By Scout Nelson
The US agricultural landscape is facing a significant challenge as herbicide-resistant weeds like kochia, waterhemp, and giant ragweed surpass chemical solutions. This issue is prevalent in the northern plains and Midwest, particularly in states like North Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. The decline in glyphosate's effectiveness affects essential crops like corn, soy, and sugar beets.
AgbioInvestor reports a concerning trend in the crop protection sector, where chemical companies have scaled back research and development spending, leading to fewer new products to combat this growing resistance. Meanwhile, farmers grapple with the dual challenges of inflation and climate change-related extreme weather.
The International Survey of Herbicide Resistant Weeds highlights the urgency of this issue, predicting significant agricultural challenges over the next decade. Environmental groups advocate for natural weed-control methods as an alternative to chemical reliance.
In response to this crisis, chemical producers acknowledge the constraints posed by longer development and regulatory processes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has maintained consistent standards for approving new herbicides since 1996, although recent assessments on environmental impact have caused some delays.
Industry leaders are working on new solutions. FMC, for instance, is developing an innovative herbicide targeting grassy weeds in rice crops, featuring a new mode of action – the first in three decades. Bayer and Corteva are also investing in research to introduce new modes of action to combat weed resistance effectively.
The "toxic spiral" of increasing weed resistance and chemical dependency in U.S. agriculture is being addressed by considering alternative strategies like sustainable farming practices and a shift away from genetically engineered crops.
Photo Credit - gettyimages-zoomtravels
Categories: North Dakota, Crops