IT TAKES A COMMUNITY: Since 2017, growers, agronomists, Extension educators and other stakeholders in Harrison County, Iowa, have studied herbicide resistance in weeds as part of the Iowa Pest Resistance Management Program. This includes some key problem weeds in the area: Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, giant ragweed and marestail. However, as Larry Buss (left), a Harrison County grower who’s been involved in the program since the beginning, notes, a big part of the program’s efforts is community outreach. “Through our outreach and the programs we’ve had since 2017, people are getting the message that pest resistance is here, especially with weeds. With weeds, our biggest challenge right now is to realize that with Palmer amaranth, we’ve got a very wicked and aggressive weed that must be stopped. We know what to look for, and we need to be vigilant because it does move, he says. “Generally, every summer, somebody sees a quirky-looking weed, and it turns out to be Palmer. Because of this program’s efforts, people know what to look for — and they’re actively looking for it.”