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

Ag Economy

Over $10 Billion Still Available To Farmers In Disaster Relief Program

Paul Neiffer provides an update on SDRP as well as ARC-PLC payments. Plus, are you aware the IRS has released guidance on new bank loan interest deductions? The Farm CPA gives a quick overview of that opportunity, too.

December 03, 2025 04:30 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Ag Economy

Hope on the Horizon: Farmers Anticipate ‘Bridge Payment’ Announcement

USDA’s Brooke Rollins says the financial details will be unveiled next week. Some groups estimate payments could total in the neighborhood of $12 billion. “There’s people that can really use them. Everyone can use them…but we’re not getting real solutions,” says one Iowa farmer.

December 02, 2025 03:27 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Farmland

Avoid The Pitfall of Leasing Farmland With Low Fertility

Several years of low commodity prices, high input costs and thin margins have taken a toll on soil stewardship in some parts of the country. As a result, farmers need to use caution and do their homework before renting ground that’s coming available in their area for 2026.

December 01, 2025 04:31 PM

Rhonda Brooks

November Monthly Monitor_Farmers Are Playing Defense on Marketing_Lead.jpg

Ag Economy

From Harvest to Hardship: Farmers Struggle With Cash-Flow Crunch

Going into the final weeks of the year, many growers across the country are shouldering significant financial strain from land rent payments, rising input costs, and efforts to stay in business and viable until commodity prices improve.

November 25, 2025 01:28 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Corn

Southern Rust Delivers A Harsh Wake-Up Call For Disease Control

Because every growing season is unique, agronomists are encouraging corn growers to make a management plan for the “driver diseases” they’re most likely to encounter in fields next year.

November 24, 2025 04:50 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Anhydrous Ammonia Application - Lindsey Pound - November 2022

Politics

New House Bill Pushes For Fertilizer Price Transparency

The companion piece to the Senate’s Fertilizer Research Act of 2025 has the same, ultimate goal: to provide U.S. farmers with more clarity on the pricing of crop nutrients, lawmakers say.

November 20, 2025 01:38 PM

Rhonda Brooks

News

Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner Costs Dip By 5%

Annual survey shows a traditional meal with all the fixings will require fewer dollars per person this year. But look to shell out more dollars if turkey isn’t the only meat on your menu.

November 19, 2025 11:09 AM

Rhonda Brooks

One of the defining visual symptoms of the disease are small, red fruiting structures called perithesia, which show up at the base of an infected soybean plant.

Soybeans

Red Crown Rot Rising: What Every Soybean Grower Needs to Know For 2026

The fungal disease has spread to fields in at least seven states since 2018, including three new ones just this year. Once established, the pathogen is nearly impossible to eradicate, Extension plant pathologists report.

November 18, 2025 01:56 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Ag Economy

Second Stage of Disaster Relief Program Going Into Effect

Farmers who suffered losses from natural disasters that occurred in calendar years 2023 and 2024 can sign up for the aid. It is also available to farmers participating in the On-Farm Storage Loss Program and the Milk Loss Program.

November 17, 2025 01:06 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Crop Production

Farmers Ask How To Set Up A Hybrid Chisel To Achieve Maximum Tillage Results This Fall

Ken Ferrie addresses how farmers can determine what tillage depth to establish, where to run the tool, and when to use the cutters and shanks. But before he can offer those specific details, farmers need to be able to answer one important question.

November 13, 2025 03:58 PM

Rhonda Brooks