RMA REMAINS CONCERNED ABOUT SOYBEAN RUST

WASHINGTON, Dec 30, 2004 - The threat of soybean rust disease affecting U.S. soybean producers is of concern to the Risk Management Agency (RMA). Some months ago, a soybean rust working group was formed to prepare for the arrival of soybean rust by keeping State, commodity, and Federal interests informed of the recent activity related to soybean rust. RMA personnel are participating in this work group.

Working group members include at least one extension plant pathologist from each soybean state but also any other representatives from State, Federal, and commodity organizations with an interest in soybean rust. The working group meets by teleconference bimonthly or as needed to discuss items of concern to members. Common topics are management options, information resources, range of soybean rust, and recent research. The USDA Office of Pest Management Policy hosts the working group and posts past meeting summaries as well as other items of interest about soybean rust at www.ipmcenters.org/NewsAlerts/soybeanrust/.

Two different fungi cause soybean rust disease: Phakopsora meibomiae (P. meibomiae) and Phakopsora pachyrhizi (P. pachyrhizi). P. pachyrhizi is the more aggressive of the two species and causes more damage to soybeans. One cannot distinguish the two fungi from each other without detailed laboratory tests. Soybean rust is native to eastern Australia, eastern Asia, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. The disease was found in Africa in 1997 and spread through most of the continent. Soybean rust was found in Paraguay in 2001 and spread to Argentina and Brazil. It is now in North America.

Soybean rust is an airborne disease and can remain airborne throughout large sections of soybean-growing areas, spreading from south to north on seasonal wind currents and persisting on alternate host plants. The rust spores could over-winter on any number of host plant species in the southeastern United States. Green beans, kidney beans, lima beans, and cowpeas are also at risk. The fungi cause lesions on the bottom of leaves in mid to late summer. The yield losses result when the rust lesions cover most of the leaf area, causing premature defoliation. Yield losses associated with soybean rust have generally ranged from 10 to 80 percent if untreated. Once the disease invades a field, the window for effective rescue treatments is only about seven days. After a week, the nearly completely defoliated plants' yields are adversely affected.

Research is underway to determine the rust resistance and susceptibility of U.S. soybean varieties and to develop rust resistant varieties. Crop rotation will not help because (1) of the disease's ability to over-winter on other host plants, and (2) it is a wind-borne and not a soil-borne disease.

Costly fungicide treatments currently represent the only option for containing soybean rust. It may take several applications to be effective and potential treatment costs may vary widely.

Unavoidable loss of production due to plant disease (including soybean rust disease) is a covered peril under the Coarse Grains Crop Provisions, provided it was due to natural causes. Section 8 of the Coarse Grains Crop Provisions (7 C.F.R. 457.113) states, in accordance with the Basic Provisions, insurance is provided against loss of production due to unavoidable causes of loss, including plant disease, but not damage due to insufficient or improper application of disease control measures. Therefore, losses to soybean production due to soybean rust disease is an insurable cause of loss provided the insured can verify the cause was natural and available control measures were properly applied. If no effective control measures are available or there are insufficient amounts of chemicals available for effective control, the resulting loss of production is covered.

It will not be a covered loss if there are sufficient control measures available but the insured elects not to use them. Failure to purchase and apply recommended control measures will result in assessing uninsurable causes of loss. It will be critical for RMA and insurance providers to monitor when outbreaks occur in an area to determine if an insured could have applied recommended fungicides in a timely manner and did not.

The current recognized good farming practices for soybeans generally should not be an issue as soybean rust is not a soil borne disease and rotation of crops would not be effective for control. It will be necessary to determine if adequate amounts of approved chemicals were available at the time of an outbreak, if adequate amounts were available, and whether application was timely to achieve optimum control regardless of the cost involved.

Producers are responsible to keep informed of soybean rust outbreaks in their area. RMA expects producers to take recommended measures to control or prevent the disease impact if an outbreak is anticipated or already in the area. Producers should work with their insurance companies and crop insurance agent as well as document their actions including any advice or counsel from local or recognized extension personnel or other agronomic experts. RMA requires all insured producers to carry out good farming practices.

Crop protection trade associations and their member companies have worked for several years with the American Soybean Association and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prepare fungicide products and contingencies combating the potential epidemic of soybean rust. In addition, USDA formed a soybean rust working group and issued a strategic plan to minimize the impact of the introduction and establishment of soybean rust on soybean production in the U.S. RMA has also organized an internal working group that will closely monitor any relevant developments.

RMA and insurance providers expect soybean producers to take prudent control actions similar to what those producers would take if insurance were not available.