There’s no question that Roundup Ready (RR) crops have made many no-till weed management decisions simpler on millions of acres of soybeans, cotton and corn.

In mid-March, Syngenta Crop Production filed a civil suit in Federal District Court against Monsanto in response to what they believe are false and misleading claims dealing with a comparison of Roundup and Touchdown herbicides.

While the price of some generic herbicides seems intriguing, no-tillers had to find out from their peers if the idea has merit or not. No-tillers also weighed in on different types of air seeders and their effectiveness for this month’s issue.

In a precedent-setting case, a panel of federal Ninth Court of Appeals judges recently ruled that certain tillage practices may fall under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers.

When it comes to deciding to move to no-till or reduced tillage, soybean growers say the biggest influence has been the introduction of biotechnology seed.

Following a 2-year study of Bt corn, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in mid-October determined that it poses no risks to people or the environment. As a result, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Bt corn has been approved for an additional 7 years.

In Virginia, many no-tillers bought new planters and drills back in 1996 when both yields and returns for crops were good. Many of these 6-year-old machines now need to be replaced.

No-tiller Jerry Crew may be outspoken and not always tactful, but he always means to be respectful when he steps onto his no-till soapbox.