The Family Business Calls for More Flexible Weed Control
Farming for Nick Deimeke isn’t just a business; it’s a family tradition.
“My dad and grandfather are both farmers, and I hope to have a good 20 to 30 years of farming ahead,” Deimeke says. “It’s also something I want to pass along to the next generation.”
Alongside his father and brother, Nick Deimeke grows corn, soybeans and winter wheat in northeastern Missouri. The Deimeke team also manages a custom application business, which often causes the family’s herbicide applications to get put on hold.
The family business requires flexible weed control
The custom application business also is why the Deimekes chose to adopt the Enlist® weed control system so quickly — the system provides more flexibility with spraying at planting and more options to combat postemergence weed pressures.
Enlist traits enable control against the toughest weeds in corn, soybeans and cotton. With multiple herbicide tolerances, there are more weed control options in an easy-to-use system.
The Deimekes have seen success by using vertical tillage, planting Enlist E3® soybeans, and then applying Enlist One® herbicide in combination with Liberty® herbicide in the early crop stages.
“We don’t want drift, but we do want options when it comes to our herbicides,” Deimeke says.
There are more than 1,600 qualified tank-mix products that work with Enlist One herbicide, making it easier than ever to control varying weed pressures on farms in Deimeke’s area and across the country.
Knocking down waterhemp
The biggest weed issue growers in Deimeke’s area are facing is waterhemp — and trying to recover from breakthroughs from using Roundup® herbicide. He also sees grasses and cocklebur in fields on a regular basis.
“To control tough weeds like waterhemp, we use a combination of Enlist One herbicide and Liberty herbicide to clean things up,” Deimeke says. With the tank-mix flexibility of Enlist One, he’s able to customize his weed control program to match the weed spectrum. Deimeke chooses multiple modes of action to manage resistance. He warns that he has seen escapes if Liberty herbicide is applied alone.
Nearly all Deimeke’s customers use the Enlist weed control system.
“The combination of Enlist One and Liberty herbicides is easy to use, and it works on our toughest weed,” Deimeke says. “Herbicides stay on target, and there are no issues with tank cleanout.”
Weed control for now — and later
Deimeke hopes to pass the farming business on to his children someday. His 7-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter already share his love of farming and even play farming video games in their spare time.
Luckily, the weed control provided by Enlist traits and herbicides offers growers like Deimeke and his customers a strategic and sustainable cropping system for years to come.
The transgenic soybean event in Enlist E3 soybeans is jointly developed and owned by Corteva Agriscience LLC and MS Technologies, LLC. Liberty® is a registered trademark of BASF.
