Rhonda Brooks

Agronomy Editor, Farm Journal

Rhonda Brooks is the Agronomy Editor for Farm Journal and AgWeb, covering all aspects of crop production. A Missouri native with a background in agricultural communications, she has previously worked on multiple Farm Journal brands.

Latest Stories

Crop Production

4 Biocontrol Strategies To Shrink Your Weed Seed Bank

Working with Mother Nature may require adopting a new mindset, but for some farmers these four practices could be the ‘missing piece’ in having a sustainable, long-term weed management plan.

February 04, 2026 10:26 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Sprayer applying burndown herbicide on a tilled filed for post harvest weed control

Crops

Is Zero Tolerance For Weed Escapes The New Standard?

As herbicide resistance builds, Extension urges farmers to diversify control tactics and use as many tools as possible this season.

February 03, 2026 03:06 PM

Rhonda Brooks

corn roots that have been pulled out of the ground and laying on dirt to show corn roots with rootworm damage

Crops

Western Corn Rootworm: How To Stay Ahead Of The Billion‑Dollar Bug

Farmers are turning to crop rotation, sharp scouting, and diversified tactics — along with Bt — to keep the pest from taking a huge bite out of yield potential.

February 02, 2026 04:23 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Yield Builders_Crack The Residue Code in 15 Inch Soybeans.jpg

Machinery

Test Plot Research Shows Narrow-Angle Row Cleaners Add $22 Per Acre

Hardware and technology changes can help farmers overcome the “residue hurdle,” achieve more uniform stands and accomplish robust early-season growth in 15" soybeans.

February 01, 2026 06:45 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Sprayer - preemergence application - spraying - Lindsey Pound

Crops

Put More Spray Where It Pays

Drift reduction adjuvants help keep products where you want them in the field and deliver measurable yield results.

January 29, 2026 10:58 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Crops

4 Ways to Cut Costs Without Bleeding Bushels

To keep expenses in check, high-yield growers are rethinking everything from fertilizer use and planter prep to pest programs and how they manage field borders.

January 28, 2026 02:48 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Soybeans

Why Soybeans Don’t Need A Perfect Stand To Deliver High Yields

Purdue’s Shaun Casteel shares three lessons from the field on the value of letting your soybeans ‘improvise, adapt and overcome’ early in the season.

January 27, 2026 01:47 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Planting - Corn Seed - Talc - Lindsey Pound

Crops

Talc And Graphite With ‘Added Benefits’?

Swapping your fluency agent for a value‑added product could turn a routine step at the planter into real ROI.

January 23, 2026 03:38 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Crops

Umbrella vs. Deep Diver: Which Corn Root Personality Fits Your Farm?

New research shows that pairing hybrid root architecture with your tillage system and residue management is a way to grow more bushels.

January 22, 2026 11:28 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Machinery

Faster Tillage, Smarter Spraying: John Deere Expands Its Machinery Lineup

New high-speed disk models offer autonomous operation while See & Spray provides new upgrades, delivering more ways for farmers to manage heavy residue and stubborn weeds.

January 22, 2026 08:00 AM

Rhonda Brooks