Rust (fungus) Found in Big Soybean-Producing State (Arkansas)

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Soybean rust has spread to Arkansas, the first major U.S. soybean-producing state infected with the contagious fungus that slashes crop production, Arkansas officials said on Monday.


Arkansas is the sixth U.S. state to be infected with the disease since initially being discovered in the mainland United States less than two weeks ago.


The fungus, which withers the leaves of the soybean plant, has already been found in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama and Georgia. The wind-borne disease does not harm humans but can cut soybean crop yields by up to 80 percent.


"While growers have to be concerned, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture advises that panic is not warranted," said university officials, who found the disease in a field in Crittenden County.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=1895&e=9&u=/nm/20041122/bs_nm/food_soyrust_dc

[SaintAnne]

1. noooooooo

I love soy milk! what ever will I do without it?!?!?!?!?! This can't be happening! someone must do something!?!?!?!?!

[Walt Starr]

2. This is a direct result of the plant breeding/patent laws

Same thing happened with the most common form of corn as well. Ended up being susceptible to a disease and within one season, the blight destroyed much of the crop.

This is what happens with ADM and other large corporate entities holding the rights to plant DNA.

[KamaAina]

9. Guess where the blight was first found in La.?

If you said "in a research field belonging to LSU", you're right!

Hungry, perhaps, but right nonetheless. :(

[Walt Starr]

13. Everybody should be gardening with heirloom seeds

Genetic diversity of the plants we eat will be the only thing that saves the human race from self destruction.

We can no longer depend upon the Duponts, ADM's, and Monsanto's of the world to protect our food from catastrphic success!

[cliss]

10. I've read that they're expecting to lose

about 80% of the soy bean crop this year. That's catastrophic, in agricultural terms.

Now, I have read that almost all soybeans being grown right now are GM = genetically modified. The fact that they're being ravaged so quickly (just 2 weeks for this to spread) and that they're succumbing to the same rust tells me that these plants are weak. They're vulnerable to stuff like this.

Those fools at Monsanto and Du Pont don't know what they're doing.

[Walt Starr]

12. Yep, patenting the genetics of plants could lead to worldwide catastrophe

within a generation.

[HereSince1628]

3. Where in the crop cycle are we?

I understand that southern states can get more than one crop per season, but even so, it seems that the US should mostly be at the end of the soybean season.

I can understand that this has implications for field sanitation and the like, but I would have thought that most soybeans are beyond the need for leaves.

Aren't most soy beans that aren't in storage drying in the field waiting to be harvested?

[tapper]

4. Should be...

Theoretically, most of the fields planted this summer should long have been harvested. In Kansas, you can plant as late as July (double-planting after the winter wheat harvest), gambling on sufficient moisture in August-September and a late frost, hoping to combine in late September to October. Normally, this part of the country (and any to the north) would have finished harvest by now, but it's been fairly wet this fall. I know my brother, for one, is still trying to get into the fields and harvest.

(The latest harvest I recall went past January -- had to wait for the ground to freeze.)

- Farmer's daughter

[senegal1]

5. From an Ag guy

Most of the soybean production has shifted to the north specifically NB,IL,IA,MN,SD -- the hope is that soybean rust won't be able to get into these states due to the harsh winters. Its currently thought that one or another of the hurricanes brought it in.

[maxsolomon]

6. edamame!

don't take my edamame away!

[Chico Man]

7. going the way of marijuana

it's too good for you

[not fooled]

8. Aren't these all red states?

sounds like a plague from heaven, punishment for returning the pharisees to office.

[NuttyFluffers]

11. it does sound a bit like the wrath of heaven, doesn't it?

mad cow, rust fungus, bad influenza year along with vaccine shortage, hurricanes, etc. one right after another. we have angered the primal forces of nature all right... can we placate them with a sacrifice? i'm willing to dump this administration if they stop beating down on us :D

[yellowcanine]

14. Red states now but blue states are at risk also - particularly places

like Illinois - this is no joke - it's a friggin disaster.