Agriculture Officials Concerned About Spread Of Soybean Rust

A disease that has been a scourge for soybean farmers in just about every other country that grows the beans has made its way into Missouri. Soybean rust is a fungus that defoliates soybean plants and cuts down on the number of beans produced. State entomologist Mike Brown says while the disease was discovered in just a couple of fields in Southeast Missouri at the end of last year, farmers will need to be on the lookout for it come spring. Brown says the fungus won’t hurt people or animals eating the beans – it only reduces the yields for the farmers.