Syngenta Thrive

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Maintaining a sustainable farm operation means that growers continue to learn and adapt to a changing agricultural landscape. The Cropwise™ Sustainability mobile app now incorporates the Cool Farm Tool (CFT) to provide growers with actionable insights to understand and find opportunities to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of their operation. The integration is rooted in the Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) Standard developed by Syngenta to measure continuous improvement in farm sustainability. CFT offers growers the opportunity to provide up-to-date information on their efforts toward reducing GHG emissions.

CFT, created by the Cool Farm® Alliance, is a new calculator feature within Cropwise Sustainability that helps a farming operation measure its greenhouse gas emissions and overall sustainability. The tool provides an additional report and analysis that shows the operation’s farm-level carbon emissions and their sources.

Steven Wall, development manager for sustainable and responsible business at Syngenta, says the CFT was chosen because of the long relationship Syngenta has with the Cool Farm Alliance.

“The Cool Farm Tool is well recognized globally. We’re members of the Cool Farm Alliance, and we’ve used it in different facets in different countries for many years,” he says. “Growers can share the data they get from CFT with their buyers, which helps the buyers meet their commitments.”

Jeff Lail, senior data analyst for digital ag solutions at Syngenta, is also a fan of the Cool Farm Alliance.

“The Cool Farm Alliance is based on the International Panel for Climate Change. Its documentation is excellent and publicly available,” he says. “The Alliance was started by academics, and they’re transparent and easy to work with.”

Lower Data Reporting Frustrations

The seamless integration of CFT and Cropwise Sustainability means users don’t have to venture outside of the Cropwise Sustainability app to determine their carbon calculations, which lowers the pain point of data reporting. Lail says the digital ag team sought ways to make the technology as easy to use as possible.

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About five years ago, I heard a farmer say, ‘Assessing my sustainability is a business requirement, not an option.’ We seek ways to make this activity as efficient as possible for growers.

Jeff Lail Senior Data Analyst for Digital Ag Solutions at Syngenta

The CFT calculator available in the Cropwise Sustainability app is suitable for a range of growers, including those who are new to on-farm sustainability tracking and who are interested in understanding the GHG emissions associated with their farm. The CFT calculator provides more detailed information about carbon emissions that can be provided to buyers.

“We heard from growers that sellers started asking about their farms’ sustainability impact. That’s the primary reason why we added the tool to Cropwise Sustainability,” Lail says. “Although the CFT incorporated into Cropwise Sustainability is a simplified version of the program, we feel it gives growers a solid estimate of their carbon emissions and helps them evaluate their operations.”

The CFT asks many of the same questions growers already answer as part of the Cropwise Sustainability assessment, making it a simple integration for growers. In total, growers only need to answer about three additional questions.

Syngenta’s digital ag team conducts regular surveys to gauge grower interest in new features and to enhance the user experience, so Cropwise Sustainability will continue to evolve to meet the needs of growers.

“About five years ago, I heard a farmer say, ‘Assessing my sustainability is a business requirement, not an option,’” Lail says. “We seek ways to make this activity as efficient as possible for growers.”

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Healthy pollinators and a biodiverse landscape are essential to every agricultural ecosystem. Threats to pollinator populations are due to many factors, like habitat loss and fragmentation, non-sustainable agricultural practices, environmental pollution and lack of genetic diversity.

Syngenta leverages key partnerships and collaborations to further its mission to support American farmers and their land and vital pollinators for successful crop production and biodiversity.

The BeSure! Campaign

Crop protection products, including neonicotinoids, are essential in the agriculture industry. These products help prevent and treat diseases, fight insect pests, increase overall crop yield and help ensure growers can continue to maintain and grow the U.S. food supply at a sustainable rate. Since 2019, the BeSure! campaign — led by Growing Matters, a coalition of ag companies including Syngenta — promotes best stewardship practices to protect pollinators when using neonicotinoid products on farms and urban landscapes. Growers should:

  • Always read the label when using neonicotinoid products.
  • Establish appropriate buffers, also known as no-spray zones, between treated areas and pollinator insect habitats or hives.
  • Communicate with neighbors and beekeepers.
  • Be aware of crop’s bloom stage and pollinator attractiveness.

Rusty Patched Bumble Bee Habitat Restoration Project

The pollination efforts of bees contribute nearly $20 billion to the value of crop production in the U.S. each year. Native bees are important for biodiversity and play an important role in pollinator services for crops and native plants including wildflowers. One species, the rusty patched bumble bee, was listed as endangered in 2017 making it the first endangered bee species in the continental U.S.

Syngenta, the Iowa Soybean Association and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, along with Iowa landowners, joined forces on the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee Habitat Restoration Project to help protect the declining species.

The project established pollinator zones, which is marginal land converted into beneficial habitats for pollinators, and prairie strips, which are native prairie plants that are strategically placed to improve soil, water quality, biodiversity and climate resilience. The initiative created more habitat for rusty patched bumble bees, other pollinators and local wildlife to thrive, leading to a tenfold increase in rusty patched bumble bee populations since 2019.

Pheasants Forever Collaboration

Preserving habitats is essential for safeguarding the well-being of wildlife and biodiversity, forging a direct link between conservation practices and sustainable agriculture. Habitats face many challenges such as land use conversion, invasive plant species and limited diversity of native grasses and wildflowers.

Pheasants Forever and Syngenta partner to conserve habitats and promote sustainable land management practices. By working closely with farmers, ranchers and landowners, they enable projects ranging from planting native grasses and wildflowers to restoring wetlands.

Pheasants Forever’s Pollinator Habitat Outreach Program provides tools, training and financial assistance for local communities to establish habitat projects for pollinating species. In 2023, the program engaged 3,727 participants across 64 acres.

Milkweed in the Classroom is an education program dedicated to providing students with the materials and training needed to grow native plants. The initiative has involved 3,353 participants across 146 classrooms to plant 7,560 milkweed stems.

Sand County Foundation Partnership

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Syngenta’s repeated and growing financial support over the past four years has helped Sand County Foundation continue our program in three states and expand the program into two new states in 2022. We aspire to grow the program further in the future to include additional states in the Midwest and beyond.

Craig Ficenec Program Director of Sand County Foundation

Not only are pollinators essential to agriculture, they’re also necessary to maintaining natural habitats and plant biodiversity. Through Sand County Foundation’s Pollinator Habitat Grant Program, agriculture and science educators can apply for grants online and partner with local landowners to create or enhance habitats for pollinators. Selected schools receive native wildflower seed and seedlings, a training webinar and consultation as well as a $1,000 grant for the school district or FFA chapter for project expenses.

Since the program was launched in 2017, 103 high schools have been awarded grants across Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and Texas, engaging 11,000 students to plant more than 64,000 wildflower plugs. Sand County Foundation surveyed students who had completed projects supported by the grant program and found that over 95% of the students reported that the experience raised their awareness of how important pollinators are to the health of our agricultural system.

“Syngenta’s repeated and growing financial support over the past four years has helped Sand County Foundation continue our program in three states and expand the program into two new states in 2022,” says Craig Ficenec, program director of Sand County Foundation. “We aspire to grow the program further in the future to include additional states in the Midwest and beyond.”

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You wouldn’t fill your gas tank half full and expect to go the same number of miles as a full tank. The same applies to your herbicide program. Using the full-labeled rate is one of the most important factors towards having a successful weed control outcome. This approach extends residual control helping to prevent weeds from emerging late and going to seed.

Understand the Weed Seed Bank

Every season, you plant your crop into soil that contains weed seed deposits from weeds left uncontrolled in past seasons or carried in by equipment, animals or the environment. If you didn’t achieve effective weed control in past seasons, your weed seed bank will contain extra weed seeds just waiting to emerge and compete with your crop.

Waterhemp seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years, with studies showing that 12% of seeds can persist in the soil, even after four years of burial.1 Other weed species can survive even longer in the soil seed bank, which is why it’s important to know which weeds you’re battling in each of your fields.

Manage Your Weed Seed Bank

Broad-spectrum, preemergence residual herbicides and residual herbicide programs are available to help control weeds before they emerge and have a chance to produce weed seed. However, these herbicides will only perform at their maximum level — and give you the most value — if they are used at the full-labeled rate designed to deliver a successful weed control outcome. Before a second flush of weeds can emerge, follow up with a post-emergence residual herbicide to help achieve overlapping, season-long residual weed control.

“Using a full rate of  preemergence residual herbicides like Acuron® or Storen® for corn or Tendovo® for soybeans will give you greater consistency, so you can get more weed control, more often,” says Mark Kitt, technical product lead of corn herbicides at Syngenta.

The Value of Using Herbicides at the Full-labeled Rate

Using full-labeled herbicide rates results in greater weed control and fewer weed seeds to battle the next season.
This demonstration assumes there is a population of 100 waterhemp plants per acre, with each plant producing 250,000 seeds.2

These three jars contain varying amounts of waterhemp seeds, and you can see that herbicide application rate affects the number of weed survivors and the weeds seeds they can produce, according to Kitt.

  • The jar on the left shows what can happen if you don’t use any herbicide to control waterhemp. Untreated, waterhemp has a survival rate of 100%. This uncontrolled waterhemp can produce up to 25 million waterhemp seeds per acre.
  • The middle jar shows what can happen if you use a herbicide at a reduced rate. Where Acuron was applied at a reduced rate of 1.67 quarts per acre, 13% of waterhemp survived with the potential to produce up to 3.25 million weed seeds per acre.*
  • The last jar shows what can happen if you use a herbicide at a full-labeled rate. Where Acuron was applied at a full rate of 2.5-3.0 quarts per acre, the waterhemp survival rate was less than one percent, reducing potential weed seed production to only 37,500 seeds per acre.*

* If an overlapping application was not made to manage the survivors.

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It’s important to remember that applying full-labeled rates supports sound herbicide resistance management practices. Then, you are able to more effectively control weeds by controlling the weed seed, and not just the emerged weed.

Mark Kitt Technical Product Lead of Corn Herbicides at Syngenta

Additional Benefits of Full-labeled Herbicide Rates

Yield Protection

Using a preemergence residual herbicide at a full-labeled rate can also boost yield potential. If the emerging crop doesn’t have to compete with weeds for key nutrients like water, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium needed for crop growth, more yield potential will be protected.

  • Water: At a Syngenta Grow More™ Experience site in York, Nebraska, our agronomists found that in three days, three-inch weeds can remove one inch of water from the soil.3
  • Macronutrients: Weeds as little as 2-4″ can consume 13.4 lbs. of nitrogen, 0.85 lbs. of phosphorus and 16.8 lbs. of potassium.4

Healthy Weed-free Corn Can Focus on Growth and Grain Fill

  • Acuron is the only corn herbicide shown in replicated trials to outyield competitors by 5-15 bu/A.5
  • Tendovo can help increase soybean yield potential by 4-5 bu/A compared to competitive herbicide brands.6

Residual Activity

Using a full-labeled herbicide rate also means you can expect to get the complete duration of a product’s residual activity. While many herbicides last four to six weeks, Storen corn herbicide, when applied at its full-labeled rate of 2.1 – 2.4 qt/A, has been proven to deliver residual control that can last up to three weeks longer than other leading corn herbicides.7

Resistance Management

“It’s important to remember that applying full-labeled rates supports sound herbicide resistance management practices,” Kitt says. “Then, you are able to more effectively control weeds by controlling the weed seed, and not just the emerged weed.”

1 Data Source: 2007 University of Missouri Extension.

2 Data Source: Head-to-head trial comparisons from the Global Data Base: DE-3; GA-3; GA-4; IA-07; IA-16; IA-24; IL-10; IL-13; IL-21; IL-22; IL-26; IL-27-[HPPD-R]; LA-01; MO-03; MO-05; MS-03; NC-2; NE-02; NE-10-[HPPD-R]; NE-17-[HPPD-R]; Ne-20; NE-21; NE-22; OK-3; OK-3; TN-11; TX-13; TX-15.

3 Data Source: 2006 Syngenta trials: York, NE.

4 Weed Nutrient Uptake Source: Approximately 20 Syngenta Learning Center Research locations between 2006-2008. Nutrients measured from samples taken from weeds 1-2” and 2-4” in height. Analysis completed by Midwest Labs, Omaha, NE. Period from weed emergence to removal at 1-2” in height was 10 days and 2-4” in height was 20 days.

5 Acuron yield advantage range based on 2016 Syngenta and University trials comparing Acuron to Corvus®, Resicore®, SureStart® II and Verdict® applied preemergence at full label rates.

6 2020 – University Trials – HSM050ABC4 – 2020US – IL, AR, MI, OH, MO.

7 Storen length-of-control advantage based on 2022 Syngenta and university replicated trials comparing Storen to Resicore® and TriVolt®. Data Source: 2022; HBI008A4-2022US.

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For many outside the industry, a career in agriculture is synonymous with hands-on, “early-to-bed, early-to-rise” farming, versus its international scope and diverse career pathways. But agriculture, food and related industries contributed more than $1.5 trillion to the U.S. Global Domestic Product in 2023 — a 5.6 percent share — and continues to attract a skilled, motivated workforce. Ashlyn Frederick, an ag student at Iowa State University and former intern at Syngenta, took time out of her busy semester to talk about her experiences and her passion for agriculture.

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Ashlyn Frederick is a senior studying agricultural communications and animal science at Iowa State University.
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Ashlyn’s internship at Syngenta underscored the importance of collaboration in agriculture, from the field to the office.
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Ashlyn Frederick (right) with Chelsea Lurvey (left), marketing operations specialist at Syngenta. Ashlyn worked with Chelsea during her summer internship with the Syngenta Seeds marketing team.
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Extracurriculars and hands-on learning help students like Ashlyn get a firsthand experience in their fields of interest.

Q: What school do you attend and what’s your area of study? Why did you choose them?

A: I’m a senior in agricultural communications with a minor in animal science at Iowa State University. I chose ISU for its strong agriculture programs, and I’m passionate about advocating for the industry, so it only made sense to major in ag communications.

Q: What agricultural activities and organizations do you participate in at school?

A: At Iowa State, I’m involved in Sigma Alpha, the professional agricultural sorority on campus. I serve on the executive team as the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) council representative. I also serve as the publicity chair for CALS.

Q: Why did you decide to study ag? Who or what influenced you?

A: My passion for studying agriculture stems from growing up on my family’s diversified crop and livestock operation. We raise corn and soybeans along with beef cattle, and I try to go home and help with the farm operations whenever I get the chance. This also gave me the opportunity to grow up showing livestock through both 4-H and FFA. My involvement helped grow my passion for the ag industry as I got more involved in contests and events. As I got older, I knew I wanted to be a voice for agriculture and advocate for the industry.

Q: What do you hope to do in your career?

A: I don’t have a specific “dream job,” but I know I want to work in ag marketing/communications.

Q: Tell us about your internship with Syngenta. What did you learn about the industry, and what was your favorite part?

A: My previous internships were in commodity groups and smaller organizations, so working with Syngenta gave me an inside view of what it’s like to work for a corporation. I learned that one of the key components to being successful in a company like this is collaboration. There are so many parts and people involved in different projects that communication and collaboration are key to being successful. The agriculture industry is also very small, so it’s important to make connections when opportunities arise. My favorite part of this internship was being able to work with and get to know the Syngenta Seeds marketing team. They gave me lots of opportunities to work with them on different projects, and I can’t thank them enough for the experience and learnings I was able to gain from them.

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Look for a program that will provide the resources you need to be successful. One of the reasons I came to Iowa State was because the education, extracurricular activities and internship opportunities are unlimited.

Ashlyn Frederick College Senior and Former Syngenta Intern

Q: What advice do you have for high schoolers considering an ag program? What should they look for?

A: Look for a program that will provide the resources you need to be successful. One of the reasons I came to Iowa State was because the education, extracurricular activities and internship opportunities are unlimited. Iowa State sets you up to be successful in the real world by providing all the tools you need.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add about your ag life?

A: Agriculture has always been the backbone of my life. These past three years at Iowa State have been nothing short of amazing, and I am excited to continue to be part of the agricultural industry in my new career next year!

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Soybean planting planning sessions are underway in farm offices all over the country as growers analyze varieties, determine optimal planting populations, and study soil temperature data from past seasons. As you strategize how to navigate next year’s threats — from waterhemp to Red Crown Rot (RCR) to Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) — you’re thinking about how these issues will impact what you see on the yield monitor at harvest. You’re also carefully weighing input decisions against commodity prices and considering how choosing the wrong early-season inputs can stress soybeans, result in inferior performance and hurt your bottom line.

Early-season stressors put more pressure on the seed to perform in tough conditions. Take three steps to maximize your seed investment, starting day one.

1. Learn From the Past Season

Last year’s problems could be this year’s problems.

“A lot of the threats we saw in 2024 aren’t going to go away next year,” says Logan Dinkla, Syngenta agronomist based in Iowa. “Soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) eggs can survive in the soil for multiple years. Weed escapes, especially waterhemp, can add to the weed seed bank resulting in management issues for future seasons.”

A lot of the weed and disease pressure was a result of the warm and wet weather conditions of 2024, when the Midwest experienced above average rainfall. Weather also increased SDS and RCR pressure in 2024, according to local Syngenta agronomists. Iowa announced RCR spread to two new counties, Missouri reported their first outbreak, and Indiana saw increased reports across the state.

“We’re starting to see more RCR now than in years past. Once it’s found in a field or area, it seems to expand its footprint,” says Matt Geiger, Syngenta agronomist based in Illinois. “Sudden death syndrome is also an issue, especially for soybeans planted early. Like RCR, SDS is an emotional disease for growers. You want to make sure you’re protecting your soybeans and bottom line the best you can from day one.”

2. Start Planning Ahead Now

“Right now is the best time to start protecting your soybeans — before they’re in the ground,” Dinkla says. “We can really evaluate what worked and didn’t in 2024. We can see what changes need to be made and adjust for next season. We can decide on the best products. When choosing crop protection products, we want to set ourselves up for success by starting clean and staying clean through the season.”

One way to set soybeans up for higher potential yields is by planning to use a powerful pre-emergent (PRE) herbicide.

“Broad-spectrum PRE herbicides are critical for protecting yield, as soybeans do not like to compete with weeds for valuable resources,” Geiger says. “Weeds, like waterhemp, can take up valuable nutrients, water and sunlight, and can prevent your soybeans from reaching their full genetic potential.”

Growers increasingly look to plant early into cool, wet conditions to give their soybeans a greater yield potential. However, Geiger says growers should be on the lookout for early-season diseases like Pythium or Phytophthora.

“If you have to replant due to disease, you have just sacrificed the yield benefit of planting earlier, as we know early planted soybeans have better yield potential” he says.

Plan early to use a powerful seed treatment to protect against early-season diseases and a long-lasting pre-emergence herbicide so your soybeans will be better protected from key soybean yield thieves.

3. Choose the Right Protection

There are a few things you can do to help maximize your ROI potential at harvest, like implementing crop rotation or planting narrower rows to limit weeds. Choosing the right crop protection products should also be on your to-do list.

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From Seedcare to herbicides, everything works together as a system. We want something that is going to set ourselves up for success throughout the season. We want to start clean, emerge strong and ultimately get the most out of your soybeans.

Logan Dinkla Syngenta Agronomist

“While you typically won’t see RCR or SDS until reproductive stages, those pathogens  have been in the plant since its early stages; the infection happened months ago. This is why we use seed treatments to protect against these two diseases,” Geiger says. “Some seed treatments can reduce root mass and stand, and who would want that? You need a seed treatment that offers protection and plant-health improvements.”

Geiger recommends CruiserMaxx® APX and Saltro® seed treatments to protect your soybeans. CruiserMaxx APX delivers the most powerful Pythium and Phytophthora protection and helps soybeans emerge stronger and healthier. Saltro provides additional protection against SDS, SCN and RCR.

In addition to upgraded protection, Saltro also delivers MagniSafe™ technology for plant-health improvements and crop vigor that helps boost potential yield — even in little to no known disease or pest pressures.

Geiger also recommends starting clean with an equally strong pre-emergent herbicide such as Tendovo®, which offers three active ingredients to help control more than 70 yield-robbing weeds, including waterhemp.

“Ideally you want to spray Tendovo right after you’ve planted your treated soybeans to prevent weeds from emerging and competing with your soybeans for valuable resources. Then follow it up with a timely post-emergence plus residual application,” Geiger says. “The goal is to have herbicide activity in the soil until you close the rows.”

Dinkla says Saltro and Tendovo pair well together because they both offer exceptional crop safety along with powerful protection.

“When we look at a soybean acre it is not just focusing on one thing. From Seedcare to herbicides, everything works together as a system,” Dinkla says. “We want something that is going to set ourselves up for success throughout the season. We want to start clean, emerge strong and ultimately get the most out of your soybeans.”

To learn more about CruiserMaxx APX, Saltro and or Tendovo, talk to your local Syngenta retailer today or visit Syngenta-US.com/BetterYield.

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Syngenta supports a FIFRA Section 2(ee) recommendation for Saltro for suppression of Red Crown Rot in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri 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.

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Waxy corn provides an ingredient used in the glue that holds cardboard boxes together.

“I learned that at a contract grower meeting,” says Brian Scott, grower and social media influencer near Monticello, Indiana. “The price for waxy corn went up during the pandemic, when the demand for shipping boxes skyrocketed because so many people shopped online.”

Waxy corn is a specialty crop that looks the same as yellow field corn, but its starch content makes it ideal for a variety of industrial and food uses.

Scott and his dad devote about half of their corn acres to waxy hybrids and half to regular field corn. They also grow a couple hundred acres of popcorn, soybeans for seed production and a few acres of winter wheat.

While their fields look like others in northwest Indiana, their crop mix doesn’t quite fit in with the idea of a typical Midwest farm. Scott took an alternative approach to becoming the fourth generation to work the family farm as well.

Taking a Detour From Farm Life

“I wanted to farm as a kid,” Scott says. “It’s what I knew. I never did anything else.” Yet, in high school, he describes himself as “not a typical farm kid.”

“I wasn’t involved in FFA or 4-H,” he explains. “I played trumpet in jazz band and took music theory, so I didn’t have room in my schedule for ag classes. Most of my friends were town kids, and I didn’t rush home to drive the tractor after school or come home from college to farm.”

Yet he majored in soil and crop management at Purdue University with the intention of returning to the farm immediately after graduation, like his dad had done in the 1970s.

“I didn’t have another plan, until I wondered during my last semester of college if I should do something else,” he says.

Scott wanted to forge his own post-college path, so he took a job outside of agriculture as an assistant manager at a farm and home retail store in his hometown. He was promoted to store manager, and then the chain moved him to manage a new store in a nearby town.

He learned to be outgoing and how to work with many different people. He served customers, oversaw 30 to 35 employees, and answered to upper management.

After six years in retail, Scott began to tire of the long hours in town and the need to be available during his limited time off. He spent a few years looking for the right position close to agriculture before deciding to join his dad and grandpa on the family farm. He says they made it easy for him to seamlessly join the operation, and they were excited to introduce the next generation to the farm. Only two days after quitting his retail job, Scott and his wife, Nicole, found out that Nicole was pregnant with their first son.

Their sons Matthew, 14, and Andrew, 9, show some interest in the farm as a future career. “Our plan is to be ready if they want to join the farm, but we aren’t pushing them,” Scott says.

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As a fourth-generation farmer, Brian brings a fresh perspective to his Indiana farm.
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Fungicides like Miravis® Ace help Brian control disease and protect plant health in winter wheat.
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Because he grows soybeans for seed production, healthy crops help Brian earn premiums based on quality at harvest.
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Brian opts to grow waxy corn, a specialty crop used to produce the glue that holds cardboard shipping boxes together.
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Brian’s blog, “The Farmer’s Life,” has evolved across social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube.
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Brian shares the good, the bad and the funny online to educate non-farmers about agriculture.
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By sharing an inside look at his life on the farm, Brian helps people reconnect with agriculture.

Adapting Agronomics for a Flexible Approach

Scott isn’t afraid to try different agronomic approaches in an effort to take a calculated risk for the benefit of the operation’s bottom line.

He and his father completely transitioned to no-till on all their acres, requiring less labor. They aim to seed cover crops on about 25% of their acres each fall. And, based on research out of Purdue University, they started planting soybeans before corn.

“Soybean growth is based on day length, so planting early supports yield, especially in warm springs,” Scott says. “Though we’ve always treated bean seeds at planting, it’s even more important when planting early in no-till fields.” Scott uses Saltro® fungicide seed treatment to protect their soybeans from disease like Sudden Death Syndrome.

Because he grows soybeans for seed production, Scott can earn premiums based on quality at harvest. The seed company they grow for doesn’t require in-season fungicide treatments, but they have been rewarded in some seasons after applying Miravis® Neo fungicide to control disease and protect plant health. In winter wheat, Miravis Ace fungicide has provided similar benefits.

“This season, we are trying Miravis Neo in corn for the first time,” he says. “Our focus is tar spot, which has become a problem. It should also ward off late-season diseases and help the plants stay green longer, extending the grain fill period.”

Sharing “The Farmer’s Life”

Scott’s willingness to explore new or different tools and practices extends beyond the field. In 2011, he started a blog and joined Facebook to share his ag expertise.

“My original goal was to show people not in farming how it works,” he says. “I wanted to explain things like GMOs without a lot of jargon.”

He named the blog “The Farmer’s Life” and began sharing his thoughts and perspectives on food and farming. When Scott worked in retail, he helped many non-farm people understand things like garden chemicals, so he had experience relating to his audience.

“When people learn that I’m a farmer, they tend to ask questions,” Scott notes. “This was a way to answer those questions for more people.”

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My original goal was to show people not in farming how it works. When people learn that I’m a farmer, they tend to ask questions. This was a way to answer those questions for more people.

Brian Scott Fourth-generation Grower and Online Ag Advocate

He became part of the online ag advocate community. Over the past 13 years, “The Farmer’s Life” has evolved with online platforms. He moved away from the blog format and writing about food issues and now uses social media channels to share everyday life on a crop farm.

“I still target the non-farm audience, but I know that posting equipment and farm pictures attracts those who grew up in agriculture but aren’t farming, as well as other farmers,” he says.

He typically posts once or twice a day on Facebook, where he reaches his largest audience of more than 151,000 followers. He shares almost as often on Instagram, where he connects with a mix of farmers and others. When he has questions for other farmers or something more sarcastic or funny to share, he goes to X, formerly known as Twitter.

The Farmer’s Life also has a YouTube channel, where Scott shares longer videos about his life on the farm. He even had a viral TikTok video on the differences between sweet corn, field corn, popcorn and waxy corn, which earned six million views.

Engaging online has expanded his network of farmer friends. “I don’t drink coffee, so I don’t go to a coffee shop,” Scott says. “Instead, I have close friends from around the country that I private message or text.”

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From consumer retail to waxy corn, Scott’s approach continues to be unique. But that experience fuels the success of “The Farmer’s Life” — and his satisfaction as a fourth-generation farmer.

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Cotton growers meet this familiar foe on the battlefield every year, but be warned: Changing weather patterns can cause fall armyworm populations to explode early in the season, setting the stage for multiple generations to lay siege to your crop.

Extreme weather events, especially mild, wet winters followed by drought conditions create the ideal environment for these armies to grow. From there, strong winds and storms can aid their migration to other fields and regions.

In the South, growers need to be mindful of the double-whammy of wet fields. Frequent rainfall creates a favorable environment for the survival of eggs and larvae, but it also prevents control if wet fields are inaccessible.

Know Your Enemy

Fall armyworm’s identifying characteristic is a prominent inverted “Y” marking on the back of its head. Four large black dots on the last body segment of fall armyworm differentiate it from bollworms. Their color varies from light green to almost black.

Larvae go through six or seven growth stages, ultimately reaching a body length of up to 1.5 inches. The caterpillars are easy to miss at earlier stages, but they become more destructive as they grow.

Fall armyworm is one of the most devastating armyworm species to cotton because they tend to feed on fruiting structures and bolls. They can cause severe defoliation in pre-bloom cotton. According to the University of Texas A&M Extension, severe damage occurs when fall armyworm tops the plant, cutting branches and severing stalks. The greatest potential for yield loss occurs during boll filling.

Act Fast to Control the Army

In Southern states, each generation of fall armyworm may spend as little as three weeks as larvae. Larger caterpillars may be less susceptible to control measures, so being proactive is key – starting with frequent scouting and full rates of the right insecticides.

When scouting for fall armyworm, keep the following tactics in mind:

  • Sample with a sweep net. Keep the opening of the net vertical and swing in 180° turns to maximize contact with vegetation. Repeat this process in several locations and fields. Fall armyworm are most active in the early morning and late afternoon.
  • Know the treatment threshold. Empty the net into a sealable bag and carefully examine the contents. If you find more than 10-20 larvae per 100 plants, an insecticide application is warranted to defend your marketable yields.

If the treatment threshold is reached, it’s time to think about your next plan of attack. Powerful insecticides like Besiege® can defend your fields from fall armyworm and other insect threats. Besiege contains two active ingredients and dual modes of action to support resistance management strategies while helping turn the tide of the battle with fall armyworm.

Remember, fall armyworm migrates and reproduces rapidly. Scout for fall armyworm until defoliation to avoid surprise attacks and keep an eye on the weather all winter long to prepare for next season.

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As harvest wraps up, now is a good time to review disease pressure in your crop over the season. Some of the most damaging early-season pathogens in pulse crops are Pythium, the pathogen most commonly responsible for seedling blight and root rot. Many species of Pythium in the U.S. can stunt roots and impact plant stands.

Pythium damage in pulse crops can begin as early as germination. Infected fields often have indented, circular patches and uneven plant stands. Belowground, Pythium infections cause discolored roots that appear water-soaked.

Plants affected by Pythium are more susceptible to other diseases, so by the time it takes hold, it is often too late to manage. Pythium alone can cause yield losses up to 84% in pulse crops. Therefore, prevention is critical.

Several management practices can reduce Pythium’s impact in your fields:

  • Sanitize: Thoroughly clean and disinfect all surfaces and tools, as Pythium is known to survive in dust particles, planting mediums and soil particles. Additionally, be sure to remove and destroy any infected plant debris.
  • Crop rotation: Implement a crop rotation strategy to disrupt the life cycle of Pythium.
  • Reevaluate timing and spacing: Good air circulation and minimized pathogen spread can be achieved by keeping adequate space between crops.
  • Seed treatments: Planting treated seeds can help the plant focus on growing strong, even stands instead of fighting off early-season diseases like Pythium. 

Vayantis® seed treatment helps protect against many known Pythium species in the U.S. It delivers a novel mode of action without cross-resistance to existing chemistries, offers seed safety and is compatible with other seed treatments. Vayantis also helps promote germination, emergence and plant stand uniformity in variable soil types and environmental conditions.

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For more information about Vayantis or other early-season disease management recommendations, reach out to your local Syngenta representative or retailer.

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When it comes to troublesome weeds, most growers rightly think of waterhemp or Palmer amaranth, but volunteer corn is the unexpected villain you don’t want your soybeans to face — and it’s on the rise.

High winds and severe storms across the country, especially in the Midwest, contribute to downed corn. This has likely had a substantial impact on the amount of volunteer corn in the following year’s soybean crop, a complication that can spell trouble for unprepared growers.

Like other weeds, volunteer corn competes for nutrients, water and light. Clumps of volunteer corn can cause soybean yield losses of up to 54%. According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, volunteer corn can drastically reduce soybean yield even at low densities. At 5,000 volunteers/acre, approximately one volunteer corn plant per every 3.5 feet of row, soybean yields can be reduced by 20%.

It also reduces the value of corn-soybean rotation used for corn rootworm management by providing a food source for corn rootworm larvae that hatch out in the field. If volunteer corn silks, it can attract egg-laying corn rootworm beetles that will wreak havoc on next year’s corn.

Managing volunteer corn is necessary to achieve maximum yield potential this year and in years to come.

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Start Early to Prevent Volunteer Corn

Prevention should be your primary strategy and starts well before harvest. Start strategizing before rotating to soybeans.

  • Prioritize season-long insect management. Insect damage can increase the incidence of dropped kernels and lodged corn that can germinate next season. Plant insect-resistant hybrids, scout vigilantly and make timely insecticide applications to set your fields up for success.
  • Carefully harvest lodged corn. Severe weather means that lodged corn is sometimes unavoidable. If you still see lodged corn at harvest, proceed with caution. Follow best practices to harvest lodged corn to salvage as much yield as possible while preventing lost kernels from emerging next season.
  • Consider post-harvest tillage or make a plan for crop residue. If you suspect that weather or insect damage increased your risk for volunteer corn, consider post-harvest tillage. Tillage can reduce seed-to-soil contact and expose kernels to winter freezes. For no-till operations, grazing livestock or baling crop residue can help reduce volunteer corn in fields with significant lodging.

Control Volunteer Corn in Soybeans

Controlling volunteer corn after emergence requires a different strategy.

Delaying planting until volunteer corn emerges can allow for burndown herbicide applications. Non-selective herbicides like Gramoxone® SL 3.0 can help eliminate glyphosate-resistant volunteer corn. For conventional corn, glyphosate is an option. In corn without the Enlist® trait, Fusilade® DX is an option. If in doubt, talk to your your local Syngenta representative.

Volunteer corn becomes more difficult and costly to control after soybeans emerge. Save yourself some heartache (and cash) by applying full rates of herbicides when volunteer corn is one foot tall or less.

The longer volunteer corn persists in your fields, the more it will cost soybean yield potential, even if it dies off by harvest. Act early to preserve yield potential and keep volunteer corn from interfering with harvest.

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Consumer drone technology has surged in the last 10 years. You don’t have to be a pilot, computer expert or gamer to fly one. Even if you’re not tech-savvy, you could probably manage to fly a consumer drone with just a short period of basic instruction. Purchasing and flying a drone are the easy parts. Using them appropriately, effectively and practically for agricultural applications — especially spraying pesticides — requires more effort and research.

“The biggest excitement around drones is their accessibility. Anybody and everybody can get their hands on them and use them,” says Neill Newton, global drone application technical manager at Syngenta. “The greatest challenge for effectively using drones for spraying is lack of standardization.”

Understand Spray Drone Options

Ground spray rigs and manned aircraft have a host of international and U.S. standards of operation. According to Newton, this provides growers with a thorough understanding of how the machines are built and how to operate them to get predictable results. On the other hand, there are a lot of variables for drone options with few instructions on how to effectively use them, leading to a lot of confusion.

Growers can choose between four-rotor and eight-rotor options, hydraulic nozzles or rotary atomizer nozzles, 2-gallon capacity up to nearly 20 gallons, and a few thousand dollars to north of $45,000. Each option chosen can impact the application.

For example, the heavier a drone is, the more downwash it has. The type and position of the nozzle will impact droplet size and spray swath. Application volumes are significantly reduced compared to traditional ground spray technologies.

“It’s really easy to make an application, but it’s also really easy to make a bad application,” Newton says. “At Syngenta, we’re focused on understanding how our crop protection products perform using drone technology so we can help customers use drones in the safest, most effective and most efficient ways possible.”

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At Syngenta, we’re focused on understanding how our crop protection products perform using drone technology so we can help customers use drones in the safest, most effective and most efficient ways possible.

Neill Newton Global Drone Application Technical Manager at Syngenta

Drones at Work

There are many uses for drones in agriculture, from checking livestock to providing insightful data for field research and crop management. Spray drones have a strong foothold for spray applications that typically require a backpack sprayer. When terrain is tough, a drone can make quick work of projects that otherwise require a lot of physical effort and man-hours to complete.

Ideal drone tasks include spraying for invasive weeds and treating bodies of water as vector control for mosquitoes in remote or rough areas.

“In these cases, a drone can likely take the place of a backpack sprayer and do a satisfactory job,” Newton says.

Another place application drones are taking off is with specialty vegetable and fruit growers. Drones provide a quick option for time-sensitive applications. Timely, and more affordable applications also appeal to large-scale row crop producers.

“It’s no secret there’s a labor shortage. It can be tough to get over a field in a timely manner, especially on tall corn,” Newton says. Growers can face a long, worry-filled wait for manned aerial applications. With a drone, growers can potentially treat crops threatened by insects or disease on their schedule.

“The most common products we see being applied by drones in cropping situations are fungicides,” Newton says. According to The Ohio State University Extension, fungicide applications on wheat, corn and some soybean acres have dominated the use of spray drones in the U.S. through 2023. The acreages are still comparatively small.

“Drones are not taking the place of a ground rig or manned aircraft. They’re just another tool producers are increasingly valuing as an option,” Newton says.

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Get Results After Growing Pains

Drone technology is a classic case of running — or, in this case, flying — before crawling. Spray drones are an intriguing tool, but one that still has some significant growing pains to work through.

Covering a lot of acres with a drone isn’t currently an efficient option. Battery life is the limiting factor. Significant improvements need to be made on this front, and Newton has yet to see any drastic improvements in the seven years he’s worked with drones.

“The only significant factor standing in the way of having 100-gallon drones in the air is battery capacity,” Newton says. Heat is also a challenge, which greatly reduces battery capacity and taxes the drone.

In ideal conditions, a drone can apply at rates up to 30 to 70 acres per hour depending on the product. Spray volumes differ significantly between drones and ground rigs. Ground rigs will apply 10 to 20 gallons of spray volume while drones use 2 to 4 gallons per acre for the same product.

Even when conditions are right, a drone application will only be as successful as the operator is knowledgeable.

“You have to understand this piece of equipment and put parameters in correctly or you will not get the effective application you need,” Newton says. “You’re going to see a failure if you don’t have it setup properly.”

Applicators must consider how high they want to fly and how fast, what nozzle type they are using, and what droplet size is needed for the application. Rotary atomizer nozzles can be adjusted with a slide button on the control panel from fine droplets to more coarse, while hydraulic nozzles must be manually swapped out to change droplet size.

With this information in hand, applicators must then evaluate what swath width their equipment can deliver in current conditions to determine an effective spray area. Data is then used to manually dial in the correct settings on their spray drone. Many application drones have presets for application, but they tend to miss the mark, Newton says.

“All these variables are up to the operator to understand and input, which is concerning considering the lack of understanding, research and formal training there is for using drones for spray application,” he says.

Online tutorials can also lead drone applicators astray. Growers and drone operators should get online or in-person training from university Extension resources, which currently provide the most accurate information and advice.

Drone Flying License Required

Get licensed. Even using a small drone to check livestock water quickly shifts the use from hobby to commercial purposes. When a drone is used for work or business, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Remote Pilot Certification is required. This is also known as a Part 107 license.

An additional Part 137 license is required to operate an agricultural spray drone. This is the same license manned aerial applicators are required to carry. Drones weighing more than 55 pounds require additional certificates.

“Please make sure you have the proper licensing. It seems intimidating, but the FAA has made it really easy to get these licenses,” Newton says. “There is also value in the training that comes with preparing for the tests.”

Syngenta has joined forces with other crop protection companies to form a global taskforce to collect data and help guide and support safe and effective use practices for spray drone applications. The Unmanned Aerial Pesticide Application System Taskforce (UAPASTF) is working alongside agencies to generate and submit data to global regulatory agencies, like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“We want to provide the EPA with a mechanized model for drone applications like they have for manned aircraft. You plug in the product and application parameters, and run a model to show what drift might look like and assess risk,” Newton says. “Drones aren’t like manned aircraft or ground rigs. They need their own data curve for comparison.”

The task force already has trials running and is generating data.

“Eventually the EPA will require label language for drones. We need enough information to make recommendations for using our products effectively through drones both now and for when those requirements are set,” Newton says.

For now, operators need to work with a trusted adviser with a good understanding of drone application to get the best results. Newton notes university Extension is diving heavily into drone application research, making them a good starting point.

“We aren’t in the business of promoting spray application technology, but we want to enable the technology our customers want to use. If a customer wants to use our products through a drone, we want to be sure they have the information to be successful,” Newton says. “This is part of being good stewards of our products in the marketplace.”

This article has been prepared for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal or regulatory advice.