Thanks in part to checkoff-funded research, motorists could have a new choice in motor oil in a few years, made from high oleic soybean oil. Biosynthetic Technologies received a key certification for the oil recently and a pledge for a $100 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture so they can break ground on…
A cool, wet spring, followed by heat and sun has led to the perfect storm for weed development over the last few weeks. As weeds begin to grow, timeliness of post-emergence applications is critical to suppressing weed populations and protecting the soybean yield. While there has been some late-season horseweed in soybean fields this year,…
Herbicide resistance is a real and growing threat, but there are steps every farmer can take to help combat the problem. A plan to battle herbicide-resistant weeds should be put in place from pre-planting through harvest, taking steps to eliminate weeds along the way. And, dealing with these weeds involves more than herbicides. Solutions such…
Soybean growers use a variety of sustainable farming practices, and a recent survey from USB showed that four out of five are implementing at least five different sustainable practices in their farm operation. The most used sustainable practice was crop rotation, with 93% of farmers responding they reporting they do so. Nutrient management and reduced…
There is an ever-growing amount of technology and data available to help farmers be more efficient and more profitable. However, sometimes it can be difficult to know how to manage and use all the data available to make the best decisions. Check out THIS ARTICLE from USB sharing the stories of two farmers and their…
June is here which means wheat harvest has begun and it is time to get soybeans in the ground. About 60% of North Carolina soybeans are planted, which means 40% of the crop will be planted in June or July. Typically planting in late June or July does not allow enough time to develop sufficient…
The marketplace for data-driven products and services is seeing rapid evolution in the field of agriculture. The benefits for farmers are already well-recognized. For starters, data helps farmers recognize trends with greater certainty, it can help validate decision-making and it leads to improved production practices immediately or over time. It also enables farmers to streamline…
This post is the third article in a series reporting the results of a research project funded by the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association through the soy checkoff to begin to answer the question “are fungicide applications a smart investment?” To do so, the project examined the cost of each product coupled with the application…
In North Carolina soybeans are often thought of as purely a rotational crop and not one that produces large profits. With over a million acres in the state, soybeans occupy 25% percent of the field crop acreage in N.C. Average yields in the state are about 35 bushels per acre, only 70% of the national…
This article is the second in a series about research the NCSPA conducted with funding from soy checkoff in 2014 and 2015 to investigate fungicide application, timing and effectiveness. This post presents the results of the research projects. It is important to review the findings in the context of the weather in 2014 and 2015.…