Farmers can face a series of fights these days, whether it’s fighting regulations, fighting weed resistance or fighting to preserve their land from erosion. During the recent Bayer CropScience Corn and Soybean Future Forum in Germany, Chuck spoke with Ray Gaesser, President of the American Soybean Association, about his presentation on sustainability, weed resistance and cover crops.
He said ASA focuses on policy and regulatory issues, not just in the United States, but around the world. His group aims that the policies set forth by governments are at best helping agriculture and at worst, are not hurting producers.
Ray’s talk also focused on sustainability, especially when it comes to weed management practices.
“Some of the earlier discussions we had were really about weed management and protecting the technologies we have,” he said. “We as farmers really need to be proactive and make sure to protect the technologies we have, because not having those weed management technologies is devastating.”
Another focus area for ASA is using cover crops for soil conservation. Ray said cover crops add to the other conservation tools – no till practices, terracing, etc. – at farmers’ disposal. He said not only do cover crops give an extra layer of protection when the unforeseen weather event, such as a six-inch rainfall overnight, hit, but they also do a lot for the overall soil health.
Listen to Chuck’s interview with Ray here: Interview with Ray Gaesser, President of the American Soybean Association