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It is an honor to open this conference and it is my role to place into perspective the reasons why I as a farmer am very excited about cattail control. First of all you are likely all aware that sunflower is an excellent food for birds. A significant sunflower seed market outlet is for 'birders' located throughout the U.S. However, we have millions of 'freeloaders' in the form of a variety of blackbird species that pass through parts of the Dakotas and Minnesota just prior to sunflower harvest. These birds find sunflower to be an excellent food source and they have become one of the major pest problems for a significant portion of sunflower producers.

We have a number of other pests in the production of sunflower. Some of the pests are very cyclical. Some can be expected to be a problem annually. With the exception of blackbirds, we have available inexpensive and functional methods for controlling all of these pests. However, for blackbirds, the shotgun or rifle is about our best option. Obviously these weapons are very dangerous and unfortunately not very effective.

We as producers have come to the realization that there will likely never be one solution to our blackbird problem. Rather we have to look to a variety of tools such as several forms of harassment, genetic alteration of the sunflower plant, production adjustments and altering the environment. We have approached all of these areas in the past with the exception of the latter. Altering environment for some might translate to draining wetlands. We know that is not a possibility. For Dr. George Linz and his people it means controlling cattails in dense cattail marshes.

Controlling cattails seems to many of us to be too simple. But for those of us who have been battling blackbirds for over a decade, we realize that the combination of a sunflower field and a sizeable cattail marsh with standing water is a formula for sizeable sunflower losses. Most of us have learned that we cannot plant a sunflower field next to such a marsh. In some cases five miles is too close.

We do consider cattail control in certain wetlands to be an important tool in our limited arsenal. I have been following the USDA research in Nelson County for the last several years and I must say that I am impressed with the results so far. There is no question in my mind that the best roosting habitat for the local and migrating blackbird is a dense canopy of cattails in standing water.

I also enjoy hunting ducks and geese. Obviously a cattail wetland is not going to have ducks or geese. We have lost a considerable number of very good goose resting areas to cattails in my area of Ramsey and Cavalier Counties.

By controlling cattails in certain wetlands, we have a situation where everyone but the blackbird wins. I, as a sunflower producer might further disperse the local and migrating blackbird. You as producers of waterfowl have better habitat and we as hunters have better access for hunting. There have not been many opportunities during the last two decades where both agricultural and wildlife interests have been able to claim victory. This is indeed a unique opportunity and we must take advantage of it.

It seems obvious to me, that by controlling cattails, we are enhancing a limited resource. As federal and state agencies and private wildlife groups involved in enhancement of wetlands, you will be sending a very strong message to farmers that you want the best use out of the existing wetlands and that you care about a major production problem. I think we can all agree that this can be an important ingredient to improved relations.

As we get rid of some cattails, I believe we will be getting rid of some long-standing animosities between farmers and wildlife interests. The winner, I believe, will be the wetlands and the desirable species of waterfowl.

Thank you and I look forward to an exciting symposium and I want to thank Dr. Linz and his people for their leadership in this research.