Iowa farmers give peace a chance

Mar 28, 2022

Iowa farmers show symbolic support for the people of Ukraine.

Farmers in Hubbard, Iowa gathered to arrange their tractors into the peace symbol as a way to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

Nineteen farmers from the area brought their tractors out to make the symbol—only truly visible from the air (see image above), as nearly 100 people gathered at a local school to host a candlelight vigil, offer prayers, and a moment of silence for those affected by the Russian Federation invasion of Ukraine.

Donations were also gathered with plans to send the money to a church in Hungary where numerous Ukrainian refugees were forced to flee.

The Russian Federation invaded the Ukraine on February 26, 2022. With the war ongoing, Ukrainian farmers will be hard-pressed to plant crops this year, as towns and cities have fallen under the onslaught.

It is estimated that over 3.9 million refugees have left Ukraine as of March 27, 2022, with about 6.5 million people displaced within the country as of March 18, 2022.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.