Rhonda-Brooks.jpg

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
Rob Dongoski - Top Producer Summit
Technology
3 Trends that Will Drive the Food System of the Future
The food system is being reimagined today and farmers can benefit by thinking about how to improve their ability to take advantage of opportunities in the process, says Rob Dongoski with Ernst and Young.
July 20, 2023 01:30 PM
 · 
Rhonda Brooks
Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist
Corn
Ferrie: Biofuel Tax Credit Needs Could Mean More Dollars For Farmers’ Grain
There is now a dollar value assigned to grain carbon intensity scores below 29 in the form of tax credits to biofuel plants that buy grain as part of their decarbonization efforts.
July 18, 2023 08:54 AM
 · 
Rhonda Brooks
Yield monitor by Darrell Smith
Used Machinery
Crime Sprees Target Precision Ag Technology at Farms and Dealerships
Thieves are ripping off yield monitors and navigation systems, many of which retail for $4,000-plus. Some authorities speculate the tools are sold on the black market abroad for use as is or pieced out for their parts.
July 12, 2023 09:05 AM
 · 
Rhonda Brooks
The Crop Science division of Bayer AG is based in Creve Coeur, Mo., part of the greater St. Louis metro area.
Crop Production
Bayer Plans to Sell its Crop Science Division, says German News Service
Platow Brief, a banking and finance publication, says new Bayer AG CEO Bill Anderson and team are working on a deal to spin off the division to improve the pharma giant’s financial wellbeing and placate investors.
July 11, 2023 08:42 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 Reaches Illinois Soybean Fields, Suspected in Other Midwestern States
Double-digit yield losses are not uncommon. To date, 14 Illinois counties have confirmed the disease, and it’s being scouted for elsewhere by seed company and Extension pathologists and agronomists.
July 06, 2023 04:40 PM
 · 
Rhonda Brooks
Corn in central Illinois took a beating from 80 to 100 mph derecho-style winds on Thursday. The good news is that much of the corn was not snapped off and is likely to straighten up.
Corn
Ferrie: Derecho Took 20 to 30 Bu. Off the Top of April Corn but Don’t Throw in the Towel
Flattened corn can often recover, stand and produce decent yields. Soybeans can shake off a storm and flourish, but beware spider mites in the next 10 days if temperatures stay 85-plus degrees with low humidity.
July 05, 2023 03:54 PM
 · 
Rhonda Brooks
The pest is showing up in early-season soybeans. Current numbers don't necessarily warrant treatment. Because the pests can double in population in only a few days, scouting is the only way to stay on top of them.
Soybeans
Soybean Aphids Have Arrived. Send in the Scouts
The pest is showing up in early-season soybeans. Current numbers don’t necessarily warrant treatment. Because the pests can double in population in only a few days, scouting is the only way to stay on top of them.
June 30, 2023 09:08 AM
 · 
Rhonda Brooks
A light blanket of smoke envelops a set of grain bins on an Illinois farm on Wednesday morning.
Health
Smoky Skies and Reduced Air Quality Return to the Midwest and Mid-South
Unhealthy levels of air pollutants are spreading across some parts of the U.S., a result of the worst-ever start to wildfire season in Canada. Sixteen million acres have burned--an area a bit larger than West Virginia.
June 28, 2023 02:11 PM
 · 
Rhonda Brooks
Tar Spot
Corn
Homegrown Tar Spot Is Showing Up Now Thanks To Inoculant From 2021
Farmers with cornfields affected two years ago need to be ready this season, based on a corn-soybean rotation. Fields with high levels of residue are more susceptible, and beware heavy rains just prior to canopy.
June 27, 2023 02:25 PM
 · 
Rhonda Brooks
Axel Trautwein, Ph.D., is head of small molecules research for Bayer Crop Science.
Crop Production
Technology Unlocks The Door to New Modes of Action for Controlling Insects, Disease and Weeds
Bayer Crop Science has unveiled a novel approach to the discovery and development of crop protection solutions, called CropKey. Company officials say it is helping them bring new products to the marketplace faster.
June 27, 2023 11:35 AM
 · 
Rhonda Brooks
Load More