Iowa Soybean Review | February 2024

February 2024

Back to Basics

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Executive Committee President Suzanne Shirbroun, Farmersburg | D3 President-Elect Brent Swart, Spencer | D1 Secretary Tom Adam, Harper | D9 Treasurer Jeff Frank, Lake View | D4 At-Large Director Brent Renner, Klemme | D2

Board of Directors Paul Kassel, Spencer | D1 April Hemmes, Hampton | D2 Sam Showalter, Hampton | D2 Rick Juchems, Plainfield | D3 Marty Danzer, Carroll | D4 Corey Goodhue, Carlisle | D5 Dave Struthers, Collins | D5 Robb Ewoldt, Davenport | D6 Dave Walton, Wilton | D6 Scot Bailey, Anita | D7 Lee Brooke, Clarinda | D7 Warren Bachman, Osceola | D8 Pat Swanson, Ottumwa | D9 Tim Bardole, Rippey | At-Large Aimee Bissell, Bedford | At-Large Sharon Chism, Huxley | At-Large American Soybean Association Board of Directors Steph Essick, Dickens Wayne Fredericks, Osage Morey Hill, Madrid Pat Swanson, Ottumwa Dave Walton, Wilton United Soybean Board of Directors Tim Bardole, Rippey Robb Ewoldt, Davenport Lindsay Greiner, Keota April Hemmes, Hampton Brent Renner, Klemme Staff Credits Editor | Bethany Baratta CO of Strategy & Brand Management | Aaron Putze, APR Creative Design Coordinator | Susan Langman Photographer | Joclyn Bushman Writer | Jeff Hutton Writer | Kriss Nelson Communications Specialist | Joseph Hopper Public Relations Manager | Brock Johnston

Iowa Soybean Review is published monthly by: Iowa Soybean Association 1255 SW Prairie Trail Parkway, Ankeny, Iowa 50023 (515) 251-8640 | iasoybeans.com E-mail: bbaratta@iasoybeans.com For advertising information contact Bethany Baratta at (515) 334-1020 or bbaratta@iasoybeans.com.

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FEBRUARY 2024 | Vol. 37, No. 5

4

Sixty Years and Counting

Iowa Soybean Association CEO Kirk Leeds reflects on predictions made 10 years ago.

8

Back to the Basics Experts weigh in on key considerations in 2024.

16

Legacy of Leadership

Wayne Fredericks honored for a lifetime of leadership.

22

Better Together Collaboration brings research and results to Iowa farmers.

On the cover: As farm income is squeezed by lower prices and higher costs, Lee Brooke says tightening up the basic fundamentals of farming — f rom inputs to production — is his recipe heading into 2024.

Read Back to the Basics on page 8.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 3

Executive Insights Kirk Leeds, ISA Chief Executive Off icer kleeds@iasoybeans.com

Sixty Years and Counting

W

elcome to February and what we hope is the last month of any significant reminders of winter.

Yes, we will get some of these reminders in March (and perhaps some in April), but the intensity of the cold and snowy days is usually not as severe, and we know that warmer days are just ahead.

As a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, February is also the month when spring training begins, which means another year of baseball is just around the corner. It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly 8 years since the Cubs had their magical 2016 season that ended with them winning their first World Series Championship in 108 years!

The arrival of February is also a reminder that spring is coming, and Iowa’s farmers will soon be making final preparations for what they hope is another safe and productive growing season. Getting some much-needed moisture is a priority as we turn the corner into spring.

As I thought about these reminders and promises of the coming spring, I couldn’t help but think about the founders of the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA)

4 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

back in 1964. This year marks ISA’s 60th anniversary as an organization serving Iowa’s soybean farmers (and no, I was not working for ISA when it was formed!).

Ten years ago, ISA held a very special event celebrating the organization’s first 50 years. We had several of the farmers who helped start the organization in attendance and they shared stories about “those early days” as they reflected on the changes they had seen and experienced during ISA’s first five decades. We also spent time thinking and talking about what the next 10 years would bring and what we could expect to see by 2024.

Were our predictions correct or even close? At some level, yes. We knew that we would see continued growth in soybean production and demand around the world. We were confident that China and its incredible need for more soybeans to feed its growing livestock and poultry industries would power much of this demand.

Optmism about the growth in biodiesel demand seemed almost a certainty. We also recognized that South America, and particularly

Brazil, would be increasingly important competitors. We talked about the emergence of new technologies and the growing resistance in some quarters to some of these new tools.

But, and perhaps not surprisingly, we clearly didn’t forecast how fast many of these predictions would become a reality, nor the disruptions to market demand brought about by a global pandemic and its impact on supply chains, wars and invasions, distrust of China and how its stateowned companies provide unfair advantages to industries in nearly every sector, or the incredible political swings we have seen over the last several election cycles.

Predictions for 2034? I will save that for another column. But given ISA’s 60-year history of delivering results for Iowa’s soybean farmers, I’m confident that the ISA leaders in 2034 will look back in appreciation for the progress we have made.

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Rural Route 2 Editor’s Note by Bethany Baratta bbaratta@iasoybeans.com

Never Miss a Performance

T

here’s a new coffee cup gracing my cubicle desk. It’s fire engine red with FDNY (short for Fire Department of the City of New York) written in bold white letters.

It’s a souvenir I purchased during a recent visit to New York City.

But this 10 oz ceramic cup holds more than the coffee inside. It’s a reminder to me of the city’s use of biofuels in everything from firetrucks (biodiesel) to homes (Bioheat®).

More than that, though, it’s a reminder of the conversations and the connections farmers made as they traversed the city by bus to various conference rooms to learn about how the soybeans they grow on the farm are being transformed into a fuel that’s helping cities realize their carbon reduction goals.

Why an FDNY mug? The short answer is because the FDNY Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9 mugs were sold out shortly before Christmas, and this was available at a souvenir shop nearby. The long answer: New York City Fire Department Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9 graciously hosted our group for a meet-and-greet and dessert reception at their firehouse. They call themselves the Pride of Midtown. Their tagline: Never missed a performance. It’s appropriate as it's situated in Times Square, near Broadway.

Meant to show the firetrucks and celebrate the department's use of biodiesel in the Big Apple, it was also eye-opening for those of us who don’t live in New York, and who aren’t familiar with the brotherhood

that exists within the nation’s largest fire department.

Just inside the secured door and along one wall — no photos allowed — hang the portraits of 15 firefighters who never returned after leaving for duty. All 15 firefighters on shift responded when the first plane struck the first of the Twin Towers — just 1 mile away — at 8:46 a.m. on 9/11.

No firehouse was hit harder than Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9. The firehouse day-of duties are still memorialized on a whiteboard. Generations of those who passed that day now work for this same department.

The visit to the firehouse is one I’ll never forget. On one side: the row of desserts, a memorial to fallen firefighters, a hanging dinner bell, and a row of heavy black waterproof coats. On the other side of the lockers: garage doors opening, aerial ladder trucks making their way back from a call, a decorated Christmas tree, and farmers talking to firefighters. I got to thinking about the legacies we hope to leave, the impacts places and faces leave on us, and being grateful for it all.

In this new year, I hope to learn more about the legacies on your farm. To whom do you credit your farm’s success? What do you hope to leave the next generation? Drop me a line or give me a call, I’d love to hear from you.

Take care,

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 7

Experts and farmers weigh in on how to protect profitability during a time of tightening margins.

BY KRISS NELSON

C

rop management includes a wide array of aspects, including cultural practices, agronomic inputs and the environment.

“It is important to think about your farm as a web of interactions, and a change in a practice may have a ripple effect or unintended consequence in other areas,” says Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) Research Agronomist Alex Schaffer.

Consider ISA District 7 Director Lee Brooke’s farmland in southwest Iowa. It’s benefited from no-till since 1995.

“No-till has been a godsend for us on our highly erodible soils,” says Brooke, who farms near Clarinda.

Terraces and cover crops also work in tandem with no-till to maximize the benefits.”

Because those soils tend to be prone to washing, no-till and other conservation efforts Brooke has implemented have helped to stabilize the soil and he has noticed a significant change in his soil’s ability to conserve moisture.

“Our soils are prone to washing, but we’ve been able to conserve moisture,” Brooke says.

Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) District 7 Director Lee Brooke on his farm near Clarinda.

8 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

NUTRIENTS Potassium plays a role in water movement in the plant and uptake of other nutrients. Phosphorus contributes to root growth, which is the mechanism for the movement of other nutrients into the plant.

When deciding what nutrients you need, start with soil sampling.

“Know your soil fertility levels and sample at the same time consistently and under the same environmental conditions,” says Drew Clemmensen, ISA research agronomist.

Comprehending removal rates from grain harvested can also help you make your nutrient decisions.

Iowa State University’s removal rates from harvested corn grain are .32 pounds a bushel for P205 phosphate and .22 pounds for K20 potash.

For soybeans, .72 pounds per bushel of P205 phosphate and 1.2 pounds per bushel of K20 potash.

“These should be used for a baseline amount that should be replenished to maintain levels,” says Clemmensen.

Factors influencing nutrient uptake: Soil pH “Nutrients can become less available in soils that are too acidic or too alkaline, so be sure to have a balanced soil pH,” says Clemmensen.

The optimum pH for phosphorus is 6.5–7.5, while potassium availability drops with a pH below 6.

Compaction “Soils that are anaerobic and compacted reduce nutrient uptake and can hinder root growth, which also limits nutrient uptake,” says Clemmensen.

Residue esidue can hold large amounts of potassium and R phosphorus. Clemmensen advises looking at options to break the residue down quicker to release the nutrients to become available for next year’s crop — essentially feeding the microbes.

For ISA-farmer member Russ Olson, "every acre, every year" is his philosophy regarding his fertilizer program. The Northwood farmer has been practicing no-till and strip-till for nearly 20 years and has been using cover crops every year since 2018. This year, he implemented cover crops on all of his acres.

Russ Olson, ISA farmer member

Using variable rate technology (VRT), Olson ensures he feeds the soil where it needs it.

“VRT is a valuable tool,” says Olson. “It allows us to place the nutrients where they are needed and best used.”

Brooke also takes advantage of variable rate technology for his fertilizer program.

His first advice is to lock fertilizer prices in early and capture the savings. Then, like Olson, put the nutrients where they are needed.

“This is especially important with the high costs of fertilizer we have had the past few years,” says Brooke.

“The cost has come down some, but not enough.”

PLANTING Consider what planting populations, seed treatments, planting dates, and variety and hybrid selection match your cropping system.

“When it comes to planting date and variety, I suggest spreading your risk,” says Schaffer. “Don’t plant all the same variety and don’t plant everything in the same week.”

Consider planting soybeans once soil temperatures hit 50 degrees and rising with favorable weather conditions in the forecast.

“It might not be a bad idea to switch over to planting corn and spread planting out over a couple of weeks to spread your risk — consider hot weather at corn pollination and grain fill, for example,” says Schaffer. “No matter what, strategize to have all your seeds in the ground by mid- to late- May to avoid losing any yield potential.”

Brooke says he positions his hybrid selection to individual fields.

“We try to match the variables such as different soil types,” says Brooke. “We plant resource hybrids on our best soil and defensive hybrids on our more sensitive soils. We also variable rate plant corn and soybean populations to match soils and yield potential.”

Planter setup Planter setup, especially in no-till scenarios, means paying closer attention to row cleaners, no-till coulters and a properly working closing wheel system.

“Farmers should do all of these things expecting the seed to be in a more challenging environment at planting and the seedling stage,” says Schaffer. “Ultimately, you are trying to protect the final stand with these management decisions.”

Your crop has the highest yield potential the day the seed is put into the ground, he says.

“It is extremely important to check the job your planter is doing as you start each field this spring,” says Schaffer.

Continued on Pg. 10

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 9

“Take a minute to stop the tractor and get out to dig where you just planted.”

Be on the lookout for: Seed placement I s the seed placed into uniform soil moisture at an adequate depth?

Furrow conditions I s the furrow clean from debris and completely closed, ensuring uniform seed-to-soil contact?

“If not, it will be worthwhile to look at your planter depth setting, row cleaner settings, downforce management and closing system setup to get as close to that picket fence stand as possible,” says Schaffer.

PEST MANAGEMENT Herbicides When making seed and herbicide selections, be cognizant of what species of weeds you are battling.

For example, suppose you are battling small-seeded broadleaves in a field going to soybeans. In that case, selecting a soybean variety with herbicide tolerance and growth regulators, such as an Enlist or Xtend variety, may be advantageous.

To add to that program, use a soil-applied group 14 herbicide to help battle any glyphosate-resistant waterhemp and other small-seeded broadleaves.

“It is important to keep your Integrated Pest Management plan in mind when formulating a weed management program,” says Schaffer. “Using multiple modes of action in a single year and rotating modes of action across the years will help keep resistance under control.”

Scout for weeds often, Schaffer says.

“A lot of these harder-to-control weeds are fast growing and have a short window to get them killed once they emerge,” says Schaffer. “In my opinion, it is important to scout weekly in the early season to ensure you are aware of early weed pressure when you still have management options.”

Olson plants into standing rye, which becomes a large part of his herbicide program. After several years of terminating rye with glyphosate, Olson changed things up in 2023. He used Flexstar GT successfully.

“We let the rye grow until Memorial Day weekend, terminated it with the Flexstar GT, and were happy with it. It knocked out the few small broadleaves coming through. We then followed later in the season with an Enlist DT pass.”

For Brooke, the earlier the better is his mantra to weed control.

“Our best way to battle weeds is to use the earliest preemergence program you can,” he says.

Brooke has found that planting narrow-row soybeans is beneficial for his soils, and the canopy also helps suppress weeds.

To help get ahead of weed pressure this spring, Brooke made a fall application of 2-4D and dicamba mix to terminate winter annual weeds.

“You may not see the weeds, but they are out there,” says Brooke. “We have done this the past two to three years. It makes sense if we spray the bean stubble in the fall; we start clean in the spring and will only do one herbicide pass in corn.”

Disease and insect management Scouting and following the disease triangle will help you understand how diseases develop.

For plant pathogens to develop and cause economic losses, there must be the presence of the pathogen, a viable host and the environment conducive to developing these diseases (cool, wet and long periods of dew).

“ It is important to scout weekly in the early season to ensure you are aware of early weed pressure when you still have management options.”

Alex Schaffer, ISA research agronomist

10 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

“ Soils that are anaerobic and compacted reduce nutrient uptake and can hinder root growth, which also limits nutrient uptake.”

Drew Clemmensen, ISA research agronomist

Scouting tips: Weather Moisture is critical to most disease development.

“If it has been rainy or periods of heavy dew, there is a potential for disease to develop,” says Schaffer. “If this is the case, walk out into your fields and look for any signs of disease.”

Regular scouting chaffer says some of the most successful farmers he S works with scout their fields weekly.

Keep records sing scouting apps or something that helps record U information will help you understand what is happening in your fields.

“Often we get in the combine and wonder what happened. A spatially accurate record from the summer would help make management decisions to prevent the same problem in the future,” says Schaffer.

Fungicides Early fungicide trial results from the 2023 growing season show it was not profitable to apply fungicide to soybeans.

“We are seeing the untreated control yielding just as well as our plots treated with fungicide,” says Schaffer.

“We believe a big reason for this was the hot, dry summer limiting disease development.”

When it comes to treating diseases, Schaffer suggests using fungicides when needed — not just in case or prophylactically — because of potential resistance and because there is not always a return on investment.

Also, you could create unintended consequences with other pests. A prime example is creating a favorable environment for spider mite development.

“This happens by eliminating fungi that colonize the spider mites as well as contribute to greater plant health and a better food source for the spider mites,” says Schaffer. “This is why the recommendation is to include an insecticide when applying fungicide as well.”

In this scenario, Schaffer recommends farmers use an insecticide with strong activity on spider mites because not all insecticides work well against battling the insect.

For more information, contact Alex Schaffer at aschaffer@iasoybeans.com or Drew Clemmensen at dclemmensen@iasoybeans.com.

Contact Kriss Nelson at knelson@iasoybeans.com

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 11

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IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 13

The Fight Against Soybean Cyst Nematode Tools to arm yourself in the war against SCN.

BY KRISS NELSON

A

s the cause of $1.5 billion yearly in yield loss, the soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is undoubtedly the most damaging pest affecting soybeans in the United States.

“Soybean cyst nematode is like the Energizer bunny — it just keeps going and going,” says Greg Tylka, Morrill professor and co-director of the Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University.

Rotating soybeans with corn, growing resistant soybean varieties and using seed treatments are the primary tools farmers can use to be defensive against SCN.

SCN Profit Checker Many, if not most, SCN populations in Iowa have increased reproduction levels on soybean varieties with SCN resistance from the breeding line named PI 88788.

The loss of resistance happened because of widespread and continued use of only PI 88788 SCN resistance since the early 1990s. And greater reproduction of SCN on varieties with PI 88788 SCN resistance means increased yield loss.

Unfortunately, most farmers have no choice but to grow soybean varieties with PI 88788 SCN resistance because those soybeans represent 90% of the varieties available to grow in Iowa, according to Tylka.

How much is SCN costing you because of the reduced effectiveness of PI 88788 resistance?

The SCN Coalition has created a new tool for farmers and crop advisors to help answer that question.

The SCN Profit Checker became available to soybean farmers in September and in its first three months, was used more than 20,000 times.

The SCN Profit Checker is a calculator powered by data collected from more than 35,000 Iowa State University research plots throughout Iowa over 20 years. Much of the research was funded by Iowa soybean checkoff dollars. The SCN Profit Checker uses starting egg count, soil pH, sand content of the soil and a SCN female index 14 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

to estimate yield loss. These four factors consistently affected yield loss in the data set on which the calculator was built.

There are three simple steps to using the SCN Profit Checker: 1. Access the tool at thescncoalition.com/profitchecker 2. Enter your field’s info, including SCN egg count (per 100 ccs of soil), SCN female index on PI 88788, sand percentage and soil pH. The SCN egg count is obtained by collecting and testing a soil sample for SCN. The Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic processes SCN soil samples. Many private soil-testing labs also process samples for SCN. The female index of an SCN population on PI 88788 indicates how well the nematode population in the field can reproduce on soybeans with PI 88788 SCN resistance. The female index comes from an HG (Heterodera glycines)-type test conducted on the SCN population in a soil sample collected from the field. If a farmer does not have this information, there is a default female index value on PI 88788 entered into the calculator for Iowa that can be used to estimate yield loss.

The pH and sand content of the soil can be determined from a soil sample submitted to most soil-testing laboratories.

3. Make a plan.

After the calculator estimates your yield loss from SCN, Tylka encourages farmers to work with a trusted crop advisor or agronomist to determine a plan to actively manage SCN. “Knowing what’s happening in each field gives you more information to make educated decisions on how to manage that field in terms of soybean production,” says Tylka. “The Profit Checker puts potential yield loss from SCN in real dollars and cents.”

SCN resistance concerns Growing oybeans with Peking resistance is the other option available to control SCN. But research, including work funded by the North Central Soybean Research Program, indicates that Peking resistance will not maintain its durability when used four or five years consecutively.

“The sustainable approach is to use both types of resistance genetics,” says Tylka. “It took 30 years for PI 88788 to wear out, but it won’t take Peking that long because it has a different mode of action. If we are lucky, we think it will maintain effectiveness for 10 years. But we may be able to prolong its effectiveness for a few decades by alternating between the two types of resistance genetics.”

Early 2023 yield data shows increasing yield differences between Peking and PI 88788, with Peking coming out on top.

Soybean varieties with Peking SCN resistance are often the top-yielding in SCN-infested fields in which varieties with PI 88788 SCN resistance was grown repeatedly. With a 10- to 20-bushel-peracre yield bump over varieties with PI 88788 SCN resistance, farmers may want to use Peking resistance every time they grow soybeans in SCN-infested fields.

“Unfortunately, it is a must that farmers rotate between Peking and PI 88788, or we will end up back to the days where we were struggling to achieve 50 bushels to the acre soybeans in SCNinfested fields,” says Tylka. “We will slip back in a matter of a decade or so if we overuse Peking resistance.”

Tylka advises producers to consider using seed treatments — either chemical or biological — to protect yields in SCNinfested fields.

“I encourage farmers to experiment with them on their fields because our research shows variable results among products and locations.”

Contact Kriss Nelson at knelson@iasoybeans.com

Sample your soil and have it tested for the presence of SCN. Use varieties with Peking resistance in SCN-infected f ields.

The battle against Soybean Cyst Nematode could be a “SNAP” Greg Tylka, Morrill professor and co-director of the Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University, says managing the soybean cyst nematode could be a “SNAP,” encouraging farmers to follow this acronym while making SCN management decisions for 2024 and beyond.

START using varieties with Peking resistance in SCN-infested fields. Seed companies have more than doubled the number of Peking-resistant varieties from 40 a year ago to 87.

NEVER grow Peking-resistant varieties twice in a row. Pekingresistant varieties will lose their effectiveness if overused.

ALWAYS grow varieties with PI 88788 resistance after growing Peking resistance.

PLANT corn every year after growing a SCN-resistant variety.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 15

Wayne Frede A Legacy of Leadership

BY BETHANY BARATTA

T

hough a self-described “accidental conservationist,” Wayne Fredericks’ legacy of leadership within the soybean industry is anything but a coincidence.

Fredericks was recently recognized as the recipient of the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) Legacy of Leadership Award. The award, sponsored by Stine Seed, is presented to an ISA member who has established a history of leadership and has taken an active role in advancing the goals of ISA. ISA CEO Kirk Leeds presented Fredericks with the award in Osage, where Wayne and his wife Ruth reside.

Leeds and Fredericks reflected on the two decades of time they’ve spent together traversing the state, country, and globe, promoting the soybean industry.

But perhaps the most impactful visit for Leeds was the trip to the family’s farm.

“I can remember the first time I came to your farm,” Leeds says. “We were out on the patio, and you were talking about the changes you were making on your farm.

It was almost a reverence about the soil and what you were doing to improve your farm.”

16 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

Over the years, those changes would include a litany of conservation efforts, including no-till, strip-till, cover crops, pollinator habitats, waterways, windbreaks and a nutrient bioreactor. Wayne and Ruth earned the American Soybean Association’s (ASA) National Conservation Legacy Award in 2022. Wayne also took on the role of “conservation champion” through the Front40 program, a platform for Iowa’s conservation-minded farmers that aims educate the public on the practices already in place and encourage the next generation to raise the bar in what’s possible.

Fredericks served the soybean industry for nearly two decades. He served as president of ISA in 2015, and as a director on the ASA board. His participation in research trials — more than 100 replicated trials — and his willingness to share the results with other farmers made him a highly sought after keynote presenter. His ability to show — and not preach — made him an effective leader.

Continued on Pg. 18

ricks

Wayne Fredericks served as president of the Iowa Soybean Association in 2015. Though now retired f rom farming, he continues to share his knowledge with other farmers.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 17

Fredericks has widely shared his research results and experiences with other farmers, government off icials and international guests to his farm.

Leading by example Over the years, Wayne’s leadership has inspired others to raise their voice and lead by example just as he did.

When ISA President Suzanne Shirbroun joined the ISA board, Fredericks, knowing Shirbroun’s background in agronomy and pest management, recommended that she serve on the North Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP) board. He was confident her participation would benefit soybean farmers and the NCSRP board.

“The NCSRP board has been one of the highlights of my tenure on this board,” Shirbroun says.

He saw the potential in each board member and sought to put them on committees and in roles they would be best suited.

“He was instrumental in guiding the new board members in the directions he thought we should explore, and he did a great job,” Shirbroun says.

His quiet confidence paid dividends to soybean farmers as he ushered in new board members and visited representatives in Des Moines and on Capitol Hill in

Washington, D.C. He didn’t need talking points or cheat sheets during his conversations — he spoke from experience.

“I enjoyed working with young farmers and giving them the confidence to step up and tell their story,” Wayne says.

“You’re here for a purpose and you are selected because you have this background and information — and a message to tell.”

A living legacy Wayne completed his 50th and final harvest on the farm in 2022. His retirement from actively farming afforded four other farmers the opportunity to farm.

Conservation leases help guide the next generation toward practices that preserve the conservation efforts Wayne and Ruth established on their acres.

“This is an opportunity to teach and share with them what could be done,” Wayne says. “Many times, it’s not about the money, but about the opportunity. For me it’s about maintaining and spreading opportunity.”

Contact Bethany Baratta at bbaratta@iasoybeans.com

“I think one of the things that pleases me most when we talk about building leadership, is what we can do for the next generation. To me, a good leader is someone who will put the next generation in a position to succeed. I can remember over the many years when I had to choose people to fill positions on committees, it was important to find the right person. Putting someone there that would succeed is a real trip for me — but for them as well. They get an opportunity to do something that they don’t think they can. But you have to have the courage enough to ask them and the encouragement to go along with that — it makes a huge difference in how they perform in their lifetime.”

Wayne Fredericks, Legacy of Leadership award winner

18 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

ISA CEO Kirk Leeds presented Wayne and Ruth with the award in their home in Osage.

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Crop Yield and Water Quality Benefits of Drainage Water Recycling Chris Hay ISA Conservation Design Specialist chay@iasoybeans.com

D

rainage water recycling is a practice that combines crop production benefits for the farmer and water quality benefits downstream. A drainage water recycling system captures subsurface (tile) drainage and potentially water from surface runoff or other sources, and stores it in a reservoir for supplemental irrigation. The Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI) has been collaborating with researchers from Iowa State University to evaluate this practice in Iowa.

Three sites are being monitored for the impacts of drainage water recycling on crop yield and water quality. Each site is uniquely designed.

The first site, near Story City was installed in 2015. It captures subsurface drainage from about 20 acres that is supplemented by water pumped from a nearby creek.

The reservoir for the second site, near Lake City, was constructed in a waterway

fed by the outflow from a large drainage district main and has an outlet structure for when inflows exceed the reservoir storage capacity.

The third site, near Dayton, uses a sump to pump water from an adjacent county drainage main into an excavated reservoir.

Crop yield At the Story City site, 60 acres are irrigated and another 100 acres are not irrigated. However, the acres have the same soil type and management, serving as a good control for comparing the irrigated and rainfed yields.

Corn yield data has been available since the system began operation in 2016. Yields were greater in the irrigated portion of the field in every year except for 2018, when there was ample rain and no irrigation was used, and in 2020, when the derecho damaged the center pivot.

Yield increases ranged from -7 bushels per acre in 2018, when there was no

Lake City 2022

irrigation, to 119 bushels per acre in 2017.

The yield increases are largely explained by differences in precipitation, with 2017 precipitation 32% less than the 30-year average whereas precipitation in 2018 was well above the 30-year average.

The overall average corn yield increase from the supplemental irrigation was 35 bushels per acre. In addition to greater overall yields, there was less year-to-year variability in yield in the irrigated portion of the field. Yield monitor data show that yields were more consistent in the irrigated portion within individual years.

Water quality With the two new sites in Lake City and Dayton, there are now four site years of water quality monitoring to evaluate the water quality benefits of drainage water recycling.

To understand the water balance of each system, inflows and outflows were measured. Those inflows and outflows and the water stored in the reservoir

Lake City 2023

Inflow

Inflow

Outflow

Outflow

Nitrogen loads of drainage water

Irrigation

Irrigation

recycling systems for four site years.

Seepage

Load reductions f rom the systems

Seepage

63%

Reduction 0

1000

2000

3000

92%

Reduction 4000

0

500

Story City 2022

1000

1500

were calculated as nitrogen inflows into the reservoir minus any outflows f rom the reservoir back to the stream

Dayton 2023

and seepage losses. Nitrogen in the

Inflow

Inflow

Outflow

Outflow

available for plant uptake or would

Irrigation

Irrigation

otherwise be reduced and not return

Seepage

Seepage

Reduction

90% Reduction 0

100

200

300

400

irrigation water was assumed to be

to surface water. Units are in pounds 92% 0

Total Nitrogen (lbs.)

20 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

250

500

750

1000

of total nitrogen.

Dayton is entirely filled from pumped inflows, and inflows to Story City are largely pumped from the stream.

Therefore, the water pumped in is only enough to fill the reservoir, so the inflow amounts of nitrogen were less than at Lake City.

At Lake City, all the discharge from the upstream drainage district main passes through the Lake City reservoir.

So, even though some of the water and nitrogen exceeded the reservoir storage capacity and was released back to the stream, there was still an opportunity for nitrogen reduction from treatment as it passed through the reservoir.

120

Although 2022 at Lake City had the smallest percentage reduction, it had the greatest overall load reduction of more than 2,700 lbs. of nitrogen.

Conclusions Drainage water recycling has shown strong potential as a practice that boosts crop production and improves water quality. Research continues on these sites and will hopefully expand to more sites.

Additional site years will allow us to better understand how drainage water recycling performs at different sites and under different weather conditions which will then help us better understand the economics of these systems.

119

80

40 25

23

31

16

0

2022

2021

2019

2017

2016

−7

2018

Yield Difference (bu./ac.)

were also sampled for nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations.

Other water losses from evaporation and seepage and nutrient losses in the seepage were estimated. The nutrient load reductions from the drainage water recycling systems could be calculated with the flow amounts and nutrient concentrations.

In all four site years, nitrogen loads were substantially reduced. This was from a combination of concentration reductions from storage within the reservoirs and nitrogen recycled back into the field through supplemental irrigation.

Nitrogen in the irrigation water was assumed to be available for plant uptake or would otherwise be reduced, and nitrogen load reductions were calculated as nitrogen in the inflows minus nitrogen in any outflows and seepage.

On a percentage basis, nitrogen load reductions ranged from 63% to 92%.

Nitrogen load reductions at Story City and Dayton were 90% and 92% with no outflows other than seepage.

At Lake City, nitrogen load reductions varied by year. With greater inflows in 2022, more water and nitrogen were released back to the stream in reservoir outflows, so nitrogen load reductions were less. In the drier conditions of 2023, reservoir inflows were less, outflows were minimal, and the nitrogen load reduction was greater.

Looking at load reductions in terms of the total amount of nitrogen removed shows the differences in the system designs.

Difference in corn yields between the irrigated and rainfed portions of the f ield at the Story City drainage water recycling site. No irrigation was applied in 2018, when precipitation was enough that irrigation wasn’t needed, or in 2020 when the derecho damaged the center pivot. The overall average yield increase f rom drainage water recycling, including all years except 2020, was 35 bushels per acre as indicated by the dashed line.

HAVE A TRIAL OR A PROJECT YOU’RE INTERESTED IN? We can potentially explore it as a topic in a future issue. Better yet, we’ll connect you with your local expert so you can implement a trial on your farm.

515-251-8640

JMCCLURE@IASOYBEANS.COM

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BETTER TOGETHER Collaborating to improve research and results for the Iowa soybean farmer.

BY KRISS NELSON

Joe McClure and Daren Mueller f requently collaborate on projects that yield benef its to Iowa farmers.

I

t’s not a competition but a collaboration between the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) Research Center for Farming Innovation (RCFI) and the Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University.

At the heart of the partnership: the focus on the challenges and opportunities that exist within Iowa’s farms and fields.

About the Iowa Soybean Research Center The Iowa Soybean Research Center was founded by ISU and ISA to bring ISU researchers, industry and farmers together to guide soybean production and research priorities.

“Bringing the different perspectives to the same table allows researchers to hear directly from farmers and their priorities, and similarly with industry,” says Christie Wiebbecke, ISA chief officer of research and conservation.

These relationships also mean the ability to build collaborative teams focused

on soybean-specific research projects.

“This gives Iowa soybean farmers a direct conduit to ISU researchers, and researchers are then encouraged to work together to develop projects that will answer the farmers’ questions that have been a direct result of those conversations,” says Wiebbecke.

Daren Mueller, ISU professor and Extension plant pathologist, considers this relationship a “luxury.”

“There are a lot of states that don’t get this type of support,” says Mueller.

“Having this relationship with the Iowa Soybean Association gives us a clear snapshot of soybean farmers’ questions so we know where our focus should be for research projects.”

Collaborating through fungicide trials ISA and ISU have worked together for more than a decade on researching fungicides in small plot and on-farm trials.

Continued on Pg. 24

22 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

“Having this relationship with the Iowa Soybean Association gives us a clear snapshot of soybean farmers’ questions so we know where our focus should be for research projects.”

Daren Mueller, ISU professor and extension plant pathologist

Keith Lovrien, ISA farmer-member and Butler County farmer.

The relationship between ISA RCFI and Iowa Soybean Research Center at ISU is valuable to researchers and farmers.

“There is a lot of value there, and I see that relationship growing,” says ISA Director of Research Joe McClure. “We will continue to combine our access to farmers and our ability to partner on full-scale research and help manage those field trials and utilize the skill sets at ISU. We both bring something different to the table, and that will continue to grow in the future.”

Daren Mueller, ISU professor and Extension plant pathologist, says it’s a natural relationship.

“At ISU and the Iowa Soybean Research Center we know it is important to maintain the relationship with Iowa Soybean Association’s Research Center for Farming Innovation — but it is also easy to maintain,” says Mueller. “Not a lot of commodity associations have a full-fledged research network. Some may see that as competition, but it’s actually a complementation. We complement each other.”

ISA farmer-member Keith Lovrien says it’s a collaboration he is thankful for.

“These are two resources I trust,” says Lovrien, a Butler County farmer. “I am always willing to work with them to provide a space for on-farm research trials.”

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 23

“Iowa State University’s small plot research trials are extremely valuable but may not translate into full-scale field results,” says ISA Director of Research Joe McClure. “We partner with them to take their small plot research to the next level and see if we can validate or invalidate findings.”

Working with RCFI, researchers at the Iowa Soybean Research Center and ISU ensure that the same fungicide products being evaluated in on-farm trials are used on small plot research.

“We have been doing this consistently for 12 years and it is a great resource that has continued,” says Mueller. “If we don’t do these trials, farmers must solely rely on the people selling the product. This gives farmers unbiased data to help make their decisions.”

ISA farmer-member Keith Lovrien trusts the collaboration.

Not only does he rely on the data compiled from these results, but oftentimes, the data prompts him to do research on his farm.

“I will look at trials, and it helps guide me for new trials to implement,” says Lovrien. “We need to try some things out of our comfort zone. It helps to have that trial data out there. You will get the same results if we keep doing the same things; we need to move forward.”

Concerns over soybean fungicides There has been a growing concern of soybean disease resistance to fungicides developing over the past 10 years.

The pathogens that cause soybean foliar diseases such as brown spot, Cercospora leaf blight and frog eye leaf spot have all shown resistance to fungicides.

What can farmers do to help fight against soybean diseases?

“Farmers need to do their homework. This is more of a complicated decision than it was in the past,” says Mueller.

“They need to push to ensure when they buy a premix that all active ingredients work at some level. They need to dive in deep and respect their fungicide decisions as much as they do their herbicide program.”

These diseases could have an impact on yield.

In Mueller’s trials, frogeye leaf spot can cause a three- to four-bushel drop in yield when just 3-5% of the leaf area in the upper canopy was covered.

“Keeping the focus on topics of resistance, effectiveness and tools, such as fungicides and continuing the partnerships with ISU and the Iowa Soybean Research Center will help us serve Iowa farmers better,” McClure says. “This is why collaboration between ISA and ISU is important to support Iowa farmers.”

Contact Kriss Nelson at knelson@iasoybeans.com

Small plot research trials at Iowa State University are scaled to larger f ield trials with Iowa Soybean Association trial participants.

24 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

Make Moves with U.S. Soy Our founding farmers took action 22 years ago to launch ASA’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health so WISHH could grow new markets for U.S. Soy. Today, WISHH is working with strategic partners that use soy for food or feed in 28 countries across Asia and Latin America to sub-Saharan Africa.

Find out how WISHH’s three pillars of trade, development and food security cultivate new markets for U.S. Soy protein.

Trade. Development. Food Security.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 25

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MAINTAINING OUR REPUTATION TO DELIVER

Whether shipping by river, road or rail, the soy checkoff is committed to ensuring America’s infrastructure is a significant advantage for U.S. soybean farmers. We’re looking inside the bean, beyond the bushel and around the world to keep preference for U.S. soy strong. And it’s helping make a valuable impact for soybean farmers like you.

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Brought to you by the soy checkoff. ©2018 United Soybean Board. Our Soy Checkoff and the Our Soy Checkoff mark are trademarks of United Soybean Board. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

26 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

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IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 27

Researchers look to reduce soybean stem canker impact.

R

esearchers continue to explore ways to improve the quality of soybeans through better genetics and management practices. One aspect of improvement is finding how to stave off diseases and pests that reduce soybean growth and can cause plant death.

Through projects funded by the North Central Soybean Research Program and the United Soybean Board, a team of researchers is looking at improving soybean disease management. One of the diseases they are studying is the Diaporthe/Phomopsis complex that leads to stem canker, or stem blight, and seed decay.

Febina Mathew, a crop pathologist at North Dakota State University, is working with Daren Mueller at Iowa State University and several other colleagues on combating Diaporthe diseases.

“One of the projects is identifying if Diaporthe isolates are sensitive to fungicides currently labeled for soybeans,” Mathew says. “Another project explores the impact of new fungicide chemistries and their efficacy against Diaporthe with different maturity groups, plant populations, application timing and more. A third project is looking at soybean seed quality after a delayed harvest, up to a month after soybeans typically should have been harvested.”

Diaporthe/Phomopsis 101 For many years, Phomopsi has been the name used to describe the pathogen that leads to soybean seed decay and stem canker. Scientists have studied Diaporthe/Phomopsis since the 1940s and discovered it is a complex of fungi, rather than just one fungus. The complex can cause multiple diseases, which are named accordingly based on where it infects the plant. If it infects the soybean stem, it is called stem canker or stem blight. Logically, seed decay infects soybean seeds.

Mathew says the fungus has an asexual stage, referred to as Phomopsis, and a sexual stage with the genus classification Diaporthe. In 2012, a scientific publication stated that

28 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

BY CAROL BROWN, SOYBEAN RESEARCH INFORMATION NETWORK

Diaporthe would be used for this group of fungi going forward, but farmers, researchers and even taxonomists tend to use the names interchangeably.

Studying the complex “We have already identified that Diaporthe/Phomopsis pathogens are capable of infecting any part of the plant,” Mathew says. “So far, my research team and I have identified 12 organisms that are part of the Diaporthe complex, and we continue to search for more,” she says.

These discoveries can help scientists who are looking to improve fungicide effectiveness in soybeans.

“Usually, a broad-spectrum fungicide is used to combat the pathogens and we assume it is broad enough to control any species belonging to the same genus or family,” Mathew explains. “But genes that confer resistance to one fungus may not work for another. Breeders stack genes that have resistance to several different fungi to ensure that soybean varieties will have broad disease resistance. Identifying these exact organisms will only help them develop varieties that have effective resistance against them.”

Part of the research compares the pathogens between geographical areas, as the team found a wide diversity of Diaporthe species infecting soybean plants. She says there is more diversity in the southern United States than in the north.

“We want to know why this diversity is occurring and what factors affect the prevalence of Diaporthe species,” Mathew says. “We want to conduct more surveys to identify if it’s a coincidence or if other factors, such as weeds, should be considered. Weeds are a great reservoir for Diaporthe and sometimes we find a lot of different species on the same weed. In North Dakota, we found a sunflower pathogen in soybeans and vice versa. We are studying to understand how this happens.”

Mueller is partnering with Mathew to monitor how Diaporthe moves between crops. Mueller built spore traps that capture airborne fungi and placed them in soybean

Soybean seeds with symptoms and signs of Diaporthe seed decay (right) compared to healthy soybean seeds (left). Photo: Kristina Petrović, Crop Protection Network

research plots in several states. They are looking for multiple pathogens including Cercospora, which causes leaf blight, and Diaporthe species to identify which ones are present in and around fields in Iowa and North Dakota. They collect the fungi from traps weekly while soybeans are in the reproductive stages to identify microscopically what the traps have captured.

“While we understand a lot about Diaporthe fungi, we still have much to learn, including how different species of Diaporthe move across and within fields,” Mueller says.

“Different fungi use different tactics to come in contact with the host plant and our research is looking at airborne fungi Diaporthe.”

Mueller and Mathew are also studying the effect of delayed soybean harvest on seed decay. If soybeans can’t be harvested when they are ready because of issues like rain or snow, the added moisture creates the opportunity for the fungus to develop and infect the seeds. The team is monitoring when seed decay symptoms and fungi develop beyond typical harvest times.

“We know timely harvest can reduce seed decay caused

by Diaporthe, but with the weather uncertainties we have experienced over the past several decades, we want to

understand how much delayed harvest can affect seed quality,” Mueller says.

Results Mathew continues to make strides in the Diaporthe research arena. Her team has published standardized inoculation methods in addition to identifying the individual species in the Diaporthe complex. She and her team also developed tools to screen soybean lines for resistance to the Diaporthe species and have breeders reaching out to her lab for information about screening new lines. Furthermore, her program has identified sources of resistance to these fungi that breeders can use for developing resistant commercial cultivars.

“There is much interest in this topic. In the last five months, I’ve given at least six presentations to industry and farmers to show how to diagnose the disease and what they can do to reduce its severity,” Mathew says. “There really are no inseason options at this point and we recommend crop rotation with non-hosts, such as small grains, and weed management.”

For more information on this project, go to soybeanresearchinfo.com/research-highlight/big-problemsin-little-pathogens-researchers-look-to-reduce-soybean-stemcanker-impact/.

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 29

A Targeted Approach Manure research projects continue.

BY JEFF HUTTON

ISA Director of Research Joe McClure

W

hen it comes to manure application, finding the right balance is key to protecting the environment and one’s bottom line.

The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) is researching ways to improve manure management to increase profitability while reducing nutrient losses through two different research projects. This research is funded with non-checkoff dollars from industry, state and federal partners.

30 | FEBRUARY 2024 | IASOYBEANS.COM

Manure is an important source of nutrients for crop production, but manured production is sometimes associated with excessive nutrient losses.

This nutrient loss is because manure is very heterogeneous, and it can be difficult for a farmer to gauge how much nitrogen or phosphorus is being applied with each manure source.

“ I t ’s a way to s prea d t h i s va l u ab l e re s o u rce o u t to m o re a c re s a n d preve n t ove ra ppl i c a t i o n .”

Joe McClure, ISA director of research

Applying the right amount One of the projects uses nearinfrared-reflectance (NIR) sensor technology as manure is being applied to target the nutrients you want applied rather than focusing on how many gallons per acre, says ISA Director of Research Joe McClure.

Manure Sense is a newer technology from John Deere that uses their Harvest Labs NIR sensor to estimate the amount of nutrients being applied vs. gallons or pounds of manure applied.

During application, the amount of manure applied is adjusted based on NIR sensor readings of nitrogen or phosphorus compared to flat rate applications of manure. As manure is a very heterogenous source of nutrients, researchers have found that this technology has immense potential to reduce the under- and over-application of manure.

ISA is partnering with ag biosystems engineers at Iowa State University (ISU) to validate and improve the calibration of NIR sensors for manure management.

“This fluctuates the flow up and down the field,” McClure says, noting manure’s consistency is ever changing. “It’s a way to spread this valuable resource out to more acres and prevent overapplication.”

McClure says there’s also the chance for underapplying, hurting a farmer’s return on investment because they might miss out of fully-realized yields.

This three-year project is going into year two, he says, and is focused 100% on corn crops.

McClure says they hope to have the complete data from the NIR project by late 2025 to see if the technology is allowing farmers to apply the right amount. The JD Manure Sense product

is available today, McClure notes, but there are other brands that are available today or could be coming to the market in the next few years.

Early NIR indications from year one, he notes, show that lab results matched “very, very closely” to what the sensor said in the field.

“We’re really excited about the concept,” McClure says.

A more targeted approach to manure management could also prevent phosphorus and nitrogen from leaving Iowa’s fields.

“We are focused on the profits and the benefits to the environment,” McClure says, adding that those ideas are not mutually exclusive. “We don’t want producers to throw away those dollars on the field.”

Working in tandem

More participation sought

Another ISA project seeks to understand the use of cover crops in manured production.

This project, scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2026, suggests that cover crops, like cereal rye, may help to keep the manure from moving away from the field.

“Cover crops can grab and lock up those nutrients. We believe it can be a really valuable tool,” McClure says.

Cover crops, which McClure hypothesizes the study will show, can work in tandem with manure to prove a yield advantage for corn crops. Early results indicate, but not conclusively, positive results.

At a location with a large corn yield increase, soil temperatures remained warm well into the early winter, creating conditions where manure nitrogen was converted to nitrate. The cover crop sequestered the nitrate lost to production and made it available during the growing season into the following spring.

While ISU is conducting the bulk of the foundational research, McClure says ISA is the next layer of research as the project scales from research farms to on-farm trials.

These research projects, however, need more buy-in from farmers, and McClure says finding producers to be a part of the research is important.

“We’re trying to find enough people to visualize the value,” he says.

McClure says ISA wants to conduct on-farm trials in every region of the state, so each test area is relatively close to every farmer in Iowa.

While the focus of these research projects is on corn production currently, research efforts are expected to expand in the coming seasons to see how precise manure management and application might enhance soybean production.

McClure invites farmers to participate in this trial and others planned for 2024.

He says discussions about this project and more will be part of this month’s Innovation to Profit Series in Storm Lake, Fairfield, Lewis and Waterloo.

“We want to get more people involved.”

Not an either-or proposition “Both of these projects are important as we look at helping our farmers being more profitable,” McClure says.

Contact Jeff Hutton at jhutton@iasoybeans.com

IOWA SOYBEAN REVIEW® | 31

From one leader to another, congratulations to

wayne fredericks on receiving the Iowa Soybean Association’s Legacy of Leadership Award.