Help shape the future of weed management in Michigan specialty crops

Joshua Miranda<miran101@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Horticulture - September 16, 2025

Share your priorities and challenges by completing MSU’s 2025 Specialty Crop Weed Management Survey.

Heavy weed pressure in a Michigan onion field. — Heavy weed pressure in a Michigan onion field highlights the challenges specialty crop growers face in managing weeds. Photo by Josh Miranda, MSU.

Weed management remains one of the most costly and persistent challenges for specialty crop growers across Michigan. From vegetables and fruit trees to berries and grapes, growers and crop advisors deal with diverse weed species emerging throughout growing seasons, rising cases of herbicide-resistant weeds, and a limited number of labeled and effective herbicide options. These challenges are compounded by high labor costs for hand weeding, as well as regulatory pressures that restrict the use of certain herbicides. To ensure that Michigan State University Extension delivers research and outreach that address real on-farm challenges, we are asking for your input.

Please complete this brief 2025 Michigan Specialty Crop Weed Management Survey to help identify:

Most problematic weed species impacting your crops
Current management strategies used on your farm and their effectiveness
Costs and concerns related to herbicide use and resistance
Research topics you consider highest priority
Your preferred ways to receive Michigan State University (MSU) research updates

Start the survey

Your input will help shape MSU’s weed science research and Extension programs to better meet the needs of Michigan’s specialty crop industry. The survey is anonymous, takes less than 10 minutes, and is open to growers, crop consultants, farm managers and educators.

Thank you for your time and for helping us build more effective, practical and grower-driven weed management solutions for Michigan’s specialty crop industries.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).