Freelance Writer

Julia McCarthy is a freelance writer based in central Idaho.

“I’m an optimist, but I have seen fields overrun by kochia, and last year we learned that we have Palmer amaranth and waterhemp,” says Dr. Albert Adjesiwor, University of Idaho Extension weed scientist in Kimberly. While “it’s not the end of ag in Idaho,” he says, “those two weeds are going to change the way we do things.”

A growing problem

“There are a few reasons why [herbicide resistance] is increasing,” says Adjesiwor. At the top of the list is failure to rotate chemistries. “We have a variety of crops, but we’re using the same herbicides,” he says.

Glyphosate is a poster child for this issue. When Monsanto introduced Roundup Ready sugarbeets to the market in 2008, Alder says, 98% of acres were converted “overnight.” The change gave producers higher yields, cleaner fields and more economical weed control. With several other Roundup Ready crops now on the market, however, it has become too easy to default to glyphosate.

“Weeds have had opportunity to be exposed to Roundup a lot and had the opportunity to develop resistance,” says Alder. “The biggest factor in developing pesticide resistance is always using the same chemistry over and over.”

Kochia, shown here in seedling stage, is widespread and challenging to control, particularly in beets. Photo by Clarke Alder.

The results of such use can be seen in the Midwest. And while the Snake River Plain has more diverse crop rotation options, says producer Ben Marshall of Jerome, “We could follow in that path if we’re not careful.”

Another factor is that herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds can spread by a variety of vectors, from vehicles and farm machinery to irrigation water and wind. “Because kochia is a tumbleweed,” says Adjesiwor, “you could be doing everything right and could still get [HR kochia] from your neighbor.”

Once these genetics are on your farm, getting rid of them is a battle. Conservative estimates predict that a single kochia plant can produce 15,000 seeds, and continuing to use the herbicide in question will favor HR progeny.

Wild oat is very difficult to distinguish from cultivated oats before a seedhead is present. Photo by Albert Adjesiwor.

Another factor in Idaho’s HR weed problem is the introduction of entirely new weed species. In summer 2023, Palmer amaranth and waterhemp were discovered here for the first time, both of which are known for their proclivities for developing herbicide resistance. “We don’t know what we have,” says Adjesiwor of HR populations.

He and Alder are involved in surveys to locate and sample populations of both. When tested for physiological response to glyphosate, says Alder, 17 of 23 Palmer amaranth populations and three of three waterhemp showed signs of herbicide resistance. They are still undergoing genetic testing.

“It makes sense,” Alder says. “They’re coming from a part of the country where it’s resistant.”

Why the fuss?

While Adjesiwor has been paying close attention to herbicide resistance as long as he’s been in Idaho, he says, “There’s been an increase in how many people are asking questions about it, or interested in trying new things.” This may be driven by an uptick in HR weed populations.

“People ask, ‘Why is this herbicide not working like it used to?’” says Adjesiwor. “It’s not the herbicide. It might be resistance.”

Closely related to wheat, Italian ryegrass is a persistent problem once established in small-grain fields. Photo by Caio Brunharo.

That has implications for the bottom line. “I think everybody knows how much yield weeds rob,” says Marshall.

Citing numbers from Wyoming, Adjesiwor estimates that if HR weeds take glyphosate off the table, the “no action” option will cost a sugarbeet grower $700 to $800 per acre in net returns. The second-best herbicide option will yield net returns of nearly $400 per acre less than current practices.

“We’ve all grown beets before Roundup – it was a nightmare,” Marshall says. “We have really good tools in our toolbox now and we need to fight to protect it.”

Proactive measures

“The days of getting a new herbicide every five to 10 years are gone,” says Alder. “That hasn’t been happening and it’s not likely to happen.” Rather, weed scientists, crop advisers and producers are moving their sights to crop rotations, tank mixes and mechanical weed control.

Although, for example, kochia control options are limited in beets, other herbicides are available in small grains or corn. Taking advantage of crop differences to diversify herbicide use can help limit selection pressure by any one chemical. “It really has to be a whole-farm approach,” Alder says. “Don’t take weed control on a crop-by-crop basis.” This is particularly a challenge for producers with annual leases.

Mixing herbicides is another part of the equation. “I think throwing in a tank mix partner is going to be the next big push,” says Marshall. That means mixing two (or more) effective chemistries so plants resistant to one herbicide will be killed by the other. “The days of only spraying Roundup are over. We need to be tank mixing in beets.”

Palmer amaranth (seen here on a roadside in Caldwell) has proven fiendishly good at developing herbicide resistance in other parts of the nation. It was discovered for the first time in Idaho in 2023, and its extent is still unknown. Photo by Clarke Alder.

Tank mixes aren’t the only way to pair herbicides. “We tell [producers] not to just rely on post-emergence herbicides but to apply residual herbicides,” says Adjesiwor. “It’s a numbers game.”

Marshall adds that paying attention to timing and rates is also critical. “If you spray something with a half shot because it worked last year, that’s how resistance happens,” he says. “We’re having a harder time killing [kochia] in small grains … we need to keep rates up and spray on the right days.” That means spraying when conditions are right and weeds are small enough to kill easily.

Mechanical weed control may also be an option. “I think changes will be exponential to control weeds with robots and AI,” says Alder. Robotic arms and lasers have potential to kill plants outside the seeded rows and reduce dependence on chemical control. “So far, I’ve never seen weeds resistant to steel and fire,” he says.

At the end of the day, says Marshall, “If there’s still weeds out there after you’ve sprayed it twice, you should have a lightbulb go off that you’ve got herbicide resistance and you need to deal with it. … Get out there and pull it.”

“It’s hard to see every little thing in every field,” he adds. “All of us, producers and field men alike, need to be better and follow up on spray jobs and post-spray inspection.”

Lamb’s-quarter leaves are distinctively goosefoot-shaped and covered with a waxy coating that makes it difficult for herbicide to penetrate. Photo by Albert Adjesiwor.

Adjesiwor’s top 5 weeds to watch

1. Kochia

Description: Annual member of the pigweed family (the same as beets)

Why you think it’s a top 5 weed: “It’s widespread and resistant to three chemistries that we know of – groups 9, 2 and 4.”

2. Wild oat

Description: Annual grassy weed common in small grains

Why you think it’s a top 5 weed: “I just do!” Wild oat is common in Idaho and has a proclivity for developing herbicide resistance. When it does, says Adjesiwor, “in no-till, there are limited options for combating it.”

3. Italian ryegrass

Description: Annual grassy weed that’s difficult to kill in small grains

Why you think it’s a top 5 weed: “It’s everywhere in northern Idaho. It’s herbicide-resistant to groups 1 and 2, and it’s only a matter of time before it develops it to group 15. Then, in southern Idaho, you have annual ryegrass [a cultivar of the same species] being planted a lot.”

4. Palmer amaranth

Description: Annual member of the pigweed family and a new arrival to Idaho

Why you think it’s a top 5 weed: “Just because of what it’s done in other states.” In a study from Paul to Parma, Adjesiwor and other scientists found a lot near feedlots and right-of-ways. “We don’t know the spread yet, but 70 percent of samples were resistant to Roundup,” he says. We don’t know yet if Idaho populations are resistant to other chemistries but “Given the biology of the species, it’s only a matter of time.”

5. Common lamb’s-quarter

Description: Annual member of the pigweed family

Why you think it’s a top 5 weed: “It’s not resistant here, but it’s everywhere.” It’s naturally tough to kill even without HR traits, and in recent trials 20% of plants survived a double rate of glyphosate. Adjesiwor says, “If it’s resistant, it will take a long time to get rid of. Its seed lasts forever in the soil.”

The post The growing challenge of herbicide resistance in Idaho’s beets and beyond – Ag Proud appeared first on Idaho Grain Producers Association.

Freelance Writer

Julia McCarthy is a freelance writer based in central Idaho.

Between freeze kill, pathogen pressure and spring ponding, much of the winter wheat had to be disked up and replanted when the weather finally did break. Potatoes, sugarbeets and corn also had to be planted in the same short window. “Spring fertilizing and putting in crops was compressed immensely,” Fehringer says. “Growers around here did a good job getting everything in.”

But he was pleasantly surprised by yields last fall. Wheat yielded somewhat poorly, but, he says, “For the slow start this spring, corn did better than I thought it would – we had an average crop.” Potatoes and beans fared well, with little disease pressure in his area.

Cool weather across the state

That pattern seemed to hold across the southern portion of the state. In the Hagerman area, crop adviser Jacob Patterson with Simplot Grower Solutions says, “Overall, yields were good – as long as guys were contracted at good prices, they should have done pretty well.” Potatoes, silage corn and feed corn were all at or above average in his area, although alfalfa yield was inexplicably low.

In southwest Idaho, crop adviser Eric Ball of Valley Agronomics in Greenleaf saw slightly below-average wheat production. However, he says, “It was a pretty good year for most things.” Sugarbeet yields were normal where disease pressure was not heavy.

“I thought corn wouldn’t do well, but it turned out OK,” says Ball. In fact, yields were above average in places with enough water. Seed corn did exceptionally well. “We had some cooler weather during pollination, and I think that helped,” he says.

Pathogens and pests

However, pests were an issue in both the Magic and Treasure valleys. “Spider mites are getting worse,” says Patterson, who believes that 2023 was the worst he had seen in his 12 years as a crop adviser.

Ball also saw a lot of spider mites in corn last year. “The chemicals don’t seem to be working as well as they used to,” he says. While he believes that pressure was about average in his region in 2023, treatment in many fields occurred too late or not at all. “I think this is an issue that’s been going on for a while,” he says. “I think farmers can struggle with knowing when to pull the trigger on preventative measures such as miticide or insecticide – with knowing when it will pay off.”

Cercospora was another pathogen whose activity concerned Patterson in 2023. “We’re seeing more of it in beets,” he says. “It’s moving east, into places where we’ve never seen it.”

Then, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) confirmed in September that invasive quagga mussels were present in the Middle Snake River, triggering a rapid response plan. Aquatic ecosystems and agricultural irrigation systems are both susceptible to damage if this mollusk becomes established. “Hopefully the treatment works, and they did what they need to do to get it out of there,” says Patterson.

Harvest and beyond

As the calendar progressed to harvest, fair-to-good yields and plenty of water left the 2023 growing season on a positive, if somewhat hectic, note. In the American Falls area, the compressed spring planting season meant that harvest was also rushed. “Everybody was worried about getting everything out before it froze up,” Fehringer says. With an abnormally extended fall, they were mostly successful: “Some sugarbeets froze, but that’s not an issue like it is with potatoes,” he says.

Many of Fehringer’s producers were also able to put in winter wheat, even those who replanted so much earlier this year. “More people this fall fertilized with slow-release nitrogen,” he adds, “so they can be not so pressed next spring.” This may pay off if forecasts for another late spring hold true.

In the Magic Valley, fall work was somewhat hampered by wet conditions – but a damp fall bodes well for 2024. Similarly, says Ball of southwest Idaho, “A lot of guys were able to carry over water from this year into next year.” Both good weather and water-retaining farming practices are lending themselves to optimism for the year ahead. “I’ve got some guys switching to no-till or strip-till on corn, and they’re seeing the benefit of that,” he says.

Income and expenses

Commodity prices around the state are another story. “Guys are getting pretty gloomy,” says Patterson. “If they didn’t contract wheat, they will have to sell for 6 dollars.”

“Commodities are starting to slip a bit,” says Ball, referring particularly to grain, milk and silage. While there are outliers, such as seed corn, he says that many dairies in his area “are struggling from a cash-flow perspective.”

Meanwhile, both Fehringer and Patterson are anticipating cuts in contracted potato acres for 2024 following 2023’s high production. “It doesn’t look like Simplot will be down there,” says Patterson, “but others are reducing their contracts.”

On a bright note, fertilizer costs are predicted to come down with commodity prices. Fehringer says many of his producers postponed fertilizing until spring with that hope in mind. However, equipment supply chains are still proving temperamental, and fuel prices statewide were high through harvest and planting.

“It seems like farmers get one year of reprieve where they get a bit of rest, then fuel goes back up and prices go back down,” says Patterson. “I don’t mean to say that it’s doom and gloom, but it looks like it will be one of those years where they need to watch expenses.”

The post Field scouting Idaho ag: 2023 in review | Ag Proud – Ag Proud appeared first on Idaho Grain Producers Association.

Freelance Writer

Julia McCarthy is a freelance writer based in central Idaho.

The premise of the program is simple: During harvest, students solicit bushels of soft white wheat from local farmers who do business with Columbia Grain (CGI). Participating farmers sign off on the donation, and the elevator transfers the bushels to an FFA account set up for the purpose. The students then market the grain throughout the academic year and apply the income toward attending leadership events and programs. In the meantime, CGI representatives make periodic classroom visits to teach students about marketing. Through the process, students learn to watch the markets and gain insight into the way expenses like shipping and storage fees affect the bottom line.

“The kids that generated the bushels get to make the choices [about selling],” says Levi Stone, Grangeville High School ag teacher and FFA adviser, “but the intro to ag class gets to listen to the presentations as well.”

“I kind of want to go listen and see what they’re teaching them and see if there’s something I could add to my program,” laughs Eric Forsmann, local business owner and farmer, and Aaron Forsmann’s father.

While he has taught himself to watch for patterns in the grain markets, Eric is excited for his son’s opportunity to learn about marketing through the Legacy Program. “He may learn better from someone else, and they may do it differently than me,” he says.

South Camas Prairie Manager Brandon Rehder and Grangeville Operations Manager Chad Paluh unload wheat at CGI in Grangeville. Photo by David Rauzi, Idaho County Free Press.

An educational component

Brandon Rehder, CGI’s South Camas Prairie manager, says the program started in response to frequent requests from student groups for financial support. “We wanted to add an education piece to donations,” he says. “This is a way to cultivate our community and involve producers.”

The educational aspect is one of the features that most appeals to Aaron. He says farming makes him feel connected to his grandpa, who passed away when Aaron was young. “I would love to expand [the family operation] and get it big enough to farm full time,” he says. And while his work on the family place has given him experience in some aspects of farming, he has never been the decision-maker on grain sales before. “I’m excited to do it for real life, myself,” he says.

“Like anything, it’ll be a few years to take off,” Eric Forsmann says of the Legacy Program, to which he himself contributed wheat. “I think this year will be successful if the kids have a good time and understand more about marketing.”

He also hopes the experience will help students see a different side of farming, particularly how a successful farmer must master a diverse skill set. “He’s not just out there driving a tractor,” Eric says.

Rehder has even broader goals. “These students are the ag leaders of tomorrow,” he says. “We want to plant the seed and show these kids that outlets are available in ag outside farming. I grew up on a farm, and this is the type of experience I didn’t have.”

Columbia Grain International brought the Legacy Program to schools in north-central Idaho as a way to raise money for FFA, teach students about grain marketing and involve farmers in the process. Photo courtesy of CGI.

Connecting students and producers

Harvest in the Grangeville area began in late July this year, at which time students began making their rounds. If they couldn’t meet with farmers in person, they called them on the phone. “Each picked a producer they were familiar with,” says Rehder. “President Aaron Forsmann has been a key cog driving it so far.”

“He’s outgoing,” explains Eric, of Aaron. “He’s also from the farming community, and he’s not afraid of them.”

By early September, the students had taken in 775 bushels of soft white wheat and donations were still incoming. At that time, Rehder projected the students would likely receive 1,300 to 1,500 bushels total.

Rehder has been pleased to also see underclassmen involvement – critical to the program’s longevity. “I’m firmly confident it will be sustainable,” he says. “I’ve had a lot of feedback – usually after an FFA student visits with a farmer. They’ll call me and ask questions. There’s a lot of support from producers.”

Eric Forsmann is one of those supportive producers. “I want to see this program take off and go,” he says. “I’m really excited about it – but I’m always excited about FFA stuff … when I was in school, there was no FFA. I’d have been all over it if they had had it.”

Funding leadership opportunities

Rehder is hopeful the Legacy Program will continue to expand, linking up with FFA chapters across CGI’s northern tier. The idea may be catching on with other companies, too. “I recently got a call from a grain company outside our draw area, wanting information,” he says.

The Legacy Program appears to be one of those rare fundraisers where students are as excited about the process of earning money as they are about spending it – but the grain sales will certainly help offset the cost of travel to events such as the State Leadership Convention. Rehder says CGI also plans to contribute an additional $1,000 to the FFA program at the end of the school year, perhaps toward the program directly or in the form of a scholarship.

“Given the amazing results we’ve had, I think it’s the best thing since sliced bread,” says Stone. “It’s really awesome to have a partner in the industry that’s willing to make that kind of sacrifice for us, and all the farmers that participated who see value in the program and the kids.”

The post FFA students learn and earn through wheat marketing – Ag Proud appeared first on Idaho Grain Producers Association.