Latest News From Crops

More than 20 farm groups support the new Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience Act. The bill does not require choosing between enhanced crop insurance coverage and commodity support programs.

Get crops off to a good start with these weed control tips

USDA reports 3% of the country's soybean crop is in the ground, the same as this time last year but two points ahead of the average pace. In all 10 states are reporting progress, and planting is ahead of average.

It's a tale of two extremes this year. Some farmers report they can't find soil moisture to plant into, while others are struggling just to get into their fields. Agronomist Ken Ferrie weighs in on both scenarios.

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows drought coverage is now at its lowest level since spring of 2020, but USDA's topsoil moisture map shows it's still extremely dry in areas of the west and too wet in the east.

Shipping may have been easier back in the days of Columbus

Two consecutive years of drought has been devastating for farmers in West Texas, and with forecasts of a transition to La Niña, economists and cotton leaders say it will force even more cotton farmers to call it quits.

One of the biggest benefits from waiting to plant corn until conditions are ideal, is the crop emerges more uniformly and forms those picket-fence stands that deliver huge yields, says Agronomist Missy Bauer.

Lance Honig, acting director of the NASS methodology division, says budget constraints led to the agency's decision. The County Estimates data was used over the years, in part, to determine federal farm program payments.

USDA's April WASDE report showed larger wheat and soybean ending stocks, but smaller ending stocks for corn. More surprising, still, was the lack of changes to South America's crop estimates.

Along with too much moisture, high numbers of corn flea beetles are posing an early-season concern. Ferrie advises checking your Stewart’s wilt bacteria rating on hybrids. There's no treatment option for infected corn.

What’s the key to growing big yields? According to the reigning national corn yield contest champ, David Hula, you can’t have 300-bushel-per-acre yields if you don’t start with 300-bushel-per-acre stands.

The second USDA Crop Progress Report of the year shows farmers are already ahead in planting the 2024 crop with six states pacing ahead of the five-year average.

While the expectation is for cotton acres to increase in the June acreage report, another key question is if cotton demand can continue to find footing and support higher prices.

Once a niche tool used by agronomists and consultants, farmers are starting to take notice of drones and consider the technology more often. Here's the latest on swarms, service providers and security concerns.

Bryce Driver died a day before Easter, leaving behind a wife, a pair of seven-week-old babies, and a crop in the field.

Consider these tips to ensure you’re complying with federal regulations when it comes to pesticide disposal.

BASF's new website, SCNFields.com, is dedicated to helping growers manage risk against Soybean Cyst Nematode.

Tolvera recently received registration by the EPA for use on spring and winter wheat, durum and barley.

Ferticell celebrated its 20th anniversary on April 1, 2024. During those 20 years we have grown significantly from the one product, Universal, to over 18.

As most of the U.S. is still prepping for spring planting, USDA's weekly crop progress report shares Texas growers have already planted more than half their corn acres.

Some Illinois farmers started planting soybeans in late March. Ken Ferrie offers tips to help you weigh the risks of planting now. Plus, be aware that poor saturated cold scores are impacting some seed corn hybrids.

If you’ve ever dealt with herbicide drift, you know how damaging the outcomes can be.

Weed resistance is among the top challenges facing modern farmers. Resistant weed varieties continually spread to different geographies, as researchers continue discovering new cases of resistance.

Nitrogen fertilizer is essential to growing high-yielding corn. But with 12 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer applied to crops each year, it’s critical to keep that nitrogen where it’s applied.

Judge for yourself: Travis McCormick’s DOES IT PAY fungicide trial reaped a major yield increase.

USDA says farmers intend to plant 90 million acres of corn this year, which is lower than the trade expected prior to USDA's big Prospective Plantings report.

Fire fighters from across the U.S. participated in a fire demonstration at the Dalton, Georgia fire department looking at the effectiveness of Soyfoam, the first soy based fire suppressant.

Since the 1950s, fire departments across the country have used products containing dangerous PFAS to put out fires. But the United Soybean Board has announced a greener alternative made from soybean meal.

Based on fieldwork he's done so far, the farmer asks, “Am I drying out the soil early in what looks to be a dry year? Or, am I making the soil more fit so roots can go down as they should?”

U.S. employers report challenges in finding suitable job candidates with work-ready skills to fill open roles in ag. The AgCareers.com U.S. Skills Survey offers insights, data and trends to address skill development.

Mike Steenhoek, executive director at the Soy Transportation Coalition, shares what the collapse could mean for the supply chain.

There are a number of practices that can create passive income on your operation, but the level of effort and investment to implement them varies.

Brian Ray is confident his soybeans will yield more this season, thanks to the use of 100 lb/A of ammonium sulfate preplant applied. He and his retailer, Brent Peters, anticipate a 4 bu/A average increase or higher.

Quickshot is Helena’s newest entrant in the field, which provides seed fluency in addition to crop nutrient package. For 2024, it’s available in limited quantities.

The March Ag Economists' Monthly Monitor found nearly 80% of those surveyed say soybeans pencils better than corn this year, but economists still increased their corn acreage projections slightly in the latest survey.

After launching an initial “frontrunner” a group in Illinois, Bayer says its Crop Science division is ready to roll out the company’s new operating model, Dynamic Shared Ownership (as it’s known internally, DSO).

USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says areas that have been experiencing snow drought this winter, such as Minnesota and northern Iowa, could potentially see more snowfall in the next few weeks than they have all winter.

According to the company, the use of PhotoSeed technology has the potential to lower a crop’s carbon intensity score.

Researchers and agronomists are using a creative way to study corn plant root structures and hope it will lead to a new understanding of how below-ground root systems can impact yields and plant stress.

China canceled more wheat, but the grain markets seemed to shake off the negative news. DuWayne Bosse and Darren Frye make the case for why the lows in the grain markets may behind us.

A Minnesota grower asks Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist, how to improve upon the soil fertility on 90 acres he is renting for the first time this year.

The new 45Z tax credit passed in the Inflation Reduction Act, slated to take effect Jan. 1, 2025, means a farmer's carbon intensity score will soon be worth more, especially if your corn goes to an ethanol plant.

Here’s how to get the biggest ROI from your layers of data — and use the information to spot issues in time to improve this year's crop.

Whether it's planting, spraying, soil sampling or harvesting, new tools are turning the information you collect into actionable insights.

Just because tar spot was mostly a no-show in 2022 and 2023 doesn't mean that will be the case in 2024. Charting humidity levels can help predict if the disease will strike.

In a year with razor-thin margins, at best, corn and soybean growers can use a variety of new technology and tried-and-true agronomic tools to score higher yields this season.

The NewLeaf Symbiotics team says reluctance to try biologicals is often a result of feeling overwhelmed by the options available, making education key as the space continues to grow.

If weather stresses have you looking for ways to give your crop a stronger start this spring, consider whether a plant growth regulator could be part of the solution, especially in high-yield environments.

Your technology investment will maximize corn yield on every soil type.