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Soybean Growers Sought for On-Farm Research Program

Do you depend on the latest information on soybean products to make production decisions? Are you constantly seeking out cost effective information and looking for what actually works on South Dakota farms? Have you wanted to try a new product but did not want to commit it to an entire field? Have you wondered if a fungicide application is beneficial or thought about late season nitrogen application? Do you have soybean cyst nematode and wonder whether the seed treatments work? This short list is just a small start to many different issues that are occurring in SD soybean fields today.

We want you! SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council are seeking South Dakota Soybean Growers willing to participate in a farmer-led on-farm research program.

Soybean producers are dealing with an overwhelming assortment of crop production management and product input choices. More information is needed on cost-effective practices to control diseases, insects, and weeds, as well as managing soil fertility, tillage, row spacing, and other agronomic decisions. Since producers are inundated with product choices, the best way to know if any of these products will work on their farm is to test them on site or visit the South Dakota Soybean On-Farm Research Program’s website to see if a research trial has already been conducted in a field near them.

About the Program

The on-farm research program is producer-led and provides ideas and answers to the essential agronomic issues facing South Dakota soybean growers. This program empowers South Dakota soybean growers by expanding their knowledge of conducting and evaluating on-farm research. This program allows South Dakota farmers to double as citizen scientists by testing various products and farming practices in their own soybean fields with the intent to increase yields, ward off pests and diseases, and improve their bottom line.

The unique thing about this program is the easy access to results and the producer-driven nature of the research. Producers get to choose what product or management practice they want to study and evaluate on their farm while receiving personalized one-on-one help from SDSU Extension personnel in setting up testing protocol/s, data collection and analysis, and website result summarization. Program participants also receive a customized report and recommendations for implementation within their operation.

South Dakota soybean producers can easily share on-farm research data and view local test results on the South Dakota Soybean On-Farm Research Program’s website. This website is a collaborative effort between the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at SDSU, and SDSU Extension.

SDSU Extension bridges the gap between university research and producers; we offer assistance in conducting unbiased on-farm research projects by providing information and application guidance for producers who are interested in participating. Soybean growers who take part in our program will have the opportunity to focus on what they want to evaluate on their farm.

The choice is yours! What will you choose to research and explore?

More Information

For more information or to sign-up for the program, contact Connie Strunk (SDSU Extension Plant Pathology Field Specialist) at 605-782-3290 or Sara Bauder (SDSU Extension Agronomy Field Specialist) at 605-995-7378.