Harvest is a critical moment for your farm business because it pays the bills, but it is also a learning opportunity that can help you gather performance data and conduct insect reconnaissance to help you farm better next spring.
The Take Action program, supported by NCGA, is one way to mentally prepare for how you will deal with problematic insects like corn rootworm, and you can learn more here.
“There’s a lot to be learned as combines roll. Hybrid performance is obviously top of mind,” said Nicole Hasheider, Biotechnology and Crops Input Director. “When evaluating yields from your fields or sections of your fields, consider any insect pressure you noticed during the season. Was it more or less than normal? Is that impacting your yields? If the answer is yes, it should change your approach for next year.”
Harvest is where planning for 2021 planting really begins, Hasheider contends. She recommends approaching fall in a purposeful way, especially when it comes to picking seed and wrestling with problematic insects like corn rootworm.
“During seed selection, pay attention to the traits used in your fields last year,” Hasheider said. “Seed selection is a critical component of Bt stewardship and is key to effective control of pests as well as protecting future access to the technology. If you’re in a corn-on-corn situation, at a minimum you need to rotate Bt traits. If you experienced serious insect problems, consider rotating to a different crop in that field next year.”
Planting the required refuge, rotating crops, and rotating traits are critical steps in controlling corn rootworm both short and long term.
COVID-19 Resources
NCGA is taking a series of actions to do our part to help contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the economic fallout it is creating for corn farmers and our customers. Short term, this means instituting policies to protect the health and safety of our stakeholders and the broader communities we serve. Long term, we’re focused on creating solutions to help corn farmers and our customers recover from the financial impacts of this crisis.
CommonGround
CommonGround is a group of farmers connecting with consumers through conversations about science and research and personal stories about food and misinformation surrounding farming. Supported by the NCGA and state corn organizations.
SHP
The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) is a farmer-led initiative that fosters transformation in agriculture through improved soil health. Administered by NCGA the partnership has more than 220 working farms enrolled in 16 states. SHP’s mission is to utilize science and data to partner with farmers who are adopting conservation agricultural practices that improve the economic and environmental sustainability of the farm.
