Neonics and What Corn and Soybean Growers Need to Know Now

As of July 1, 2015, new requirements for buying and using neonicotinoid-treated corn and/or soybean seed are being phased in to allow growers to adapt to new requirements.

This fall (2015) – to prepare for the 2016 growing season

Required for Seed Order  To purchase and plant 50% or less of your total grain corn or total soybean crop for a farm operation with a neonicotinoid insecticide (NNI) seed treatment for the 2016 growing season, a grower will need to complete a Seed Amount Declaration Form . Give this completed form to your seed representative(s) or seed vendor(s) at the time of ordering your seed this fall.  The declaration is valid only for seed intended to be planted in the 2016 growing season.  Calculation of 50% or less area is done for each agricultural business operation and corn and soybean acreage are calculated separately.  Seed corn, sweet corn and popping corn acres are exempt from the regulation and should not be included in the calculation.  Soybeans acres planted for the purpose of producing a soybean seed crop of certified status under contract are also exempt from the regulation and should not be included in the calculation.

To be able to purchase and plant more than 50% of your total grain corn or total soybean acreage with a NNI seed treatment for the 2016 growing season, a Inspection of Soil – Pest Assessment Report will need to be completed this fall (2015).  This involves digging or establishing baits to demonstrate the presence of grubs and/or wireworms at the thresholds set within the regulations. Growers can complete their own pest assessment for this fall to be used at seed order for the 2016 growing season.  Growers do not need to be IPM certified for this fall (2015) seed order but will need to be for the next fall (2016) seed order.

To Conduct a Soil Inspection  NOW IS THE TIME TO FIND WIREWORMS AND GRUBS! Early September until mid to late October is a good time to conduct a soil inspection to determine if wireworms or grubs are present as soil temperatures are more moderate and these two pests are more likely to be close to the soil surface. For information on how to conduct the soil inspection, refer to the Pest Assessment Guide.

For more information on the new neonic-treated corn and soybean regulations, click here. Additional resources including webinars on how to conduct pest assessments will be made available soon.