Topic Page

soybean crop

Monsanto says it’s not to blame for misuse of old dicamba

A Monsanto executive "acknowledged the company misjudged the timeline" for EPA approval of its lower-volatility formulation of the weedkiller dicamba in 2016, reports Reuters. The result was that some farmers, worried about invasive weeds, planted Monsanto's new dicamba-tolerant soybean seeds and used older versions of dicamba, blamed for damage to neighboring fields.

EPA puts additional restrictions on when and how dicamba is used

Following an explosion of complaints about crop damage by the weedkiller dicamba, the EPA strengthened its rules for spraying the herbicide onto genetically modified cotton and soybeans. The new guidelines require special training of applicators before they can spray dicamba, limit the time of day when it can be used and bar spraying when winds exceed 10 miles an hour, a reduction from the 15 mph limit this year.

Dicamba blamed for damage to oak trees in Midwest and South

State officials in Illinois, Iowa and Tennessee have received hundreds of complaints blaming the weedkiller dicamba for damage to oak trees this summer, says the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting (MCIR). Usage of dicamba — and complaints of crop damage — has increased with the release of soybean and cotton varieties genetically modified to tolerate doses of the chemical.

Crop damage unacceptable, says soy group seeking path forward on dicamba

The dicamba "issue" — widespread reports of crop damage from using the weedkiller — "isn't going away, in fact it's only getting worse," said Ron Moore, the American Soybean Association president and an Illinois farmer. "We are committed to establishing both a cause and a path forward ... including what actions need to be taken to assure that soybean farmers can use the product safely without damaging their own or their neighbors’ crops."

Report: EPA considering ban on dicamba spraying in 2018

In the wake of this summer’s widespread damage to soybeans and other crops caused by the unintended drift from applications of the weedkiller dicamba, Reuters reports that EPA regulators told state officials that they are considering a ban on use of the herbicide after a cutoff date early next year. The idea would be to limit spraying to early spring, before soybeans emerge from the ground.  

On the horizon: Huge corn and soy crops, low market prices

The U.S. corn and soybean crops will be slightly larger than expected, mammoth production that would assure lackluster commodity prices far into 2018, according to a USDA survey of growers. With normal weather and yields, the corn and soybean harvests would be the second-largest on record and would be piled on top of stockpiles that have been growing since the 2012 drought.

Rain slows corn planting; impact on acreage is unclear

Widespread rain has slowed corn planting this spring, especially in the powerhouse states of the Midwest, says the USDA’s weekly Crop Progress report.

U.S. farmers chase soybean profits, keep land in production

Instead of idling some land because of low commodity prices, farmers are plunging into soybeans, which have taking an ever-larger share of U.S. farmland. In a USDA survey, growers said they will plant a record 88.5 million acres of soybeans this spring, 7 percent more than a year ago because they offer a better chance of a profit than corn or wheat.

FAPRI forecasts stability in farm income while land values slip

After suffering a 31-percent drop in net cash income in three years, the U.S. farm sector will see stable to modestly rising income in coming years, while farmland values will fall 11 percent before leveling off at the end of this decade, says the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute. The University of Missouri think tank says farm debt will rise, as will indicators of financial stress, such as the debt-to-asset ratio.

Record soybean crop in Brazil, but U.S. is still No. 1

The perennial No. 2 soybean grower in the world, Brazil, is headed for a record crop this year thanks to larger plantings and beneficial growing conditions, reported Agrimoney. The national crop agency Conab forecast a harvest of 103.8 million tonnes, up nearly 9 percent from last year but still trailing the world leader, the United States.

Mammoth U.S. crops get larger still, exceed domestic and export demand

For the third month in a row, the USDA said the record-setting U.S. corn and soybean crops are bigger than expected. At 15.2 billion bushels, the corn crop is roughly a billion bushels larger than the 2014 record and the soybean crop, now pegged at 4.36 billion bushels, is 10-percent larger than the previous mark, also set in 2014.

Will USDA forecast of soybean crop keep climbing?

Since its first forecast of a record-large soybean crop, the first to top 4 billion bushels, the USDA has twice boosted its estimated size of the crop, now pegged at 4.269 billion bushels. Economist Darrel Good of U-Illinois says history suggests the estimate will keep climbing as the harvest progresses and production data become more precise.

Informa: U.S. to plant more soybeans, less corn and wheat, in 2017

U.S. growers will plant a record 88.5 million acres of soybeans in 2017, up nearly 6 percent from the mark set this year and pointing toward the second crop in a row to exceed 4 billion bushels in the estimation of Informa, a private consulting company, reports Reuters. The USDA forecasts a record soybean crop this year of 4.27 billion bushels, far exceeding demand and driving down prices for the coming year.

U.S. heads toward record soybean exports with bumper crop

The record-setting U.S. soybean crop is even bigger than expected, up nearly 2 percent from USDA's previous forecast to an estimated 4.269 billion bushels. With farm-gate prices at the second-lowest level in a decade, soybean exports will exceed 2 billion bushels for the first time, according to the monthly WASDE report.

Farmers lean toward record soybean plantings for 2017

U.S. soybean plantings will be record-large for the second year in a row in 2017 if growers follow through on their stated plans, said Farm Futures magazine. In an email survey, farmers said they intend to plant more soybeans, cotton and sorghum next year while cutting back on corn and wheat.

China launches five-year plan to grow GMO soy for commercial use

In an effort to raise the efficiency of its agriculture sector, China announced this week that it will for the first time allow commercial production of GMO soy, reports Reuters. Until now, China has not allowed the production of a GMO food crop out of concern that consumers would react negatively over perceived health risks.

Farmland rental rates in Iowa fall for third year in a row

Cash rental rates for corn and soybean land in Iowa are down a cumulative 14.7 percent since 2013, according to a survey by Iowa State University. The average rate for this year, $230 an acre, is down 6.5 percent from last year's $246 an acre.

Palmer amaranth develops resistance to another type of weedkiller

One of the greatest threats to cotton and soybean producers is Palmer amaranth, an invasive and aggressively growing weed. The weed has developed resistance to the widely used weedkiller glyphosate and now Palmer amaranth populations in Arkansas are resistant to a class of herbicides known as PPO inhibitors, compounding the challenge of weed control, says a University of Illinois researcher.

U.S. farmers lean into soy but pull back on corn and wheat in 2024

Farmers are expected to plant an estimated 86.5 million acres of soybeans this year, up 3 percent from last year, and dial back their corn acreage by 5 percent and their wheat acreage by 4 percent, according to the USDA’s annual Prospective Plantings report, released Thursday.

 Click for More Articles