Wisconsin Farmers Dealing With "Tar Spot" Fungus on Feed Corn

Wednesday, October 13th, 2021 -- 9:00 AM

(WMTV) Many Wisconsin farmers are dealing with a fungal disease called ‘tar spot’ popping up on their feed corn crops in the fall of 2021.

Feed corn is different than sweet corn. Feed corn is typically used to feed cattle and can be turned into other byproducts like corn oil and renewable fuel, like ethanol.

Farmers have been dealing with tar spot for the last six years, watching it spread from parts of southern Midwest up toward the Madison area. Damon Smith, a UW-Madison Plant Pathologist, has been closely studying the fungus in Wisconsin for the last five years.

Smith says tar spot is causing more issues, throwing off harvest timing, and cost. Farmers can salvage their crops by using a treatment called “fungicide.”

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