The United States Department of Agriculture – Economic Research Service recently predicted net farm income will decline 8.3 percent in 2018. An agronomist says it’s important for growers to invest in weed control, despite budget restrictions.
Scott Svoboda serves as agronomy manager for 21st Century Cooperative. Svoboda said he understands farmers face tough economic times and may need to eliminate some input costs this growing season. However, he encourages farmers to continue to incorporate herbicide treatments in their crop budget.
?Weeds can rob more from a crop than we think,? Svoboda said. ?Not only on weed control, but also fertility – nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc. We need to keep our weeds under control, so we maintain high yields and have a profitability return at the end in the fall.?
21st Century Cooperative, partnering with Syngenta, offers growers multiple corn herbicides. Svoboda says he often recommends growers use Syngenta?s new corn herbicide, called Acuron.
?We like Acuron because it gives us three different modes of action that are helping us control some of our problematic weeds such as waterhemp and giant ragweed,? Svoboda said.
Svoboda says not only does Acuron offer growers control, but also season long control
?If we?re going at a full rate, it?s giving us control all the way through canopy, so we?re not having any weed escapes early. If we?re using it as a base foundation product, it allows us a little extra wide window when we?re putting on that second post-emerge application,? Svoboda said.
