Plans being made for 2018

As the post-season fieldwork winds down for the season, we look ahead to the next year.

Changes with dicamba herbicide application seem to be the big talking point in the farming community currently.

“If they’re going to spray their own, they’ve got to get that 90-minute training done,” explained Dan Froelich, technical agronomist for Brandt Consolidated.

Brandt will likely offer a training session for customers early in 2018. Froelich says if you are going to use dicamba products, be ready to apply them early in the season. This is the time before crops are susceptible and gardens are impacted.

“We’ve got to spray these weeds at four to six inches. We’re not going to kill stuff beyond that no matter what product we are using,” Froelich adds.

Doug Matlock, plant manager for the Brandt Cooksville location, also encourages all growers to attend a dicamba training session this winter.

“I think that’s probably one of the biggest topics on the agenda right now,” Matlock said.

Matlock and his crew at Cooksville have been putting the finishing touches on fall fieldwork as they have been spreading dry fertilizer and lime while the fall anhydrous applications have pretty much concluded.

Brandt Consolidated will soon release its research booklet and extra copies will be available at the various locations throughout Central Illinois. Studies planned for next year at the Brandt research farms include nitrogen and cover crops.