Farmers Help Improve Pest Monitoring

By Scout Nelson

The University of Minnesota Extension is inviting wheat farmers to volunteer their fields for the 2026 western Minnesota summer pest survey. This program has been running since 2011 in partnership with North Dakota State University to track insects and diseases in small grain crops.

The survey helps farmers and researchers understand pest activity and crop health. It is funded by the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council and depends on farmers who are willing to share their field locations.

Through this program, Extension teams provide direct alerts to growers and use collected data to create weekly pest population maps. These maps are developed together with North Dakota State University and help farmers make better decisions during the growing season.

For 2026, the program plans to focus only on fields that farmers volunteer with written permission. Farmers who want to take part can submit their field details through the link. Fields with barley, oats, and rye can also be included.

Scouts usually check fields every week from late May to early July. They operate mainly around Crookston, Moorhead, and Morris, covering nearby areas within about a 1.5-hour drive. Farmers who provide an email address receive weekly updates about pest and disease activity in their fields. All shared data remains anonymous.

The program also includes soybean field scouting with support from the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council. This helps maintain monitoring when small grain scouting is reduced.

Recent findings show growing concerns about cereal leaf beetles in northwestern Minnesota. Since 2023, this pest has been found in several counties, causing damage in some fields. Earlier surveys showed very low numbers, making this increase important for farmers to track.

Farmers in areas with limited survey coverage are especially encouraged to participate. Selected fields will represent the region and help improve pest tracking efforts.

To join, farmers can submit their field using the official form here.

Photo Credit: istock-fotokostic