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

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

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

Graphic for Boots in the Field Report with agronomist Ken Ferrie who has spent over 40 years helping farmers maximize corn and soybean yields.

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