As I plant my soybeans this spring, I am hoping along with thousands of other Minnesota farmers that 2005 isn’t the year soybean rust shows up in our state. Experts say the threat of soybean rust is most severe in the southern U.S., where the mild winters and hot, humid summers are more favorable for the fungal disease. The odds are more in our favor here in the north, but the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and its partners are hard at work just in case rust does show up. Over the last two years, the MDA and the South Dakota Department of Agriculture worked with the Environmental Protection Agency to receive advance approval for a set of fungicide products capable of controlling rust. The list of approved products, along with their label information, can be found on the . This winter and spring, experts from the MDA got together with counterparts from the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council to form a state soybean rust task force. This task force has dedicated itself to setting up a system for monitoring the state’s soybean fields for rust, gathering the latest information, and sharing it with farmers. One of the highlights of this work is the state’s first-detector network. To help farmers quickly tell potential rust infestations from other conditions, the University of Minnesota and the MDA teamed up to establish a statewide network of soybean rust “first detectors.” So far, nearly 140 volunteers from around the state have been recruited and trained on how to spot soybean rust in the early stages. These first detectors will serve as a resource for farmers who think they may have found soybean rust in their fields. Upon being alerted by a farmer, the first detector will conduct a preliminary examination of plant samples to determine if they should be sent in to the University of Minnesota laboratory for further diagnosis. First detectors can be contacted by farmers through their local extension office. Another important component of the state’s rust preparation is the set of sentinel plots around the state. These plots will be strategically located throughout the state, closely monitored throughout the season. If the plots show signs of rust infestation, the word will go out to nearby farmers so they can take protective actions for their own crops. The third critical element of our rust preparation is getting information to farmers. This involves sharing of general information through the new “Rust Watch” feature in local newspapers and on local radio stations, but we are also offering detailed technical information on the websites of the MDA and our partners such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U of M, and the Soybean Research and Promotion Council. Through these Web sites, farmers will be able to get the latest information about where rust has been found, which fungicides are approved for use against it, and what steps farmers can take to protect their crop and their bottom line. The will offer terrific rust tracking and prediction information. Soybean rust is a real threat, but I am confident that by working together and keeping our cool, we can limit its impact. For more information about rust and for links to the sites mentioned above, please visit the .
