Garry Dillard farms approximately 3,900 acres of cotton and 800 acres of peanuts with his brother, Kenneth, on Dillard Farms. Since 1975, the pair have worked side by side. At age 60, Garry says farming is still fun.

“It’s good to plant a crop and harvest it, especially a good crop,” Dillard says. “The main fun is the fall when you harvest it. If it’s a good crop, you know you’ve done good; you’ve done everything you’re supposed to. The good Lord and us made this crop right here.”

Dillard’s operation includes land in Florida that he rents from Todd Shelley, owner of Shelley Farms. Shelley grows several specialty crops, including watermelon, squash, eggplant, cucumbers and others. Dillard and Shelley met early in the season to talk about where Dillard would plant PhytoGen^® cottonseed with the Enlist^™ trait. Shelley showed Dillard where all the vegetable crops were planted.

They decided Dillard would plant the cotton next to a large field of watermelons. Although they were initially cautious, they agreed a farmer following the label could apply Enlist One^® herbicide successfully to the cotton without it moving on to the watermelons.

“I was concerned about the Enlist herbicide,” Shelley says. “However, we worked together and communicated a lot, and they’ve applied Enlist One twice, and we haven’t seen any problems.”

Before each application, Dillard and Shelley would review the label and monitor the environmental conditions, such as wind direction, wind speed and temperature. Dillard would only spray if the weather allowed him to meet label requirements and was conducive to an on-target application. After the applications, Shelley scouted closely for any issues with the watermelons. There were no problems.

“I talked to Todd and asked if he was good with me spraying,” Dillard says. “I kept the boom real low to the crop, and there was no drift at all. The tank mix of Enlist One stayed on target. It didn’t touch the watermelons. Todd was pleased, and I was pleased, too, because I don’t want to hurt his melons.”

With his background in cotton, Dillard was surprised when his retailer told him he could apply a 2,4-D herbicide to PhytoGen brand varieties with the Enlist trait. He has been more than pleased with the tolerance of Enlist cotton to Enlist herbicides, and he appreciates the weed control power. The technology helps him rid his fields of yield-robbing pigweed infestations. And if there’s one thing he can’t stand to see in his fields, it’s pigweed.

“The main thing I’m trying to get is pigweeds. Everything else you can control pretty good with other products like Roundup, but it won’t control pigweed unless you put something with it like 2,4-D, like Enlist Duo,” Dillard says. “That’s the only way I can finally get rid of pigweed. They’re aggravating; they cost a lot of money to get rid of. But Enlist is a good product. It does a good job with it.”

Dillard knows pigweeds can and will hurt yield potential. That’s why he will do everything he can to get them out and keep them out of his fields. A clean field not only looks better but also yields better. Beyond the numbers, a clean field gives Dillard a sense of pride knowing he has taken good care of the land.

Although Shelley can’t use Enlist^™ herbicides on his vegetable crops, he understands why the Dillards need the technology. Plus, he gains from the weed control as well.

“Mother Nature advances quicker than we do. If we don’t continue to advance, Mother Nature will leave us behind,” Shelley explains. “With Enlist herbicides controlling the pigweed population, we don’t have the seedbank to contend with the following year when we plant vegetables.”

Dillard plans to continue using the Enlist system, saying it’s a big part of his weed control program. He appreciates the collaboration with Shelley to help make the Enlist system a success for both of them. They agree that communication throughout the application process is essential.

A good crop, excellent weed control and working together keep farming fun for Dillard and Shelley.

Learn more about the Enlist weed control system at ExperiencingEnlist.com. Follow us on Twitter at @EnlistOnline and visit our YouTube channel.

_{™®Trademarks of Dow AgroSciences, DuPont or Pioneer, and their affiliated companies or their respective owners. ®PhytoGen and the PhytoGen Logo are trademarks of PhytoGen Seed Company, LLC. PhytoGen Seed Company is a joint venture between Mycogen Corporation, an affiliate of Dow AgroSciences LLC, and the J.G. Boswell Company. The Enlist weed control system is owned and developed by Dow AgroSciences LLC. Enlist Duo® and Enlist One® herbicides are not yet registered for use in all states or counties. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your area. Enlist Duo and Enlist One herbicides are the only 2,4-D product authorized for use with Enlist crops. Consult Enlist herbicide labels for weed species controlled. Always read and follow label directions. ©2019 Dow AgroSciences LLC}