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Tar spot moves in on north Iowa corn farmer

A north-central Iowa farmer saw tar spot close in around him late in the growing season.

Brent Renner of Klemme says he found the foliar disease in nearly every corn field he harvested.

“But I think for us it showed up late enough that fungicide either wasn’t required, or even if it would’ve been a little helpful it wasn’t a devastating tar spot presence that decreased yields significantly.”

Going forward, he tells Brownfield scouting will be crucial.

“I kept my ear to the wall because I knew it was almost on all three or four sides of us early on, even in July a lot of people talking about it. I did scout a little bit, but probably not as adamantly as I probably will next year.”

Renner says area farmers who have dealt with tar spot for multiple seasons tell him it’s devastating to yields.