Farmers bring in bountiful wheat crop

Jul 20, 2023

Hot, dry conditions have caused challenges for other crops across the Midwest this summer, but many farmers raised a generally good wheat crop. USDA numbers show it was the largest soft red winter wheat crop in nine years.

John Howell farms in Monroe County, Illinois, near St. Louis, and serves as vice president of the Illinois Wheat Growers Association. He says it was a very good year for wheat in his area.

“Generally speaking, for myself and a lot of people that I know, really good wheat yields,” he says. “Some people had record yields. Quality and grain test weight were good as well.”

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.