News

Holiday freeze could force some farmers to replant soybeans

Freezing temperatures over the Memorial Day Weekend might force some farmers in the Upper Midwest to replant soybeans.

The National Weather Service has issued frost advisories and freeze warnings for northeast Iowa, northwest Illinois, southeastern Minnesota, and most of Wisconsin and Michigan.

University of Minnesota Extension agronomist Seth Naeve says it’s difficult to know how to react to sub-freezing temps this early in the growing season.

“It’s so location and farm-specific about what we want to do and how things look.”

During a Field Notes webinar hosted by the university Friday, Naeve suggests replanting now would result in about a 10 to 15 percent yield hit.

If a farmer decides to replant, Naeve recommends supplementing an existing stand rather than ripping a field apart.

“I would say the best alternative if we don’t have weed control issues is to actually spike in soybeans. That’s actually found to be pretty successful, especially very early like it is now.”

Naeve says as farmers scout for frost damage, they should simultaneously be looking into seed availability and checking herbicide labels.