superweeds

[bookwormom]

check this out, roundup resistant weeds.

http://www.france24.com/en/20090418-...ified-US-crops

[CarolAnn]

If by "pigweed" they mean lambsquarters, they should be making salad! I can't imagine a farmer abandoning his farm just because the pigweed took over!

[indyguy]

Roundup resistant weeds were 1st seen here in Indiana 10 yrs ago but I have yet to see a farm giver up to them.

Roundup is not 1st to have weeds build resistance to but I cant believe the media has just learned this. I have seen story after story written in the farm magizines about the problem.

[Anon001]

I worked for the coop system up until March 2007. We had reports then of the weeds becoming roundup resistant and kept telling farmers they needed to prepare for it. But the farmer had the attitude that if the weeds becoming resistant causes too much trouble, Monsanto would just come out with something better so they just didn't worry about it. But, like Indy, I've never seen a farmer give up his land due to weed resistance. There are so many chemicals that a farmer has many options without having to give up ...... I wonder how much of that could by hype or propaganda? I'm not saying it is, but just curious.

[fancyfowl]

Why do the weeds develop resistance, farmers chincing on the amount of spray for too many years may build a resistance? *I know farmers are always trying to save a buck, they are generally famous for fudging. Course I also know guys who think if a little is good a lot is better.

And relying on poisons & chemicals to do the whole job is just a lack of good management skills to begin with.

[Anon001]

true for the most part fancyfowl. But most of your good sized farmers usually follow directions. For some reason, weeds have just been developing a resistance. However, Monsanto had been saying for a long time that eventually it would happen.. They had been doing research on the next level of chemical when the resistance got to be too much.

I agree about the chemicals for the most part. However, in large scale agriculture, you have no choice but to use chemicals on weeds. There is no other options and there are times when you must use chemicals on pests because for certain things it is the only thing feasible large scale unlike gardens and such. Large ag can't afford the labor to hire hoe hands like they used to do and they don't have a whole passel of kids to do it nowdays. When I was a kid we hoed cotton and we hired hoe hands. But you can't anymore. The only time we used chemical on cotton at that time was for insects. Corn and beans have too many problems and the only feasible way to work it is with chemical. And the weeds have to be killed out before any of the harvests because you get docked on your prices at harvest if you have weeds and weed seed in your crops. That is a sign of the times as sad as it is. I guess farms should have stayed small with large families. lol.

Well, we've got super germs that are antibiotic resistant, might as well have some super weeds too. I got into some pigweed two years ago. Both hands and my arms broke out in blisters. It didn't itch or hurt in the least, but It looked like heck for about a week.

Bob.

[Wildflower]

bump

[AlchemyAcres]

This is great for the GMO and chemical pushing companies involved!!!!
It'll make farmer's even more dependent!!!!!
I'm sure they'll find the 'answer' continuing the Devil's work producing new chemicals and 'advanced' GMOs!!!! :-X


~Martin :

[tomato204]

I don't see it as something to bite my nails over until there are "Goat-resistant" weeds, which would really wreak havoc. ;D