Growers hear about soybean production at pre-harvest meeting Nearly 45 producers gathered at Dean and Carol Coleman’s farm near Humboldt on Sept. 8 to hear experts offer a wide range of practical information about soybean production. The event was part of the All in a Day’s Work program sponsored by the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA). Iowa State University Extension Plant Pathologist Greg Tylka talked with the group about soybean cyst nematodes (SCN), which he said are as bad as any problem affecting soybean yield, and are present in 71 percent of Iowa fields sampled. Explaining that nematodes go through four to five life cycles per season and that dying females leave behind cysts averaging 100 to 125 eggs, he emphasized that early detection of an SCN problem is so important because “it’s easier to keep low numbers low than to drive high numbers down.” Tylka told producers the best strategy for managing an SCN problem includes a combination of scouting for early detection, rotating with non-host crops, and planting resistant soybean varieties. Because there are many races of nematodes, many of which have adapted to the most common sources of resistance, growers should investigate using new resistant varieties. Changing the focus to the use of energy in farming, ISA Agricultural Environmental Specialist Heath Ellison gave several side-by-side cost comparisons using traditional tillage vs. no-till methods. He encouraged producers to use the energy analysis calculator available under CEMSA in the Environmental Programs section of the ISA Web site, www.iasoybeans.com, to determine the energy they use with their current tillage methods. Jill Altringer, ISA’s contract lobbyist, was also on hand to urge farmers to become involved in policy making by starting at the local level. She emphasized the importance of personal contact and said, “The best time to develop a relationship with policy makers is when the legislature is not in session. Go to forums, introduce yourself and let your senator or representative know that you live in his or her district. That way, they’ll recognize you when you call or e-mail them later about issues.” She also invited producers to attend ISA’s policy conference in Ames on Dec. 19. Rounding out the day and returning the conversation to soybean production, ISU’s Soybean Extension Agronomist Palle Pedersen gave a report on his research with no-till. The conclusion, he said, is there are no rules about no-till that will apply to the entire state. He shared data showing that yields are affected by soil types, planting dates, seed populations, inoculants and row spacing. Asked about expectations for this year’s yield, Pedersen said that will be affected by many factors, including: delayed planting, flooding, precipitation, cooler temperatures, aphids, root rot and hail damage, as well as the date of the first frost. He warned farmers, “Expect to change the combine heads often as you move back and forth between corn and soybeans.” Wayne Fredericks from Osage, who is ISA’s newest director, called the event outstanding. “As a no-tiller, I found this information very timely and valuable, as well as challenging, as we strive to continually do a better job of managing our soybean production.” Dean Coleman, the ISA director who hosted the event, was pleased with both the turnout and information provided. “With increased production costs, we’re all looking for that extra bushel or dollar to help our bottom line. The farmers who were here today received information to help them accomplish that goal,” he said. Maurice Johnson of Floyd was the District 2 producer whose name was drawn to win a Polaris four-wheeler as part of a prize package that also includes a choice of several ISA programs, including environmental assistance, On-Farm® research, or field scouting. ISA’s All in a Day’s Work program celebrates the value of Iowa’s farmers and offers them networking opportunities through district activities. It’s part of ISA’s goal of Expanding Opportunities. Delivering Results.