Corn field at sunsetFarmers generally had access to a relatively limited pool of insecticide chemistries, experienced growing herbicide resistance among some pests and saw a resurgence in corn rootworm pressure in 2020. Those trends are likely to spill over to this year’s crop, especially as farmers look to lock in adequate product supplies to protect crops that will likely be much more valuable than in years past. Some industry members say they’re seeing a spike in farmer interest in generic products as they seek to secure consistent, reliable supplies. Given the insect pest pressures many expect to be common this year, there will be a premium on “all-hands-on-deck” crop scouting to ensure those bugs aren’t inflicting damage at or beyond economic thresholds. See more on the crop pest picture for this year.