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

Crop Production

Soil Test Results Offer ‘News You Can Use’ Beyond pH

By digging deeper into the details, farmers can use the information to make more informed input decisions and drive better yield outcomes.

March 17, 2026 11:44 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Soybeans

Solving The Sulfur Shortage In High-Yield Soybean Systems

As planting dates shift earlier, the nutrient is delivering significant yield responses and surprising protection against sudden death syndrome.

March 16, 2026 11:44 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Conservation

From Forage to Fertilizer: Iowa Farmers Turn Cover Crops Into A Profit Engine

The Smith family captures value from cover crops twice—first as high-quality cattle feed and then as biological fuel for no-till corn and soybeans.

March 13, 2026 12:34 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Soybeans

Making the Invisible Seen: How Artificial Intelligence is Unmasking Soybean Nematodes

New technology from Syngenta can pinpoint the microscopic pests in your fields with 90% accuracy.

March 12, 2026 01:15 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Crop Production

Is A Nitrogen Inhibitor Worth The Cost?

There are at least two solid reasons for using an N “stabilizer” in your fields this spring, as well as one scenario when it doesn’t make financial sense.

March 11, 2026 03:33 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Wheat

Corteva’s Hybrid Wheat Aims to Close the Yield Gap with Corn and Soybeans

The new seed technology offers growers a significant boost in productivity and resilience, even in stressful, water-limited environments.

March 10, 2026 01:29 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Corn

Beat the Carbon Penalty With Strategic Nitrogen Use

Prioritize timing and placement to ensure young corn plants have access to enough N to withstand any disruption from microbial immobilization.

March 09, 2026 12:34 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Soybeans

Use This 4-Step Checklist for 97%-Plus Waterhemp Control

From putting ‘three in the pre’ to making a herbicide pass before flowering, field agronomist Mike Hannewald breaks down the layered approach needed to protect your soybean yields and reduce the seed bank.

March 06, 2026 01:43 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Image of herbicide sprayer in tilled field with blue sky in the background

Crop Production

Next-Gen Herbicides Target Tough Weeds In Corn And Soybeans

Companies expand their portfolio of innovative solutions to knock out broadleaves and grasses as farmers prepare for the 2026 season.

March 05, 2026 12:42 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Paraquat is a non-selective weed control commonly used for burndown applications, and it’s effective on resistant weed species such as ragweed and Palmer Amaranth.

Crop Production

Syngenta To Exit Global Paraquat Production

The rise of generic products has eroded the company’s competitiveness in manufacturing the herbicide, motivating a shift in its production focus to plinazolin for U.S. farmers.

March 05, 2026 10:41 AM

Rhonda Brooks