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Aug 28, 2014
During the Farm Progress show this week, ASA President Ray Gaesser participated in Bayer’s soybean panel, discussing pressures soybean growers face to deliver the highest yields, threats from diseases and insects, tillage, data and the future of soybeans. The panel included Dr. Alison Robertson and Virgil Schmitt of Iowa State University with moderator Brad May from Bayer.
ASA President Ray Gaesser speaks on Bayer soybean panel alongside Dr. Alison Robertson and Virgil Schmitt of Iowa State University with moderator Brad May from Bayer at the 2014 Farm Progress Show.
Gaesser emphasized the importance of managing soil and proper drainage, making sure to have the right seeds, genetics and treatments to protect yield. His son Chris is an agronomist who helps integrate technology into the family farm. Since the late ‘90s, they’ve collected data and used comparisons each year to learn how to become more efficient.
Near the end of the discussion, panelists were asked to share their thoughts on the future of soybeans 10 years down the road.
“There’s a saying that soybeans are the miracle crop—and I really believe they are,” Gaesser said.
He added, the market will still tell farmers what to plant in the future, but the demand for protein for human and animal consumption around the world has surprised everyone and will continue to increase
“We continue to grow more soybeans every year and we continue to run out,” Gaesser said. “We need to take our traits and technology and make sure we protect them.”
