Thoughts on herbicide shortages

• Herbicide shortage - how to plan for the 2022 growing season
• Herbicide shortage - how to plan for termination of multispecies cover crop mixtures
• Alternative spring burndown/postemergence strategies when herbicides are in short supply

1. Keep in close contact with your retailer regarding options. As some people choose more conventional herbicide programs, products like glyphosate and glufosinate may become more available.
   1. Retailers may also have better access to some pre-mix products containing glyphosate (or glufosinate).
   2. Pay close attention to the formulation of glyphosate you are purchasing!! The rate necessary to kill a "normal" annual weed spectrum can vary as much as ~10 fl oz per acre depending on glyphosate formulation. Check labels for your weed spectrum and rate needed to kill those weeds.
2. Consider where glyphosate is most important if you can only get so much of it.
   1. Depending on your weed spectrum, you may be able to find very effective POST alternatives, but burndown, particularly of grass cover crops may be more challenging.
      1. Resources for weed control ratings and information:
         1. Herbicide Guide for Iowa Corn and Soybean Production (free download)
         2. 2022 Guide for Weed, Disease, and Insect Management in Nebraska ($15)
         3. 2022 Weed Control Guide for Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois ($18)
            1. 2020 version available for free here.
   2. I would prioritize glyphosate for a cereal rye cover crop burndown, but there may be alternatives available depending on your situation and management priorities.
3. Focus on a well-designed herbicide program including full rates of effective PREs - I haven't heard of many supply issues with PRE herbicides. It is critical we kill as many weeds as possible with so many of our normal POST options in potentially short supply.
   1. You may be able to tailor programs to specific fields or parts of fields to save money where there are fewer weed issues.
4. Make sure you check product labels under "Storage and Disposal" for specific storage requirements if you're storing products over the winter. Most products can be safely kept between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but some products have very specific storage requirements.
5. Looking ahead - Since we may be using different products than usual or making up different mixes, don't forget to check product labels for specific mixing info. and use a jar test for new mixes to be sure you won't run into problems.
   1. You can look up product labels on www.greenbook.net, www.cdms.net, or manufacturer webpages.
   2. More info in this Purdue "Avoid Tank Mixing Errors" publication.

CropsTV Season 2 coming January 2022!

We're excited to be bringing back CropsTV for Season 2 this winter starting on January 3. We will have 3 dates in January where 10 all-new episodes will be available for subscribers. The 30 on-demand presentations (with CCA CEUs!) will then be available for you to watch at your own pace until March 15. Not sure about this CropsTV thing? Check out some episodes from Season 1 here to get a feel for what you'll get with Season 2!

Key topics:

• 3 part soil fertility series on liming, P & K, and nitrogen management
• 2022 Crop market outlook
• 2022 Tax considerations for farmers
• 2021 Cropping year in review: Crop yields and soil moisture
• 2022 Decisions for crop insurance, farm bill, and costs of production
• Tar spot identification and management
• Targeted spraying technologies: Past, present, and future
• Integrating cover crop and reduced row spacing for managing herbicide resistance in Iowa corn and soybean
• What is going on in the fertilizer world?
• Manure: Uncertainty, availability, and what it means for your operation
• The science of carbon credits
• Windbreak school: Establishment, management, and renovation
• CSR2: A refresher on how it works...maybe where it doesn't?

Attend Planter University in February!

On Friday, February 11, we're bringing a NEW learning opportunity to central Iowa called "Planter University." This event will take place at the CNH Industrial Ag Information Center between Ames and Nevada. ISU Ag and Biosystems Engineering Technical Project specialists will lead the brand-neutral discussion (not focused on one particular equipment brand) to help you better understand and optimize your planting setup.

The focus of the day will be on the science and theory behind planter settings and equipment, as well as evaluation of planting technology to help you better identify the right settings for you, your seed, your equipment, and your fields. We are limiting registration for each location to 40 individuals to allow for hands-on demonstrations with both high speed and traditional row unit demo stands. Details and online registration are available here.