In the Red

• $95.48 billion: The estimated economic loss due to soybean diseases from 1996 to 2016 in the U.S.
• $80.89 billion: The impact in the northern states
• $14.59 billion: The impact in the southern states
• $4.55 billion: Average annual economic loss

Economic losses due to soybean diseases in the United States from 1996 to 2016 amounted to more than $95 billion, according to Paul Esker, assistant professor of epidemiology and crop pathology whose research group examined the long-term impact of soybean diseases on production in the United States. The findings are significant because the United States is the world's primary soybean producer and second-largest exporter. Accurate crop loss assessment is an important tool in developing management strategies to ensure farmer profitability, preserve global food security, and establish research priorities, Esker pointed out.

--Amy Duke