RFA Ethanol Podcast

Monsanto’s Ground Breaker Growers

Jamie Johansen

monsanto-media-fps-13-27-editedMonsanto hosted a Ground Breakers Media Event right before the 2013 Farm Progress Show kicked off last week. Media gathered for dinner and then headed out into the field to see first hand the results from Monsanto’s Roundup Ready 2 Xtend Soybean Ground Breakers.

Tony White is the Soybean Technology Development Manager for Monsanto. His main responsibilities are managing the trait with Roundup Xtend soybeans. At his station he hit on the highlights of their Roundup Xtend Crop System and on the application requirements. He also shed some light on the feed back they have received from the Ground Breaker Growers who have used this system in their own fields.

“This is really the first time we will come to market with a trait and chemistry package. So we will have Roundup Xtend which will be resistant to dicamba and we will also have chemistry we can spray over the top of that. This is really an important tool for growers who are battling weed resistance and who need tools in the tool box to help control weeds.”

Listen to my interview with Tony here: Interview with Tony White

monsanto-media-fps-13-45-editedDuring the event we also had the chance to hear from some of the Roundup Ready 2 Xtend Ground Breaker Growers. Jim Hild from Illiopolis, IL. farms just 25 miles from the Farm Progress Show location. He specializes in corn, soybeans and seed corn and has been very pleased with the results. Jim also shared how straight forward the application requirements are and how simple they are to follow.

“We sprayed the beans three to four weeks after planting wuth Roundup Xtend, which is a mixture of Roundup and dicamba. And cleaned up the weeds. I was very pleased. Probably two to three weeks of residual from that product. I’d like to use it on every acre, it’s a very good program.”

Listen to my interview with Jim here: Interview with Jim Hild

Check out photos from the event here: 2013 Monsanto Ground Breakers Media Event Photo Album

Audio, Crop Protection, Farm Progress Show, weed management