This summer, Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters across the Corn Belt participated in Monsanto's sticky trap monitoring program to help growers in 11 Midwestern states monitor and better manage corn rootworms. Over 500 FFA chapters and nearly 8,500 farmers participated in the program, which included nearly 12,000 test sites.
The objective of the program, now in the second season, was to gauge the prevalence of the western corn rootworm variant, an insect that has adapted its reproductive cycle in order to survive field rotations between corn and soybeans.
In accordance with the National FFA Organization motto, "Learning to do, Doing to learn, Earning to live, Living to serve," this program provided the opportunity for FFA members to learn more about this agronomic phenomenon.
Specifically, FFA youths encouraged farmers in their communities to participate in the program and placed the sticky traps in their soybean fields in late July to determine whether rootworm beetles are present and at what level. Monsanto provided participating FFA chapters with a $50 donation for each sticky trap site they secured, including the return of completed test data at the end of the monitoring program in August. Based on the number of test sites, Monsanto's donation could reach $600,000.
The western corn rootworm variant lays its eggs in soybean fields, and the larvae hatch when the fields have been rotated to corn the following season, leading to rootworm feeding in first-year corn. The program will also monitor northern corn rootworms, which may be exhibiting similar variant behavior.
"We hope that this project will not only provide farmers with a greater understanding of this yield-robbing pest, but also FFA students to learn, build leadership and communication skills, and provide financial support to their chapters," says Glenn Stith, Vice President of Monsanto U.S. Branded Business, Sales and Marketing.
Stith serves as the National FFA Foundation 2007 Sponsors' Board Chairman. He is a Past State FFA President from Kentucky and strong advocate for FFA and ag education. Monsanto has been a 53-year sponsor of the National FFA Foundation.
The sticky trap program monitored the spread of these variants in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Monsanto is tabulating the final results of this program which will enable farmers to determine if they have a potential rootworm problem that suggests they should consider management options for the 2007 growing season.
For more information about the 2006 sticky trap program, farmers may visit www.866ROOTDIG.com
