The right practices can help you get the most out of your herbicide application. We’re illustrating the “5 Rs” for weed control to help maximize herbicide efficacy.
Know which early-season diseases to look for and create a careful scouting plan to confirm them and assist you in managing them long-term. Red crown rot (RCR) is becoming a more common early-season soybean disease that is tough to diagnose because it’s often mistaken for other diseases, like Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) or brown stem rot. Learning how to tell if you’re dealing with RCR will help you manage your crop and set you up to preserve your soybean yield.
Understanding Red Crown Rot
Caused by the soilborne fungus Calonectria ilicicola, RCR historically was a Southern disease threat, but it was first confirmed in Illinois in 2018. Since then, it has been found in more counties in southern Illinois, western Kentucky, southern Indiana and a few counties in Missouri.
One of the most distinctive signs of an RCR infection is brick red fruiting structures at the base of the soybean plant; but unfortunately these reproductive structures are not always visible. RCR also causes yellow-speckled spots on leaves in the canopy. Because it’s a soilborne disease, farm machinery and tillage can move the disease from field to field if the machinery isn’t properly cleaned in between uses. The pathogen can easily move from an infected field to an uninfected field.
“Red crown rot devastates yield by destroying the root system until there’s just nothing left,” says Dale Ireland, Ph.D., Syngenta technical product lead. “RCR absolutely destroys the root system’s ability to uptake moisture and nutrients. There’s next to no yield in those early infected plants.”
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Red crown rot absolutely destroys the root system’s ability to uptake moisture and nutrients. There’s next to no yield in early infected plants.
Dale Ireland
Technical Product Lead at Syngenta
The symptoms of RCR often resemble those of SDS, which is caused by a different pathogen – Fusarium virguliforme. “We believe that RCR may be more widespread than what people realize, since its presentation of yellow-speckled spots on the leaves are currently primarily associated with SDS,” says Ireland.
Another similarity between SDS and RCR is that soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) can exacerbate infections from both diseases. SCN also destroys the crop’s root system, opening the root system and creating more opportunity for either RCR or SDS to infect the roots.
If you suspect RCR, collect a sample and send to your local state Land Grant University diagnostic lab for analysis/confirmation. Don’t play plant pathologist — trust the experts at your local university.
Preserving Soybean Yield
No rescue treatments for RCR exist, but prevention and containment can help. If you suspect RCR, clean equipment thoroughly between fields or work areas with known infections last to prevent spreading the pathogen. Red crown rot thrives in temperatures between 77-86 degrees Fahrenheit so planting earlier can help prevent early infections. Another option is rotating to a non-host crop like corn and/or wheat for two years to break the RCR cycle.
One of the most effective ways to combat an RCR infection is using a seed treatment like Saltro® fungicide seed treatment, powered by ADEPIDYN® technology. Saltro has a 2(ee) label for the suppression of RCR in seven states: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee.
“Saltro has direct activity against Calonectria. It’ll effectively reduce the growth of Calonectria on the developing soybean root so the plant can potentially yield more,” says Ireland.
Syngenta supports a FIFRA Section 2(ee) recommendation for Saltro for suppression of Red Crown Rot in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee. Please see the Section 2(ee) recommendation to confirm that the recommendation is applicable in your state. The Section 2(ee) recommendation for Saltro should be in the possession of the user at the time of application.
Ben Price, AFM, Farmers National Company, is the 2024 Professional Farm Manager of the Year after standing out as an innovative and dedicated leader in the farm management profession. As Clayton Becker, president of Farmers National Company, noted, “There is just no one more committed to providing the value and solutions our landowners know and expect.”
Price developed a passion for agriculture while growing up on his family’s sixth-generation farm – one of the oldest in Iowa. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business from Iowa State University, equipping him with a solid foundation in business, economics and agricultural sciences. Price joined Farmers National Company in 2008 where, through the help of great mentors, he has continued to expand his deep knowledge of farm management.
“I pair my clients with available resources to improve their farms and protect it for future generations,” Price says. “I care about them and their farm.”
Price understands first-hand that every farm represents a legacy. Through hard work and skill, he earns the trust of his clients and helps them protect their farms for future generations.
Watch the video below to learn about Ben’s award-winning success story.
Reducing soybean stress is one of the steps you can take to help maximize potential yield. This strategy protects the seedlings during their most vulnerable stage, which helps to improve the early season health and yield potential of your soybean crop.
How Does Stress Impact Soybeans?
There are two basic types of soybean stress: biotic and abiotic. Biotic stress is a biological type of stress, like a plant pathogen or insect pest. Abiotic stress is triggered by the environment, including cold, hot, wet and dry conditions. Both biotic and abiotic stressors reduce the growth rate of the soybeans, which in turn reduces yield potential.
“Ideally you don’t want any stress during the early vegetative growth stage since the soybeans have about as much biomass growing above ground as they do below ground,” says Dale Ireland, Ph.D., Syngenta technical product lead. “Any time early growth is slowed down, it also slows the root development rate. During early shoot and root development, slowing the root development rate nearly always leads to lost root size potential that won’t be regained in reproductive growth stages. During hot and dry weather during mid growing season, plants with less rooting will shed more flowers which leads to fewer pods and lower yields.”
Today’s elite commercial soybean lines are known to naturally abort up to 80% of the flowers they produce. Biotic and abiotic stressors influence this flower shed, largely. However, the more equipped that plant is to handle any stressors it may encounter, the more likely it is to retain more of those flowers and produce a higher potential yield.
Why is Plant Health Important for Yield?
Plant health refers to the overall health and vitality of the crop including how well the plant grows and how much yield it produces. “Be sure your neighboring plants are as uniform to each other as possible up and down the row. This is ideal for maximizing your variety’s genetic yield potential,” Ireland says. “With a uniform leaf canopy, your soybeans are able to optimize light capture and access more nutrients and water, which increases stress tolerance.”
How to Protect Your Soybeans from Stressors
From the moment your soybean seeds are planted, they are exposed to a variety of biotic and abiotic stressors. Crop protection measures, such as a broad-spectrum seed treatment and foliar fungicide application, are key to keeping soybeans safe and protected. When your soybeans are protected from stressors with a seed treatment, you are setting them up for a successful growing season by giving them the best chance for healthy development.
Ireland recommends Saltro® fungicide seed treatment to keep your soybeans healthy. “Saltro gives you increased confidence that when you put that seed in the ground, no matter what Mother Nature has in store for you, you’re going to get as healthy and uniform of a stand emerging as you can,” he says.
Saltro provides protection from Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS), robust soybean cyst nematode protection and red crown rot suppression. In addition to the powerful protection, Saltro also enhances plant health and crop stress recovery due to MagniSafe™ technology, “One of the strongest aspects of MagniSafe technology is that it decreases plant stress recovery time. In other words, plants recover from stress predictably more quickly,” explains Ireland.
Even in the absence of known pest pressure, Saltro delivers benefits like increased root and shoot mass, which adds up to healthier and stronger plants, and higher yield potential.
Seed treatments paired with properly timed herbicide and fungicide applications should be high priorities for managing your winter wheat crop, according to T.J. Binns, Syngenta agronomic service representative in west central Kansas. Consistency is the key for a successful season, which pays off for those who don’t drastically change their plans based on early-season weather.
“In ’23 – ‘24, the winter was extremely dry, so a lot of people gave up on the crop,” Binns says, noting that some growers didn’t put down any herbicide or fertilizer, believing it was futile because the crop was going to fail. But, as grain fill came in, rain and cool temperatures did, too.
“Then the problem these growers faced is that they had thin wheat and no herbicide,” he says. “We ended up with some weedy messes out there; they were doing a preharvest treatment to get the weeds burned down below the head so they could harvest.”
The lack of winter herbicide also topped-up the weed seed bank, a liability for growers who plant their wheat stubble back to corn and milo in the spring.
Be Nimble Without Dropping Your Weed Control
In the southern U.S. wheat belt, weather is a big variable. Likely scenarios should be included in growers’ crop plans, Binns says.
“When making a plan around weather, I suggest growers make a best-case, likely-case and worst-case scenario — for example, if it rains a lot, rains an average amount, or doesn’t rain at all — then think through how they can adapt and still be successful,” Binns says. Through every scenario, weed control is a must, he notes.
“Even if it doesn’t rain, weed control is important for this season and for all following crops,” he says. “Think through it and make the application at the correct time, instead of being reactive to weather.”
Axial® Star herbicide controls both annual grass and broadleaf weeds in spring wheat, winter wheat and barley, and provides rotational flexibility the following season. Axial Bold herbicide delivers improved consistency and broad-spectrum control of top grass weeds including wild oat, yellow foxtail, Italian ryegrass, green foxtail and barnyard grass.
Don’t Let Excessive Moisture Rot Your Wheat
Healthy roots are the key to fighting insect and disease pressure in the soil and producing more foliage above ground. However, moisture and temperature make the roots vulnerable to rot just as they’re getting established. Protection against fungal diseases should be top of mind, which is why CruiserMaxx® Vibrance® Cereals seed treatment is available for protection from early-season pests, including Fusarium rot.
“That’s what the seed treatments are there for — to prevent those diseases from infecting the plant early on,” Binns says.
Once the plants are up, stripe rust and Fusarium head blight (FHB) are a fungal-disease duo that requires targeted fungicides and two different application timings within roughly ten days. Stripe rust comes first, blown in from warmer climates, producing spores that embed in the plant’s leaves and inhibit photosynthesis. Spraying for rust at flag leaf is the goal.
“If you lose your flag leaf, you’re losing a lot of your photosynthetic ability to fill the head,” Binns says. For stripe rust, he recommends Trivapro® fungicide for its preventive and curative protection and long-lasting residual control.
FHB is the most economically devastating wheat disease in the U.S. and Canada according to the Crop Protection Network, in part because the inoculum is already present in field residue.
“Fusarium head blight infects the crop later, while the wheat is blooming,” Binns says, noting that free moisture, whether rain or heavy dew, is what introduces the fungus to the grain head. “That’s why a preventive application is really important, because if you wait until you see it, you’re already infected and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Miravis® Ace fungicide is Binns’ choice against FHB thanks to its active ingredient ADEPIDYN® technology. Miravis Ace offers long-lasting disease control to protect even the tillers that haven’t flowered yet, and it delivers plant-health benefits that support improved grain quality and increased potential yield long after spraying.
In addition to a tricky climate and significant disease pressure, growers in many western states are contending with kochia, a persistent and increasingly resistant weed. Binns says Talinor® herbicide is a good postemergence option later in the season. Talinor is also an ideal mix partner with Axial brand herbicides for one-pass grass and broadleaf weed control and can be applied from the crop’s two-leaf to pre-boot stage.
Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan
Overall, Binns advises wheat growers to make a plan and stick to it, even if conditions aren’t optimal. And if conditions become extreme, review the scenarios in your plan.
“Last year, the growers who treated their crop like they normally would did very, very well with yield,” he says. “The most important thing is to not panic. Proper planning and assorted crop protection products will get you through.”
Below-ground pests like seedcorn maggots usually strike early in the season. By the time they’re detected, it’s often too late to salvage your pulse crops. However, with effective prevention strategies, you can protect your fields from planting through emergence, ensuring a healthy start.
How Seedcorn Maggots Impact Pulse Crops
Seedcorn maggots are the larvae of adult flies that resemble common houseflies with dark gray bodies, black legs and transparent wings. In late April, adult flies lay their eggs in the soil where they hatch into small, pale maggots about 1/4 inch long within 2 to 4 days. The maggots’ lifecycle lasts 2 to 3 weeks.
These maggots move easily in cool, wet conditions, feeding on developing seed and seedlings. This can lead to stunted plant development and impact pulse crop yield potential. Adult flies prefer fields with decaying vegetation or high organic matter, making untilled fields more vulnerable to infestation. Fields with a history of infestations are more susceptible to future damage from seedcorn maggots.
Seedcorn maggots harm young pulse crops by feeding on the seed germ and burrowing into seeds, eating the inside and leaving behind empty shells. They also feed on the stems of the seedlings, weakening and wilting the plants — sometimes leading to plant death.
This damage creates bare spots in the field, prevents seed germination and reduces plant emergence. No rescue treatments are available, so it’s too late to save affected crops once seedcorn maggots are established.
How to Prevent Seedcorn Maggots
Check for seedcorn maggots when preparing to plant your pulse crops. As you scout, look for eggs in the soil. Seedcorn maggot eggs appear as small, brown cylinders resembling tiny footballs. Early detection can help prevent an infestation before it affects your crop.
To avoid a seedcorn maggot infestation, consider delaying planting until the soil dries out and warms up. These pests thrive in cool, moist conditions, so warmer, drier soil conditions are less favorable for maggot development. Additionally, planting treated seeds can suppress these pests and be an effective preventive measure.
Coming Soon: A New Option to Suppress Seedcorn Maggots
A new seed treatment featuring the active ingredient isocycloseram is coming soon for use on cereal and pulse crops. This seed treatment will help suppress seedcorn maggots and other belowground pests and will be lethal to wireworms, helping protect crops from early-season damage. Isocycloseram will belong to Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) Group 30, which will act through contact and ingestion and has no known cross resistance to other insecticides.
Be the first to learn more about isocycloseram.
PLINAZOLIN is not yet registered for sale or use in the U.S. and is not being offered for sale.
Cereal pest management plans can make or break plant stands and emergence, especially if wireworms are present in the soil. Wireworms are known to cause up to 100% yield loss, making them one of the most damaging pests in cereal crops in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Plains regions.
To successfully manage wireworms, it’s important to understand the species, how they damage crops and how to prevent infestations.
What Are Wireworms and Why Are They a Problem?
Wireworms are copper-colored, hard-bodied larvae with three pairs of legs near their heads. As they mature, they grow into click beetles, which are typically black or dark brown with unusually long bodies. Click beetles get their name from the distinctive sound they produce when flipped onto their backs.
Wireworms overwinter and begin feeding on seedlings early in the spring when the ground is wet and cool (50-60 degrees Fahrenheit). This is especially common in regions like the Pacific Northwest, where wireworms can start damaging young plants during emergence and stand establishment.
In the Northern Plains, wireworms feed on cereal crops through June and July when soil temperatures reach 75-80 degrees F. Depending on the species and environmental conditions, wireworms can persist in the soil for as long as 2 to 10 years to complete their lifecycle.
Wireworm Damage In Action
Wireworms move up through the soil profile because they are attracted to carbon dioxide (CO2) released by developing seeds and seedlings. Once the wireworms move into the developing crop, they feed linearly, moving from plant to plant to spread damage across the field.
Some indications that your crop has wireworm damage are bare or tan-brown patches where wireworm feeding has interrupted normal crop establishment. Emerged crops often have stunted, wilted stands and be at higher risk for disease infection.1
Wireworm populations can increase rapidly if left uncontrolled, potentially exceeding one million per acre resulting in significant crop damage.
A few factors that increase the potential for wireworm damage include:
- Poorly managed field margins can provide ideal conditions for click beetles.
- Not knowing wireworms are present can lead to unexpected losses.
- Not rotating between crops can increase wireworm pressure in dryland cereals.
Preventing Wireworm Damage
Practicing crop rotation and scouting your fields can help set your cereal crops up for a strong start.
Planting treated seed is another method for managing wireworms. Seed treatments can protect developing seedlings so they can emerge evenly and have strong stands.
When to Use a Seed Treatment for Wireworms
You can determine the risk of economic damage to your crop by scouting for wireworms prior to planting. Start in fields with a history of excessive weed pressure, bare patches, or low grain yields. The shovel or modified bait trap methods are two options to scout wireworms.
Bait trap results can help inform your seed treatment decisions using the chart below.
A new wireworm management solution is coming soon to cereal and pulse crops and will feature the active ingredient isocycloseram. Isocycloseram will be an Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) Group 30 active ingredient that, upon registration, will act by contact and ingestion and has no known cross resistance to other insecticides.
Be the first to learn more about this upcoming product.
PLINAZOLIN is not yet registered for sale or use in the U.S. and is not being offered for sale.
1 Foliar symptoms of wireworm damage can appear similar to other early-season pests and diseases and should be confirmed by soil sampling.
Sam Santini has quite a reputation. ‘The Corn King’, as he’s known locally, has been pushing yield limits on his family farm and sitting comfortably at the top of his state’s National Corn Yield Contest (NCYC) leaderboard for 30 years. When you picture the view from Santini’s throne, you likely imagine rolling Midwest cornfields, but the truth is that he finds success in an unexpected setting — Franklin Township, New Jersey.
You read that right. The Santini family grows 2,000 acres of high-yielding corn, soybeans and sorghum in fields nestled throughout the hustle and bustle of northwestern New Jersey. Santini loves to shock his Midwest peers with contest results and strategies grown in the Garden State.
“Farmers all over the United States know me and always ask, ‘How do you grow corn in New Jersey like you do?’ because they don’t know about agriculture in our part of the country. I tell them, ‘Come on out and see.’ I love to talk about NJ ag,” Santini says. “It’s not all cement, concrete and pavement out here. A lot of people don’t realize we grow some pretty good crop yields.”
That’s an understatement considering his record. Santini has won the New Jersey state Conventional Non-Irrigated category of the NCYC, hosted by the National Corn Growers Association, for 30 years and he’s not slowing down. The 2024 season saw him reach one more milestone in his ascent by winning the same category on the national level with 383.43 bu/A.
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Farmers all over the United States know me and always ask, ‘How do you grow corn in New Jersey like you do?’ because they don’t know about agriculture in our part of the country. I tell them, ‘Come on out and see.’ I love to talk about NJ ag.
Sam Santini
Grower and National Corn Yield Contest Winner
The hard work and years spent refining his strategies have paid off for the Corn King and he has practical tips to share. Whether you have contest aspirations or are busheling through a down market, Santini knows that higher yields are possible with the right tactics.
Start With Soil
An early start and a lifetime of putting soil first has contributed to Santini’s success. “I’m a third-generation farmer. I’ve been farming since I was 10 years old. It takes time to make high yields. My goal the whole time was to make the soil better,” he says.
Santini doesn’t take any shortcuts to accomplish this goal. He regularly meets with a crop consultant to sample soil and discuss the data. A partnership with a trusted crop consultant can help growers make the best decisions that support short- and long-term goals. Staying informed and spotting issues early has two purposes: first, it preserves the land he knows and loves for the next generation; second, it sets the foundation for additional tactics that drive yields throughout the year.
“When you’re fortunate enough to grow on your own land, investing in it can pay off in the long run,” Santini says. In New Jersey and other states where farmland can be hard to come by, rented land can complicate things. It may not be possible to build soil health on land you might only grow on for a few seasons, especially if it wasn’t a priority for the previous steward.
“I take samples and get recommendations. We keep on top of soil health to keep high yields. But in some fields with rented ground, it’s harder to maintain to our standard in the limited time we might have it,” Santini says. “We can really take care of our own ground the way it’s supposed to be taken care of and the long-term changes make a difference in the end.”
Though healthy soil sets the foundation for higher yields, it’s only one variable. Santini believes the New Jersey climate works in his favor. “We are lucky here. The temperatures change with the season, and we have the right temperatures to produce a really good crop.”
Control the Controllable
There are plenty of variables growers can’t control, but you can, however, focus your efforts on the factors within your control.
Santini has decades of experimenting with tactics to help control weeds and diseases. “There are two places where I’ll never cut corners and that’s using herbicides and fungicides,” he says. “I use Acuron corn herbicide on all my corn,” Santini says. “It’s been working great for me every year I’ve used it.”
The unique combination of active ingredients in Acuron® herbicide, including bicyclopyrone, provides powerful weed control, long-lasting residual and crop safety. When every kernel counts, it makes a difference — that’s why Santini counts on it year after year.
Not only does effective weed control keep weeds from stealing yields, but it can also set the stage for premium fungicides to help increase yields. He plans to be ready with his fungicide of choice, Miravis® Neo, well before diseases show up in the field.
“To get extra bushels, pay attention to your planning, timing and choice of fungicides,” Santini says.
Trials show fungicides like Miravis Neo deliver yield bumps regardless of weather and disease severity, thanks to the plant-health benefits of exclusive active ingredients like ADEPIDYN® technology. Santini is confident in the value of premium products and his contest results show what’s possible when healthy soil and mild climate meet the right crop inputs.
What’s Next for the Corn King?
Santini plans to continue competing for the same reasons he started in 1976: to push his farm’s yield limits and enjoy the process.
“It’s great. I love to see competition and I welcome anybody to try because it’s possible,” Santini says. “I went to my first award conference in 1981 and met a lot of people from all over the United States. I’ve talked to other farmers, exchanged notes and learned a lot since then.”
His competitive spirit continues to drive him toward his next goal: 400 bushels per acre. “I’m not there yet, but I was really close this year,” Santini says. “My corn was definitely the best I’ve ever had, and I’ve got more to do yet.”
And where does he plan on accomplishing his next goal? Right at home in New Jersey, of course.
“Would I ever want to farm anyplace else? No. I love it in New Jersey.”
For Tyson Walters, success isn’t about excelling in just one area, but thriving in two that complement each other. As Head of Direct Procurement for North America at Syngenta, Walters works closely with growers and vendors, overseeing everything from seed treatments to packaging. His work supports global agriculture and helps foster lasting relationships with corn and soybean growers across the U.S.
When Walters isn’t managing his corporate responsibilities, you can find him at Walters Brothers Farm LLC, his family’s fourth-generation operation in central Illinois. Spanning nearly 850 acres, the farm grows corn and soybeans. Together with his brother, Walters manages the farm while balancing the demands of his corporate role and, more importantly, his family life.
Balancing Corporate Work and Farming
Farming has been part of Walters’ life for as long as he can remember, and his position at Syngenta allows him to balance both worlds. “Syngenta has really supported my work-life balance,” he says. “The ability to work from home and set my own schedule has made a huge difference, especially compared to other jobs in agriculture that require you to be in the field or at the office all the time.”
However, this flexibility is a rare exception. For most farmers, balancing a full-time career with farming is a constant challenge. A study from the University of Illinois found that farmers often face worse mental health than the general population, with 34% showing signs of anxiety and 26.3% experiencing depression. These statistics highlight the overwhelming stressors that come with farming, such as financial pressures, time constraints and a lack of social support.
“Farming doesn’t offer the same benefits as other careers — things like health insurance or retirement plans — so you’re juggling a lot just to keep things afloat,” Walters explains.
Health Emergency Leads to a Pivotal Moment
When Walters’ son was 18 months old, he faced a serious health crisis that led to a six-month stay at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. During that time, Walters’ manager at Syngenta was supportive, offering the flexibility he needed to balance work and family. “It made all the difference,” he says. “I was able to stay connected with my job while also being there for my son.”
Thanks to the flexibility of his role and technology, Walters was able to work remotely from the hospital. “I could respond to emails in the evenings when things settled down. It wasn’t easy, but it allowed me to stay involved with my team while being there for my family,” he says. This experience reinforced how crucial work-life balance is, especially in times of crisis.
Tips for Balancing Work, Farming & Family Life
Managing a demanding job, farming and family life isn’t easy, but Walters developed a few strategies to keep everything running smoothly. The key? Preparation, technology and clear communication.
“Preparation is everything,” he says. “A lot of it comes down to the prep work I do before the day even starts. Staying organized and knowing what needs to get done makes everything easier to manage, whether I’m scheduling meetings or handling farm operations.”
Technology plays a major role too. With up to 15 Zoom meetings a day, staying connected is critical. “Technology has been a game-changer for work-life balance,” he says. “Having the right tools helps me manage both work and farm tasks, even during the busiest periods.”
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Technology has been a game-changer for work-life balance. Having the right tools helps me manage both work and farm tasks, even during the busiest periods.
Tyson Walters
Grower and Head of Direct Procurement for North America at Syngenta
Finally, clear communication is a must. Regular check-ins with his team keep everyone aligned, even during hectic times. “Over-communicating, even when you think it’s enough, helps keep everyone engaged and reassured,” Walters says. When things get chaotic, he ensures his team stays informed, which helps the work progress smoothly despite the distractions.
Walters’ story proves that with flexibility, technology and strong communication, it’s possible to thrive in both worlds. With careful planning, ongoing support, and a focus on what matters most, it’s clear that it’s not only possible to maintain both, but to excel in each.
Sustainability practices are embraced by successful farmers, especially as they relate to yield and profitability. Allied industry partners like Syngenta are at their most impactful with their boots in the dirt alongside producers, working to understand how sustainability and profitability work hand-in-hand.
With that standard in mind, the Sustainable Solutions team at Syngenta partnered with the Potato Sustainability Alliance (PSA) in 2023 to provide actionable on-farm sustainability insights to potato growers, packers, processors and retailers across North America. Applying the Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture standard, developed by Syngenta, and tracking their practices with the help of the Cropwise™ Sustainability app, nearly 500 potato growers have been able to improve, measure and report sustainability on their farms and better communicate their sustainability stories up and down the supply chain. One year in, just about all the parties involved agree the partnership has been a rousing success.
Why Sustainability Data Matters
When it comes to sustainability, it’s fair to ask, What exactly are we supposed to be measuring? And is the data I’m getting a good sign or not?
Dozens of different metrics exist that the industry can use to gain an understanding of sustainability in agriculture. Coming to an agreement as to which are the most applicable and helpful is one of the major challenges the industry faces.
“As our understanding of the impact of these indicators improves, so will our ability to better predict outcomes for the industry as changes or improvements are implemented,” says John Mesko, CEO of PSA. “Collectively, we are still looking for the right standard. We want to see resilience and improvements in our production systems over time.”
According to Mesko, there’s really no definite line to declare a farm sustainable or not. “It’s just not that simple. It requires looking at the whole health of a farm, of a region, of an industry,” he says.
Sustainability is complicated, but today’s growers didn’t make it this far by not being sustainable. Yet, characterizing and proving sustainability remains a challenge for producers.
“For years, farmers have been asked by these companies in the value chain for all this sustainability information, and it’s been a challenge to actually collect that data,” says Jeff Lail, senior technical data analyst on the sustainability team at Syngenta. “Farmers did not start farming so they could sit at the computer and type for three hours about what makes their farm sustainable. A big part of our mission is to make that process easier for farmers so value chain partners can get the information they need.”
Working Toward Simplifying Sustainability
“Ultimately, we want to simplify sustainability for growers,” says Steven Wall, development manager of sustainable solutions at Syngenta.
A major part of that simplification is to define what on-farm sustainability insights growers should look for, what those insights tell them about their farms, and what benefits those insights provide for different players along the value chain. In potato production, the biggest sustainability impacts on both an environmental and an economic level come from irrigation, tillage and nitrogen fertilizer. A failure to play those cards right can not only take a bite out of this year’s profit but put farmers in a hole that could take years to climb out of.
“Those are expensive inputs, and there’s not a farmer in the world who wants to do any of those things unnecessarily,” says Mesko. “We’ve seen new technologies, new production methods and new understanding of the impact of these practices; they really open farmers up to making changes.”
For several years, PSA conducted its own sustainability survey but found that, ultimately, it wasn’t delivering the actionable insights they hoped it would. The organization’s partnership with Syngenta and adoption of the Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture standard has provided uniformity and clarity to their approach, which in turn has encouraged producer participation.
PSA Implements Cropwise Sustainability
Cropwise Sustainability offers growers the opportunity to self-assess their performance in areas such as biodiversity, fertilizer use and irrigation efficiency. After growers fill out an assessment in the app about a range of sustainability practices, Syngenta aggregates that information to show individual producers how they compare to their peers in those areas. Growers maintain ownership of their data and, if they so choose, can share assessment results with their choice of partners along the value chain, from packers to processors to retailers. Just over a year in, the integration of Cropwise Sustainability into the potato industry has increased communication and begun fostering a sense of community around proving the sustainability of America’s favorite vegetable.
“When growers can see how they’re performing against their peers, their eyes are opened to what they can improve on their own farm,” says Wall. “Or they might say, ‘Maybe I can help educate some folks on what I’m doing and help them improve as well.’ It generates a sense of community. Then value chain partners can receive that aggregate report of all their growers in the program, and they can really start to understand the potato supply, and how they’re performing and what’s realistic to expect as far as sustainable outcomes.”
Syngenta highly values the potato industry and has worked with PSA to incorporate crop-specific questions into the Cropwise Sustainability survey. Mesko points to three primary components as reasons for the program’s early success: ease of use; quick, specific and useful information for growers; and a big-picture look at sustainability measures across North America’s potato industry.
“Syngenta has gone to great lengths to accommodate our growers,” says Mesko. “Any grower who has a question or doesn’t understand something, they are able to provide some real-time help and support.”
Holding Room for Growth
Potatoes are grown on a longer rotation than a lot of crops — typically three to five years. There’s still a lot of progress to be made in accounting for practices in those rotation years, which likely have major repercussions on an operation’s actual sustainability. In a given year, any number of factors could cause a farm to need more water or nitrogen than planned, or for those inputs to be less efficient than expected.
“That’s the next thing up on our agenda,” says Mesko. “We’ll be looking for ways to track all that across a multiyear picture.”
“Something that happens repeatedly in the sustainability space is we get hung up on the measurement rather than what the measurement is supposed to create,” says Lail. “The data assessment is step one, but Cropwise Sustainability is designed to create partnerships. PSA and potato growers have understood that from the start, and that’s what has made it such a great initiative.”
