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

Mike McLaughlin planted a dozen hybrids in his test plot this past year.

Corn

Corn Yield Champions Share Their Top 4 Hybrid Selection Strategies

Number of bushels per acre is high on their list of priorities, but it’s not necessarily their No. 1 concern going into 2026.

November 12, 2025 12:53 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Syngenta has a new soybean seed treatment to protect young seedlings in 2020.

Crop Production

New Seed Treatments Available For Soybeans, Cotton & Cereals

Both products have been registered for use by the EPA, with one of them featuring a novel active ingredient.

November 10, 2025 10:57 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Crop Production

Drought Conditions Require Careful Attention To Fall Tillage Practices

Farmers wanting to hang onto the soil moisture in their fields are struggling to address compaction and ruts where there has been little to no recent rainfall. Anhydrous ammonia applications are also difficult to get sealed in fields where moisture is minimal.

November 07, 2025 11:56 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Politics

Soybean Stalemate? U.S. Farmers Want China To Take Concrete Action On Its Commitments

Growers say they remain cautiously optimistic and believe the U.S. is “headed in the right direction.” But they want the gridlock with China to end and for actual steps to be taken to get their crops sold and shipped.

November 06, 2025 03:06 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Corn

Two Essential Factors For Preserving Corn & Soybean Quality In On-Farm Storage

As crops go into bins, growers will be looking to maintain quality until their marketing opportunities improve. Some ongoing management practices are vital to the process.

November 05, 2025 03:17 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Crops

Anhydrous Ammonia: One Small Mistake Can Have Life-Changing Consequences

Farmers are likely to apply more NH3 this fall, given its availability and price point relative to other nitrogen sources. Chase Dewitz shares a recent experience that occurred on his farm as a reminder that the product deserves to be handled with careful attention and respect.

November 04, 2025 02:49 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Corn

Unpacking the Disappointment: 5 Reasons Some Iowa Growers Had Ho-Hum Corn Yields

While many farmers in the state were delighted by the results the 2025 season delivered, that wasn’t the case everywhere. In some areas, Mother Nature delivered a series of agronomic problems that dominoed and turned a potential bin buster crop into one that was average at best by harvest.

November 03, 2025 04:43 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Crop Production

Can Good Fertility Levels Reduce The Need For Fungicides?

Agronomists answer farmer questions about the role of nitrogen and other nutrients in lessening the potential impact of yield robbers such as southern rust and tar spot in corn.

November 01, 2025 11:05 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Soybeans

China Soybean Trade Deal ‘A Net Positive’ For U.S. Farmers

The announcement Beijing is buying soybeans marks a crucial step toward achieving some market stability for U.S. growers in the near term and hope for the future. USDA’s Vaden says the purchase ‘represents a floor and not a ceiling,’ while ag economists offer a mix of optimism and caution.

October 30, 2025 02:40 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Ag Economy

Farmers Say They Shoulder The Cost Of Mergers In Seed, Fertilizer Industries

As a handful of corporations influences more of the agricultural supply chain, row crop growers say they are left with fewer input choices, higher prices and diminishing control over their own operations.

October 29, 2025 04:35 PM

Rhonda Brooks