Crop Production
Brian Bledsoe of Brian Bledsoe Weather explains what’s driving the record heat, how long it may last and why it’s not a repeat of 2012.
By digging deeper into the details, farmers can use the information to make more informed input decisions and drive better yield outcomes.
NOAA and CPC issue an official El Niño watch with a 62% chance of forming by late summer. Meteorologist Drew Lerner explains why it’s coming sooner than expected, but warns the extreme forecasts may be overstated. What it could mean for global crops this year.
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.
A wet, active weather pattern across the Eastern Corn Belt could delay early planting this spring. Meteorologist Matt Griffin says repeated rain events through March and April may keep fields too saturated for fieldwork east of Iowa.
Fifth-generation farmer Justin Wylie is testing algae to rebuild soil health in orchards. By boosting soil microbes through irrigation, he hopes to improve water infiltration, reduce inputs and build resilience in high-cost Central Valley agriculture.
Companies expand their portfolio of innovative solutions to knock out broadleaves and grasses as farmers prepare for the 2026 season.
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.
Farmers detail how they navigated the strip-till learning curve and offer some tips you’ll want to know before making the move.
As La Niña Looks to Make One of Its Quickest Exits on Record, Strong El Niño Signals Are Now Brewing
Pacific waters are warming rapidly as La Niña fades. Meteorologists warn the shift could reshape U.S. rainfall, drought conditions and severe weather risk during the 2026 growing season.
The company says its high-oil, low-carbon intensity seed products will help growers develop additional income from existing acres.
Despite shifting market signals, some economists predict corn will remain the undisputed king of the acreage race.
World-record corn growers David Hula and Randy Dowdy share three essential practices that don’t cost a dime but could take your final yield numbers this fall from just OK to great.
Working with Mother Nature may require adopting a new mindset, but for some farmers these four practices could be the ‘missing piece’ in having a sustainable, long-term weed management plan.
How quickly will La Niña exit this year, and when will El Niño enter the picture? Not all meteorologists agree with NOAA or one another, but the timing could have a major impact on weather this spring and summer.
Lance Honig, chair of the Agricultural Statistics Board and a NASS official, addressed farmer concerns in a Farm Journal interview explaining the major January data revisions that caused corn prices to sink on Monday.
2026 Weather Outlook: La Niña’s Quick Exit, El Niño’s Potential and the Signals Farmers Should Watch
Meteorologists predict a quick La Niña exit, with a 75% chance of transitioning to ENSO-neutral by Jan-March. Expect neutral conditions to persist through at least late spring with a growing chance of El Niño in 2026.
Confirmed populations of glufosinate-resistant waterhemp are in Illinois with suspected resistance reported in at least six other states. Weed scientists say how farmers respond now will determine how long the chemistry remains a reliable tool.
A detailed “farming playbook” can help guide essential input investments and maximize ROI.
Planning for next season? Review the expert insights and recommendations from farmers and field agronomists on how to reduce costs and strategically reallocate resources.
With the outlook for high input costs and low commodity prices, the impulse for farmers is to cut their spend on products across the board for 2026. There is a more effective approach that will deliver better results and ROI, say Extension field agronomists.
A new report details the need for more ag funding to address existing weeds, insects and diseases as well as agronomic problems that have yet to reach U.S. shores.
Syngenta’s latest innovation knocks out corn rootworm and addresses a host of other yield-robbing pests in a variety of crops.
Wheat acres are expected to decline, and little change is anticipated for cotton acres after a drop in 2025.
Ken Ferrie addresses how farmers can determine what tillage depth to establish, where to run the tool, and when to use the cutters and shanks. But before he can offer those specific details, farmers need to be able to answer one important question.
Both products have been registered for use by the EPA, with one of them featuring a novel active ingredient.
Farmers wanting to hang onto the soil moisture in their fields are struggling to address compaction and ruts where there has been little to no recent rainfall. Anhydrous ammonia applications are also difficult to get sealed in fields where moisture is minimal.
Agronomists answer farmer questions about the role of nitrogen and other nutrients in lessening the potential impact of yield robbers such as southern rust and tar spot in corn.
A team of researchers at Iowa State recently planted a two-year-old research orchard using a modified super spindle trellising system — a design common in Washington state and the Northeast but rare in Iowa.
Some row-crop growers are converting acres, banking on long-term opportunities with beef. Others are staying the course with crops but embracing ways to add some dollars to their bottom line in the short-term.