Crop Pest Update

Jul 19, 2021

Summary

Insects: Grasshoppers continue to be the biggest insect concern in crops, but levels vary in different regions. Some headlands, pastures and cereal fields were sprayed for grasshoppers. Scouting for aphids in small grain cereals continues.

Diseases: There have not been many disease issues this summer given the hot, dry conditions. However, under these conditions there are specific pest issues that come to light. Such was the case last week when a new case of soybean cyst nematode (SCN) was discovered in a soybean field believed to be suffering from iron deficiency chlorosis. The risk of rusts in cereals remains very low due to lack of development in the Nebraska-Kansas area and few air currents from the south.

Weeds: It’s been a challenging year for in-crop weed control, from extremes of temperature to days and days too windy to spray. Weeds that escaped in-crop control are starting to get some size on them and are becoming visible above the crop. Rains have been infrequent but the last few events have caused some weed flushes, and we’re seeing lots of smaller weeds below the canopy. We are hearing many complaints of poor weed control, weeds got hardened off due to environmental conditions, especially hot dry weather, which made control more difficult.

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Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.