2020 Fall Farm Outlook

2020 Logan County Farm Outlook LINCOLN DAILY NEWS October 28, 2020 PAGE 5 This year the Army Corps of Engineers has closed many of locks and dams on the Illinois River for much needed repairs and updates. Some of the repairs have been completed, but some closures are still scheduled through the end of the month, and half-day closures at some locations will continue into January. Much like a road construction project, it is not fun while going on, but great when complete. The other transportation issue has been the availability of truck drivers. During the pandemic, much of the interstate traffic has been heavy trucks moving goods to market. To drive the “big rigs,” the drivers need a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License). Truck drivers and delivery has taken the top job in most states, as this is a vocation which is needed, can’t be outsourced, and can’t be automated – yet. The competition for CDL drivers remains great, and agriculture needs its share to move commodities and finished products. Seed options and herbicide resistance traits have certainly been hot topics again in 2020. The Enlist seed system finally made it into the commercial marketplace. The use of the dicamba system was largely halted for a period in June by a Federal Court committee vacating the labels of the three major products for that market. The EPA ruling on the use of purchased stocks cleared things up, but didn’t solve all the issues. A different Federal Court committee reviewed the Enlist system, and did not halt its use, but requested further testing in one area. Why are these events, and products, important to agriculture? They are really two of the three production systems which provide weed control for some of the weeds which are resistant to most other herbicides. There is confirmed resistance to both of these herbicide programs in a relatively short time. There is confirmed Palmer Amaranth resistance in the south to dicamba, and waterhemp resistance to 2,4-D confirmed in several states - including Illinois. Stay tuned as the EPA is reviewing new label submissions for the dicamba system this fall. We need to keep these tools available for use, along with the glufosinate (Liberty) system. Reduced costs and increased profits are the goals of any business. Agriculture is no different, and the pandemic has certainly provided challenges and opportunities. With decreased travel, demand for fuel has decreased greatly. This has also affected the CONTINUE X