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

Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

Planting

Got Emergence Problems? Evaluate These 3 Options for Corn and Soybeans

You can leave emerging crops alone, run a rotary hoe or replant. Ken Ferrie has developed online calculators to guide decision-making and help remove some of the emotions you might struggle with in the process.

May 19, 2022 01:25 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Planting

Weather Delays Planting In Some Areas, But Weeds Are On Time

Wet fields have slowed farmers’ planting progress to a snail’s pace in some states, but that’s had little effect on broadleaf weeds and grasses. Many are growing rapidly in parts of the Midwest.

May 18, 2022 10:51 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Politics

Zippy Duvall: Labor is Biggest Limiting Factor for American Agriculture

The president of the American Farm Bureau Federation weighs in on immigration reform and year-round work permits, Waters of the U.S. concerns and support for the new Climate-Smart Commodities Program.

May 11, 2022 04:21 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Farmland

Smoking Hot Land Prices Continue to Soar, no Softening in Sight

Farmland in parts of Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska, for example, have seen 30% to 40% year-over-year moves up in price. One expert sees no land price weakness anywhere in the U.S. but shares how that could change.

May 10, 2022 11:50 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Soybeans

Bust out the Rotary Hoe to Help Soybeans Emerge in Crusted Over Soils

Be proactive and go to the field sooner rather than later. Once that crust hardens, it can hinder or even prevent crop emergence. Either or both will cost you money.

May 09, 2022 02:20 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Planting

Ferrie: Add Weight to Planters, Break Out Rotary Hoes, Tend to Strip-Till Seedbeds

It’s also time to consider switching to corn planting if you are unable to plant corn and soybeans simultaneously. Beware of salt-burn risks in spring strip tillage, and start checking soybeans for bean leaf beetles.

May 06, 2022 08:28 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Planting

Rain Delay? You still have a 92% Corn Yield Potential if Planting May 20 in IA, IL

When you plant corn does matter, but there are in-season factors that play a significant role in final outcomes as well, according to USDA and agronomists.

May 05, 2022 09:33 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Technology

E98-Fueled Diesel Engines set to Run in the Field and on the Road

CEO of ClearFlame says its modified diesel engines in trucks and farm machinery offer the same power and performance of traditional diesel engines but with lower fuel costs and fewer emissions. Look for them this summer.

May 04, 2022 12:45 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Planting

A Goldilocks Planting Season – too Hot or too Cold. Nothing’s ‘Just Right’

Much of the Midwest is seeing cool, wet conditions while the West is increasingly dry. If you plant in poor soil conditions, you will pay for that mistake at harvest, say agronomists. Their recommendation: be patient.

April 29, 2022 04:24 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Poultry

First Human Case of Avian Flu in the U.S. Confirmed in Colorado

The case occurred in a person who had direct exposure to poultry and was involved in the culling process of poultry with presumptive H5N1 bird flu, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

April 29, 2022 09:30 AM

Rhonda Brooks