Takeaway

The presenter highlights the ongoing spread of the soybean tentiform leaf miner into Missouri's Macon and Lawrence counties in 2026 following its initial 2025 detection in Cooper County. While infestations remain light and have not yet reached economic injury thresholds, the presenter stresses that producers should actively scout field margins near tree lines. Actionable treatment via insecticide is advised only if defoliation exceeds established agronomic thresholds.

What the presenter said

• The Hatch Act was passed by Congress in 1887 to fund agricultural research at nationwide Land Grant Universities [00:04].
• The University of Missouri's experiment station launched in 1888 with an initial allocation of $15,000 [00:31], growing to a current research enterprise value of nearly $150 million at CAFNR [00:41].
• University of Missouri researchers are tracking the soybean tentiform leaf miner, a small pest whose caterpillars feed inside leaf tissue, producing blotches and defoliation [01:07, 03:17].
• The pest was first discovered in Missouri in Cooper County in 2025 [01:57], with 2026 monitoring confirming presence in Macon County (Northeast) and Lawrence County (Southwest) [02:20].
• The presenter notes the pest is likely present in more Missouri counties than confirmed, given the limited scope of current monitoring programs [02:41].
• Native to North America, the insect transitioned from wild host plants to soybeans; it was first noted in Canadian soybeans in 2016, later in Minnesota, and is now confirmed in seven Midwestern states, including Wisconsin this year [02:59, 03:08].
• Detections in Missouri predominantly occur from July through September, concentrated along field borders next to tree lines [03:40].
• Infestations observed to date remain below economic thresholds [03:47].
• The presenter urges producers to scout field edges and consider insecticide applications if defoliation reaches 30% prior to blooming or 20% after blooming begins [04:09, 04:25].
• The presenter also noted the Mizzou football stadium North End Zone uses soy turf [04:50].

Trade ideas

None stated. The presenter offers no actionable financial or commodity trade recommendations, focusing entirely on field scouting protocols and pest management thresholds.

Levels and data cited

• Defoliation treatment thresholds: 30% defoliation prior to blooming; 20% defoliation after blooming begins.
• Pest dispersion: Confirmed in seven Midwest states (including Minnesota and Wisconsin); first recorded on Canadian soybeans in 2016; Missouri detections in Cooper County (2025), Macon County (2026), and Lawrence County (2026).
• Historical and institutional data: Hatch Act passed in 1887; initial 1888 experiment station funding of $15,000; current CAFNR research enterprise valued at nearly $150 million; 165 research posters presented at the 6th annual symposium.

Risks and what would invalidate this

• Potential soybean yield losses if defoliation from the tentiform leaf miner escalates beyond economic thresholds, particularly in fields adjacent to timber lines.