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

Sprayer - preemergence application - spraying - Lindsey Pound

Crop Production

Rethink Your Herbicide Strategy In High-Residue Systems

Corn stalks, straw and cover crops are impacting weed-control results, requiring farmers to make tactical adjustments.

May 13, 2026 12:23 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Crop Production

Why High GDUs Aren’t Guaranteeing Quick Emergence This Year

Agronomist Phil Long explains the critical gap between air and soil temperatures and why the “heat engine” for corn and soybeans has stalled in some areas.

May 12, 2026 03:34 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Health

AgriSafe Network Offers ‘Total Farmer Health Tools’ To Support Mental Well-Being

New resources and peer-to-peer support networks are available to help combat rising rates of anxiety and depression in rural America.

May 12, 2026 02:33 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Soybeans

Soybean Gall Midge Emerges As Top-Tier Threat

Now present in seven states, the small pest is taking a toll on soybean crops and making Midwest growers look beyond traditional insecticides for yield protection.

May 11, 2026 03:18 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Chilled seed corn struggles to emerge and grow. It can cost you 10% of your stand, says Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

Planting

Are Your Fields A Green Light? Use the Three-Factor System To Guide Planting Decisions

Soil moisture, seed chilling risks, and emergence forecasts can help you decide whether to run hard or park the planter.

May 08, 2026 11:50 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Learn how to save labor, fuel and equipment costs with this conservation practice.

Soybeans

Soybean Farmers Detail ‘Sustainable Practices’ That Can Pay Off

From $35 per acre cover crop incentives to $1.25 premiums, growers are finding ways that conservation and cash flow can mesh.

May 07, 2026 04:10 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Crop Production

Oregon Farmers Navigate The Ups And Downs Of A Changing Ag Landscape

Using crop diversity, conservation tillage and a contract-first mindset, the Ruddenklau family works to keep their operation moving forward.

May 06, 2026 05:04 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Exposure to a sub-lethal rate of dicamba.jpg

Crop Production

Metabolic Weed Resistance Crisis Builds Across The Heartland

The problem is making it difficult for farmers to know which herbicide chemistries will still work in their fields.

May 06, 2026 11:49 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Corn

Build A High-Yield Powerhouse From The Bottom Up

Randy Dowdy explains the importance of germination depth — how it can set up your corn crop to deliver more bushels without adding any costs in the process.

May 05, 2026 12:39 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Business

Corteva Brands Seed And Genetics Business With New Name

The company had been using what it described as a placeholder name, SpinCo, since announcing it would split into two independent, publicly traded entities last October.

May 04, 2026 04:33 PM

Rhonda Brooks