Jim Coop, assistant manager of Tri-Ag, Inc., in Emden, Illinois, has responsibility over custom application and sprayer technology. The seed, chemicals and fertilizer dealer and custom applicator services 30,000 acres.
In 2018, he and his team sprayed approximately 10,000 acres of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans for their customers. Today's Acre caught up with him before the 2019 spraying season began to get his thoughts on dicamba applications.
We have formal in-house training that all of our employees are required to attend. We did the mandatory training online, and for us, it was a good reinforcement of everything we've been training on. It reinforced what we need to think about in our approach to spraying. All herbicides have a label that spells out how to use the product so it works best and it is sprayed safely. We've been studying the label of the dicamba formulations for use in Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans. As professional applicators, we strive for no particle drift. We tell our applicators that the public is watching, and the farmers who do not want to be drifted on will be watching very closely. So, we have to watch weather conditions around sensitive areas. It is as simple as being aware of your surroundings.
The RRXtend Spray App was extremely helpful to us. When our appplicators go to a field to spray, they check conditions there and report back to me. The app allows me to check wind and conditions at their location to reaffirm the information they are getting. I can double-check conditions at a location they are planning to spray.
For farmers in our region, Roundup Ready Xtend Technology has been a savior. We were having trouble controlling waterhemp effectively and easily. Dicamba has allowed us to keep fields clean. We now have fewer people walking fields pulling weeds because of Roundup Ready Xtend [Technology] technology. The genetics for yield have been extremely good as well.
Roundup Ready Xtend Technology has made us better applicators. It has showed us that there is particle drift when we spray almost any chemical. Now we have to continue focusing on how to make it better, and this goes for all chemicals we spray.
Custom applicators must be certified, know the label and have knowledge and the equipment to apply dicamba to fields correctly. They have the support staff available to help manage things so that a job gets done, not only correctly but also in a timely manner.
To find a custom applicator for dicamba near you, visit RoundupReadyXtend.com/LocateApplicators.
Only use dicamba formulations that are specifically labeled for in-crop use and approved for such use in the state of application.
What was once a near disaster for farmers in this region has finally become manageable, thanks to dicamba.
As farmers and applicators prepare for the 2020 season, a refresher course on the XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology label and application requirements will be beneficial.
We clarify a few common myths and misperceptions.
To see more stories and features, download the full issue.
