Village. Other FFA groups from Iowa, Nebraska and Utah have also raised money for homes and traveled to Haiti to build them. "The project that Iowa Food & Family Project organized was so rewarding for students to jump in and become involved," says Melanie Bloom, Sioux Central FFA instructor. "During my career, I've searched for community service projects that are meaningful and really make a difference and this one topped the list.” Anderson, of the GCN, has now led about 10 trips of volunteers to Haiti, has helped the victims of the Oklahoma City tornadoes and assisted in cleanup after a tornado destroyed farmsteads near Correctionville. “The work that Iowa Food &

Family Project did helped give us a lot of exposure,” Anderson says. “It's overwhelming what Iowans have contributed.” Before Superstorm Sandy impacted New Jersey, Connecticut and New York in October 2012, it dumped 40 inches of rain during four days on Haiti. The massive flooding destroyed many homes located one hour from the Village of Hope. To help, GCN started a new village and has built 13 homes with a majority of the donations coming from Iowa. The group continues to raise money and hopes to build another 13 homes at that village while planning for future help. Anderson said the relief will continue long after the buildings are finished. “We’re entering into a harder phase of trying to help them become self sustaining and teach them skills on farming and irrigation,” Anderson says. “They’re beginning the transition from using oxen to using a small tractor. We are also planning on sending a two-row planter down there which will revolutionize the way they work while giving them better results.” Several other groups that have witnessed the success of the Safe-T-Homes in Haiti are now looking at using them to help in other developing and under developed countries, according to Nelson. He says Sukup is working to use the homes as schools, orphanages and hospitals. They are also developing improvements to the Safe-T-Homes. “Special Delivery” allowed our young people to change lives and that work continues,” says Bloom. “Every time I think about it, I choke up. It is the most meaningful thing I've seen my students do." D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | S OY B E A N R E V I E W. C O M | 1 9

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IOWA FARMERS HELP THE HUNGRY THROUGH THE

WORLD SOY FOUNDATION What do you say to a father who tells you that your crop saved his children from starving? Lynnville, Iowa soybean farmer Randy Van Kooten still tears up at that memory made during a World Soy Foundation project visit in Central America. “It hits home to hear how much we are appreciated,” he says. “Our crop has enormous power to bring life-long benefits to children.” From school children in Africa to senior citizen care facilities in Haiti, the World Soy Foundation (WSF) takes the power of soy to people who are truly in need. “Roughly 1-in-8 people in the world suffered from chronic hunger in 2011-2013,” says Van Kooten, who serves as a member of the foundation’s board of trustees. “Through the World Soy Foundation, each of us has the opportunity to make a difference. ”Governments are toppled when people are hungry,” says Van Kooten, who experienced a food riot while in a country where food prices had jumped 25 percent. “As a farmer, helping others makes you feel good

about your profession and being a soybean farmer. That’s why I got involved in the foundation.” “Protein is greatly needed for both young and old,” says Roy Bardole of Rippey. He visited a Haitian home for disabled children that the World Soy Foundation assisted with support from Bardole’s grandson, Schyler, son of Tim and Lori Bardole. In 2010, between high school classes and sports, Schyler organized local dinner fundraisers for the World Soy Foundation to install a SoyCow processing unit in Haiti to help after the island nation was hit by a 7.0 earthquake. He named the project Relieving Undernourishment with Soy in Haiti (RUSH). Two years later, Schyler and his grandfather saw the SoyCow in action. “With this soy technology, we are teaching people what it takes to make a business so they can earn an income,” says Roy, who is also on the World Soy Foundation board of trustees. “They were able to make more milk than what they needed to

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feed their own and then sold the extra.” The Bardoles came home with a strong reminder that U.S. farmers have much to be thankful for and much to offer. The hotel where they stayed had sustained significant earthquake damage and people died. As a symbol of reconstruction, Schyler returned to Iowa with a piece of concrete from the rubble.

Farmer Funds are Key to Partnering with Business

Farmers founded the World Soy Foundation and had it headquartered at the American Soybean Association office in St. Louis. Farmer leaders like Van Kooten and Bardole saw the importance of partnering with businesses to multiply the results. “The Acre Challenge is the core funding that allows the World Soy Foundation to develop projects and programs that are of interest to businesses to join with us,” says Van Kooten. “Farmer contributions show that we are passionate for the cause of nourishing the hungry.”

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The Soy Market Development Continuum

WORLD SOY FOUNDATION

WISHH

• Reduce malnutrition through the power of soy • Humanitarian based

U.S. SOYBEAN EXPORT COUNCIL

• Long-term demand and market building

• Maximize the use of U.S. soy internationally

• Create customers and markets for U.S. soy

• Target large, or potentially large markets • Short-term success timeline

Strategic Philanthropy

Market Development

What is the World Soy Foundation? The World Soy Foundation is a 501c3 charitable organization that reduces malnutrition through the power of soy. An optimal source of protein, soy can play a powerful role in a child’s journey to health, happiness and a productive life. Therefore, the World Soy Foundation creates partnerships and builds alliances that deliver soy protein and nutrition education around the world. It is headquartered at the American Soybean Association. More information is available at www.worldsoyfoundation.org or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TheWSF and Twitter at www.twitter.com/thewsf

Lynville farmer Randy Van Kooten receives a hug from a child at a home for girls in Guatemala where soy is an important source of protein. The World Soy Foundation has assisted the home in establishing a small soy processing center that feeds the girls as well as makes enough for them to sell additional foods.

How You Can Participate in the Acre Challenge To participate in the Acre Challenge, simply calculate the value of an acre of soybeans in your operation (yield multiplied by price). Send a check to: World Soy Foundation 12125 Woodcrest Executive Dr. Suite 100 St. Louis, MO 63141

Or contribute online at https://29037.thankyou4caring.org/

The World Soy Foundation is a 501c3 charitable organization. Your gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | S OY B E A N R E V I E W. C O M | 2 1

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Quality Crop Bolsters Soybean Exports By Matthew Wilde

The 2013 soybean harvest wasn’t a bin-buster in Iowa, but it yielded dividends that will benefit Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) members. Farmers and industry experts say the quality of this year’s crop was excellent, which should bolster exports. Based on recent sales abroad and optimism shown by foreign buyers during multiple ISA sponsored crop tours during harvest, demand for Iowa soybeans, soybean meal and oil should stay strong throughout the marketing year. “We’ve had near-record soybean and soybean meal exports and that should continue,” says Grant Kimberley, ISA’s director of market development and central Iowa farmer. “Buyers will want to continue to do business with us because they are getting good quality.” According to government data, 33.5 million metric tons or 1.2 billion bushels of U.S. soybeans have been sold to export markets through Nov. 7 for the 2013/14 marketing year. A little more than 7 million metric tons have been shipped. Even with record South American soybean production in 2013, this year’s soybean exports sales pace is 29 percent ahead of a year ago. Russia even

Iowa soybean production is estimated at 415.4 million bushels.

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purchased 120,000 metric tons of soybeans from the U.S. in September, which it hasn’t done in years. “It goes to show that demand is very strong at current prices and much stronger than the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) or anyone in the trade expected,” Kimberley says. “No matter the size of Iowa’s soybean crop, or worldwide production, global demand seems to rise to the point that utilization nearly equals whatever the supply may be.” According to the USDA’s November Crop Production Report, Iowa soybean production is estimated at 415.4 million bushels, slightly up from a year ago. The average yield is estimated at 45 bushels per acre, up a half bushel from last year. The USDA estimates national soybean production at 3.26 billion bushels, up 7 percent from last year. If realized, it will be the third largest crop on record. In general, Iowa soybean farmers are pleased with yields given the challenging growing season. The majority of acres were planted late --- more than 100,000 acres weren’t planted at all, according to Farm Service Agency reports --- due to a record wet spring. Drought conditions

National soybean production estimated at 3.26 billion bushels.

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returned in the summer. Many parts of state received little or no rain in August, the critical month for pod set and fill. During the latter half of August, a heat wave hit. Some areas of the state were blessed with timely rains in late July and August. The result was extremely variable yields. Reports ranged from the mid-20s to more than 80 bushels per acre. ISA Board member Curt Sindergard’s soybeans averaged 42-43 bushels per acre. It was a far cry from his 58-bushelper-acre average the previous three years. Still, the Rolfe farmer representing District 1 says he’s pleased. He didn’t think 40 was possible during the summer. “It’s probably as good as we could expect. We really went through the gamut this year,” Sindergard says. “With what we lost in bushels, I’m very happy with our soybeans’ intrinsic value. I think people will be impressed with the protein and oil content,” he adds. “In the long run, we’ll get paid back because of the strong demand due to good quality.” Mark Sandeen, vice president of processing and marketing at Ag Processing Inc (AGP), says Iowa’s soybean crop was “remarkable” given the adverse growing conditions. AGP is the largest “cooperative” soybean processing company in the nation. Based in Omaha, Neb., AGP has six soybean processing plants in Iowa --- Eagle Grove, Emmetsburg, Manning, Mason City, Sergeant Bluff and Sheldon. “Stress tends to bring out the protein. The protein content of the beans will help the farmer market soybeans and promote exports through raw soybeans and soybean meal,” Sandeen says.

AGP is one of the largest soybean meal exporters in the world. The bulk of the meal is shipped from its export facility at the Port of Grays Harbor in Washington state. Government data indicates total export sales of U.S. soybean meal as of Nov. 7 for the 2013/14 marketing year stand at nearly 5 million metric tons. That’s more than half of the USDA forecast only a month into the marketing year and 31 percent more exported than the previous year. “As a nation, we will probably have record soybean exports again,” Sandeen says. “China and many other nations want our soybeans and meal. A lot relates back to our competition in South America, which has struggled at times to get product out.” According to the USDA, the United States exported 1.3 billion bushels or 36.6 million metric tons of soybeans in 2012. China was the largest buyer by far, paying nearly $15 billion for beans. Mexico was the largest importer of soybean meal in 2012, valued at nearly $684 million, statistics show. The Philippines was a close second, buying nearly $600 million. During the 2013 Crop Sampling Tour, funded in part by the Soybean Checkoff, a dozen Asian soybean buyers got an up-close look at Iowa’s crop. The group gathered about 300 soybean samples in six states, which AGP analyzed in Eagle Grove for protein, oil and fiber. “Everything looks good,” says Leo Lui, manager of purchase development for Jiusan Oils and Grains Industries Group Co., Ltd., one of China’s largest soybean importers and crushers. “Seeing harvest and touching and gathering samples builds confidence.”

we will probably have record soybean exports again. China and “ Asmanya nation, other nations want our soybeans and meal. ”

-Mark Sandeen, Ag Processing Inc.

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WEED WAR By Matthew Wilde

hen it comes to herbicideresistant weeds, it’s an uphill battle. The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA), along with Iowa State University (ISU) and industry partners, are at war against weeds. Experts say if the enemy is left unchecked, it will cripple productivity and threaten the livelihood of farmers. Mike Owen, ISU Extension and Outreach weed specialist and agronomist, is on the front lines. He

says the war can be won, but it will take time, thought and improved management. “Some people are starting to use better weed management strategies, but on a whole we’re not really seeing a lot of progress,” Owen says. “It’s not unlike trying to change directions on an aircraft carrier. It’s not an easy or rapid endeavor.” Herbicide resistance isn’t a new phenomenon. Farmers have dealt with it for more than 50 years, but

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the problem has intensified in the last decade as several important weed species have evolved resistance to glyphosate --- the most widely used herbicide. Repeated use of a particular chemical(s) allows weeds to select for resistance --- a consequence of basic evolution. Weeds eventually withstand normal and higher rates of herbicide applications and pass on resistance genes to new generations.

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“

It’s not unlike trying to change directions on an aircraft carrier. It’s not an easy or rapid endeavor.

”

-Mike Owen, Iowa State University

The main herbicide-resistant enemies in Iowa are waterhemp, giant ragweed and horseweed (marestail). Studies show a soybean field with a weed infestation of 20 to 30 percent can reduce yields by 20 to 50 percent, which could mean thousands of dollars in lost revenue. This spring, Owen estimated 20 to 30 percent of Iowa’s soybean fields had glyphosate-resistant weeds --- 2 to 3 million acres. An ISA-funded survey this year of 400 soybean fields throughout the state suggest that the problem may be worse. “What we found was that there was a preponderance of weeds above the canopy that suggests herbicide resistance issues. … We’re not quite ready to release (figures yet), but they are certainly bigger numbers than we hoped,” Owen says.

Resisting resistance There are three reasons farmers don’t make fighting herbicide-resistant weeds a priority, Owen says. They are: • Silver bullet. Some still believe the crop protection industry will come up with a new simple and convenient product that will solve the problem. • Economics. Some farmers are unwilling to change weed-control tactics, which will likely cost more money, even though data indicates it’s financially advantageous. • Time management. Controlling herbicide-resistant weeds typically takes more planning and may require additional field passes.

Kyle Manz, a technical sales agronomist with DuPont Crop Protection based in Harlan, says that type of thinking will get a farmer in trouble. “(Herbicide resistance) is definitely getting worse and worse by the day,” Manz says. “To be honest, a lot of farmers who just used glyphosate have a really bad problem right now. They are going from a cheap program (about $10 per acre) to a really expensive one ($40 to $60 per acre) to just try to maintain the disaster. “Farmers definitely think the new silver bullet is coming like glyphosate,” he adds. “(Companies), including DuPont, will come out with new products but it will be pinpointed at one or two weeds, not everything.” ISA Board member Jeff Jorgenson of Sidney says farmers have no choice but to fight. “I think there’s enough awareness. (But) at some point people have to realize what they’re doing isn’t working,” Jorgenson says.

New enemies Getting herbicide resistant weeds under control won’t get any easier next year. Owen confirmed Palmer amaranth, which has been a big problem for farmers in the southeastern United States, was found in several parts of the state this year. “I’ve never seen it first-hand until this year. It’s a horse and it’s not pretty,” says Manz, referring to an outbreak in Harrison County. “I think it’s glyphosate resistant.” Owens adds, “If I were a betting guy, and I am, I would bet it probably is.” Prevent plant acres will also pose challenges next year, experts say. According to the Farm Service Agency, more than 720,000 acres weren’t planted in Iowa this spring due to wet weather. While many farmers with prevent plant fields were able to seed cover crops or spray to control weeds, that wasn’t always the case. “One has to wonder if we will have trouble with stale seed bed issues,” Owen says. “Some did a nice job managing weeds, some said they will worry about weeds next year, and indeed they will.”

BATTLE PLAN F O R 2 014 Spraying weeds twice during the growing season with one product is no longer an option, weed experts and farmers say. “Plan to have as much diversity as possible in your weed management program. It’s clear to me that in each and every case, farmers need to start out with a soil-applied residual product … and they need to consider whether fall applications are important,” Owen says. There’s still time to mitigate the problem. The following are some of the best weed control tactics, experts say:

• Use multiple effective modes of herbicide action and rotate the use of chemicals to prevent resistance build up. • Control weeds in field waterways, edges and road ditches to prevent weed immigration into fields and escapes. • Improve crop rotation diversity and consider spot tillage as appropriate to supplement other weed management tactics. Barry Christensen, an ISA Farm and Food Ambassador from Lime Springs, says wet weather and delayed planting hampered weed control efforts this year. In some areas, it impacted yields and profitability. “I think this year was a wakeup call to farmers to make it a priority to kill weeds,” Christensen says. “Issues can multiply in a hurry and get out of control.”

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On-Farm Herbicide Replicated Trials Lead to Improved Weed Control By Mick Lane

When Brad Eslick agreed to put out an On-Farm Network® replicated strip trial that included testing a regimen of herbicides and a fungicide on soybeans in 2011, he was more interested in proving whether his beans would benefit from the fungicide application. “I saw it as a continuation of some previous On-Farm Network trials we’d done with fungicides on soybeans, and was mostly interested in seeing if I could repeat the yield increases we’d seen before,” says Eslick, who farms near Dayton. Still, because the trial tested a combination of a preemergence residual herbicide mix and a second pass with a glyphosate product against an all-glyphosate weed control program, he selected a field where he’d noted an increasing amount of uncontrolled weeds, mostly waterhemp, with the glyphosate program he’d been using. The trial Eslick signed up for was sponsored by BASF and was a test of what the company called a “High Intensity Soybean Management” program. The program started with a pre-emergence application of tank-mixed Outlook® herbicide, at 10 oz. per acre, and Verdict® herbicide, applied at 5 oz. per acre. This early application was followed with Headline® fungicide and glyphosate, applied in late June. Eslick says that while weeds in the high intensity trial strips were fairly well controlled, waterhemp in the glyphosate-only strips got a little out of hand. “I was growing seed beans on that field, and the seed company didn’t like seeing the waterhemp in the glyphosate strips,” he says. “They insisted I do something to get it under control.” Eslick wasn’t anxious to lose his seed production contract, so even though it meant going away from the

YEAR

established trial protocol, he made a third weed control pass across the weedy strips in the field, applying a nonglyphosate post herbicide. “We were a little late getting it on,” he says. “It did help to control the waterhemp, but it also burned the beans.” And that resulted in lower yields from those strips. “If the entire field had gotten the high intensity management treatment, we’d have had the best weed control there that we’d had in years and the beans would have averaged almost 70 bu. per acre. I’d never seen 70 bu. beans before, but we had more than that in some of the high intensity management strips. “We’d been using glyphosate in both corn and soybeans. It was easy and cost less. But our weed control had been fading,” he admits. “After seeing the weed control in the high intensity management strips in that trial, we’re now using those herbicides on all our soybeans.” Eslick did some additional testing of the herbicide rates used in the High Intensity Soybean Management program and determined that increasing the Outlook herbicide in the mix to 14 oz. per acre, still within label limits, increased early weed control. Besides the lesson from the late post-emergence herbicide application, Eslick says he also learned that, though not as convenient as the glyphosate two-pass system, using alternative chemistries for weed control is a good thing. Soybean growers working with the On-Farm Network have conducted nearly 100 replicated strip trials comparing various combinations of pre- and post-emergence herbicides to a 2-pass glyphosate program in the past five years. Results from trials from 2008 through 2012 are shown in Table 1.

# OF TRIALS

RESIDUAL HERBICIDE USED

RESIDUAL

GLYPHOSATE

AVERAGE YIELD RESPONSE

RANGE OF YIELD

2008

Extreme

50.7

-2.2 to 2.6

2009

Extreme

53.2

54.2

-5.3 to 0.9

2010

Authority Assist

56.9

55.6

-2.2 to 3.1

2011

Cobra

47.9

-4.4 to 0.3

2011

Authority Assist

51.8

52.6

-2.5 to 0.3

2011

Authority Assist, Headline & Hero

59.7

56.6

1.5 to 4.5

Verdict, Outlook, Headline, & Respect Insecticide

55.4

53.7

BASF High Intensity

51.7

51.5

-14.3 to 9.9 --

2011 2012 2012

Cobra

63.9

65.7

Total Trials

Average, all trials, all years

54.6

54.5

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0.0 to 5.7

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“As you can see from the table, herbicide program had little impact on soybean yields,” says Tristan Mueller, ISA On-Farm Network program manager. “We’ll have results from the 2013 trials available soon and will present those at our 2014 conference in February.” What’s not shown in the trial results table is level of weed control. “We collaborated with Iowa State University on several of the 2012 trials, in which weed populations were monitored,” Mueller says. “They found better control in most cases.” Additionally, many of the farmers who have conducted these tests have seen noticeable improvements in long-term control by moving away from total reliance on glyphosate and, like Eslick, they’re moving away from the two-pass glyphosate program. Mueller says the On-Farm Network is continuing to work with soybean growers and chemical companies to test new or different weed management programs. “For 2014, Valent has agreed to sponsor 10 on-farm replicated strip trials of a new product called Fierce,” he says. Fierce is a combination of Valor herbicide (Flumioxazin) and Pyroxasulfone, a relatively new chemistry that is the active ingredient in Zidua herbicide, from BASF, among others. “The trials we’re doing on Fierce will compare with the farmer’s normal weed control program,” Mueller says. “If you’re still relying on an allglyphosate program, this will give you a chance to test an alternative. “With soybean varieties resistant to dicamba and 2,4-D becoming available over the next couple of years, growers will have additional options for weed control,” Mueller continues. “We’re hoping to be able to have On-Farm Network tests with these new variety-plus-herbicide programs.” Mueller says that keeping track of the herbicides that have been used recently on individual fields and rotating between herbicides on crops and fields will slow the shifts toward herbicide resistant weeds and assure better weed control over the years. For more on On-Farm Network herbicide trials, go to www.isafarmnet.com, or email Mueller (tmueller@iasoybeans.com).

Herbicides do make a difference in weed control. Shown here are two strips in an On-Farm Network High Intensity Soybean Management replicated strip trial. The strip on the right received two passes of glyphosate for weed control, while the one on the left received a pre-emergence residual herbicide.

“After seeing the weed control in the high intensity management strips in that trial, we’re now using those herbicides on all our soybeans.” -Brad Eslick, Dayton

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