The majority of aerial spraying falls into two categories, fungicides for corn and insecticides for soybean aphid control.  Soybean aphids can severely affect soybean yields and their control does yield a great financial return to farmers that are forced to use these insecticides as losses can run into the hundreds of dollars per acre from severe aphid infestations.  The return on spraying corn fungicides is much more marginal and unpredictable.  Yield returns can range from nothing to perhaps two to three times the cost of application.  These products would be a great choice for a campaign banning their use.

 

More farmers are applying insecticides to control aphids with their last ground spraying application for weeds in July.  While this does limit the potential for drift, it also encourages application of insecticide on acres that might not need it.  Aphids are a relatively new development, appearing in the last ten years or so and are an indication that our corn soybean rotation is not the best way to utilize our fields.  Resistant (from non GMO traits) varieties are hopefully on the way according to seed companies.

 

If a ban on aerial corn fungicides combined with wide spread utilization of aphid resistant soybeans became reality, most aerial spraying would stop.

 

Steve Swan