MFA Incorporated is a cooperative serving farmer/rancher owners with more than 140 retail locations in Missouri, southern Iowa, eastern Kansas and northeast Arkansas. Giant ragweed, marestail, waterhemp and Palmer amaranth are the weeds driving farmers in these areas to new technologies for control measures.

"Roundup Ready® Xtend Technology allows us to do a good job of starting clean and staying clean," says Dr. Jason Weirich, director of agronomy at MFA Incorporated. "The system gives us a platform on a technology that is a different mode of action needed to control those tough-to-control weeds."

Yield potential is another reason MFA farmers are planting Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans.

"Looking at our in-house genetics and the Asgrow® product lineup, the yield is there," Weirich says. "Farmers are getting good control using overlapping residuals early in the season, and while we depend on Mother Nature to provide some activation with our residuals, Roundup Ready® Xtend Technology provides us a control option for those weeds that we've had trouble controlling."

In 2018, MFA worked with more than 1,200 applicators, chemical handlers and retail staff to train on and reinforce regulations and application requirements regarding dicamba and proper use of Roundup Ready Xtend Technology. Topics included awareness of surroundings, placement of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans, monitoring of weather conditions, boom height and other integral stewardship practices.

"Stewardship is the key to keeping this technology effective and viable for farmers," says Weirich.