Posted on 04/29/2021 3:42:48 AM PDT by EBH
ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Farm chemical supplies are having difficulty sourcing typical herbicides as Stu reports in Thursday’s From the Farm.
COVID-19 is being blamed for a shortfall of the popular herbicides “Roundup” and “Liberty.”
“If we are seeing any tighter supplies on those two chemicals. There’s some tighter supplies on other stuff, but most of those, the Roundup and the Liberty are the biggest two, I would say tighter supplies, or short supplies in certain areas of the country right now,” said Kevin Johnson, Interim President of Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association.
Johnson said ingredients for Roundup and Liberty are shipped from Chinese chemical factories.
“You are seeing some supply issues in China. And when I call that most of the technical stuff that is needed to make most of these chemicals, especially the glufosinates, the Liberties of the world, most of that is all produced in China,” said Johnson. So with the COVID stuff going on it has kind of slowed down, we have gone from shutting down everything to ramping up and that has been an issue. But I will also tell you transportation has been a big issue. Pretty much the ports, the Long Beach, and then Galveston Texas–where some of this stuff is coming in–for every 17 loads there is one truck driver to do it.So there is not just one issue that has come about on this, but it is a handful of issues that get it to the end user at the end of the day.
So, how does a farmer ensure he has the herbicide he needs?
“What they really need to do is talk to their ag retailer or chemical supply dealer,” said Johnson. “Have a plan of attack going into the spring season. And you really want to keep that plan of attack, I know there are times, ‘Hey we’re going to do but, but we’re going to plan B because something has changed.’ If you can keep talking to your ag retailer or chemical supplier, and say ‘Here’s my plan of attack,’ early, ‘Let’s lock these products in;’ kind of keep to that.”
Aren’t those the “Chemicals in the Water Making the Frickin’ Frogs Gay?”
Maybe Covid 19 is for the best.
Hay.
Short-term I’d stock up on your chemicals well before you need them. Don’t hold your breath for a long-term solution.
Get out the ole Row Crop 77 Oliver with mid-mount cultivators and weed the old school way.
I’m sure the price increase will take the sting out of the lack of sales for the chain suppliers.
I garden organically, but I’ve been known to use a little Round-Up here and there, away from food beds. I’m no Purist. ;)
I’ll ask the guy who plants the acreage he rents from us if he’s seeing shortages. He grows mainly alfalfa and Timothy grass for hay for his dairy herd; soybean and corn in rotation for feed, too. He does everything by the book - our County has strict regulations on chemical use as we’re in ‘Hill Country’ and everything eventually rolls downhill to where our waterways are.
Lots of paperwork for us both to fill out each season and they DO come to check if you’re growing what you SAY you’re growing where and when you’re growing it. Luckily, I’m usually the one home when our County Agent pays a visit...and he is darn handsome! Of course, young enough to be my oldest son, but still. ;)
“Pretty much the ports, the Long Beach, and then Galveston Texas–where some of this stuff is coming in–for every 17 loads there is one truck driver to do it.”
Eventually they’ll figure out that if more truckers are needed, they’ll have to pay wages needed to attract the additional people, as wage competition has gotten far worse, given that our government is paying something like $20/hour to NOT WORK.
...and yes, that means higher prices for all in this country, much higher.
I was worried abou this last year.... not suprised. the question is how low supplies are. This is the kind of thing that could cause a modern age famine...
In its current form, it only works for freshly seeded crops that have not yet broken the surface.
Within a few years, it will be modified to kill weeds through the entire crop cycle.
Bye Bye, Round Up and foreign farm labor.
“I was worried abou this last year.... not suprised. the question is how low supplies are. This is the kind of thing that could cause a modern age famine...”
Our exposure is so HUGE that the Chinese, when they feel like it, will simply take us out without even having to fire a shot. Our tractors need their computers and now GPS to run, and we can’t grow crap without Roundup, which they produce. God knows what other critical capabilities they hold.
Might as well get ready for our new reality.
Ping
Every time I read a story like this one it makes me happy that I’m not scratching dirt for a living.
It also makes me happy that I have seven tractors here that are at least 35 years old, and only need fuel, lubricants, and an operator to make something happen. I’ve got all of the implements required for conventional farming.
The way things are going I might have to put some of them back to work.
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