We did not even make it through January and Asian Soybean Rust is in the headlines. Thanks to a mild winter, and its ability to overwinter on kudzu, soybean rust has been thriving in parts of Florida, and now it has been confirmed in Central Alabama. Usually, kudzu would die back from frost, but because subfreezing temperatures have stayed north so far this winter kudzu and the little rustlers are realities. While this topic would have been better saved for later in the 2006 growing season, your demand for information has created the need to keep you posted on the latest Rust Report.

There are several actions you can take now, to prepare for any potential problem in 2006 from Asian Soybean Rust. 1) Keep up to date with the latest information. 2) Manage your risk of potential yield loss. 3) Make plans for best management practices.

1) Sources of reliable information.
Coffee shops are good for gossip and coffee. And we’ll leave it at that. You need to bookmark some Internet resources that will provide reliable information about Asian Soybean Rust, and as you are doing that, create a “favorites” folder for “Soybean rust.” As you visit the following sites, “Add to favorites.”

The official USDA soybean rust reporting website is regularly updated, and the latest report (January 17) says, “2006- Intensive scouting in Florida between January 11 and 13 resulted in positive finds of soybean rust in nine Florida counties: Polk, Duval, Leon, Alachua, Pasco, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, and Gadsden. Polk County was the only one of the nine counties with no soybean rust finds in 2005. In Texas, he kudzu patch in Liberty County that had SBR in Nov. 2005 has completely died back. Please consult the appropriate state commentary for more information about each state's find(s). Positive finds in 2006 by state: Alabama has one positive county and Florida has nine.” Multiple resources at this site will provide significant information.

The official Extension website for soybean rust problems in the Cornbelt will identify symptoms, instructions for scouting, and management options, as well as a host of other information. The latest update was mid-December, and updates will occur as they are warranted.

State-specific websites are provided by many universities to assist producers prepare for soybean rust problems within a more limited geography:
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio
Wisconsin
Missouri
Nebraska
Minnesota

2) Manage your risk of production.
USDA’s crop insurance program will cover a yield loss due to soybean rust, if a crop insurance policy was in effect, and the producer followed prescribed “good farming practices.” USDA’s Risk Management Agency says, “Insured producers should follow developments as to the identification and spread of Asian soybean rust disease, and continue to stay informed and updated concerning appropriate treatments that may apply to their situation. Appropriate treatment may vary from timing of application (pre- or post-discovery of the disease), frequency, and choice of chemical or other determining factors. If crops become infected, discovery of the disease and any recommendations received regarding the application of appropriate control measures must be documented.

“For an insured producer to receive an indemnity, insurance providers must verify that losses are unavoidable due to naturally occurring events and that producers followed good farming practices. This is true for all insured producers regardless of their plan of insurance: individual or group, production or revenue.”

All crop insurance policies that cover soybean production will indemnify a producer against a loss due to soybean rust. The policy descriptions may help you decide on alternatives.

3) Good Farming Practices
They are the practices that you would follow if you wanted to be the most perfect farmer you could. Then if you have a soybean rust problem, you document what you saw, document what you did, and document what happened. For a more thorough analysis, University of Illinois Extension Farm Management Specialist Gary Schnitkey prepared a guideline for managing soybean rust problems, from the standpoint of the farm operator.

Summary:
Its too early for Cornbelt farmers to lose any sleep over soybean rust. However, it is not too early to begin your effort to educate yourself about it, and make preparations for managing any potential problems. Create a file of handy and reliable information about soybean rust, discuss crop insurance with your agent and work that into your budget, and employ good management practices that will either help you prevent a problem, or successfully deal with it.