By Seth Naeve and David Nicolai et.al
Soybeans are an important cash crop to farmers in the Dakotas and Minnesota. Soybean acreage has continued to grow in the region to meet both domestic and export demand. Because of the region’s proximity to infrastructure that can rapidly deliver soybeans to important markets like Asia, a high percentage of soybeans from North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota are exported each year.
Customers around the world demand quality products, which includes soybeans with minimal foreign material. Sanitary and phytosanitary concerns are prompting global buyers to focus on the amount and types of foreign material in soybeans they purchase. Weed seeds are of particular concern for buyers as they work to curtail the spread of noxious weeds.
Producing high quality grain for export has a dual purpose. Farmers can help maintain important market access while simultaneously improving herbicide resistant weed management. Preventing weed seeds from entering the combine is a foundational component for effective weed management, especially when those weeds are herbicide resistant. To increase awareness about challenges with FM in soybean while managing herbicide resistant weeds, we are developing a series of six video segments from crop planting all the way through harvest and transportation.
Source : umn.edu