Crop Production
Tim Webster and Steve Crothers share their cropping plans, telling Ken Ferrie they hope to bounce back this season from record low rainfall and extreme heat in 2025.
Temple Rhodes explains how moving away from front-loaded fertilizer use to what he calls a “layered, systematic approach” — using nitrogen, phosphorus and biologicals — is helping him build corn yields despite increased regulatory demands.
Research shows skipping the right tank-mix partner can reduce control of tough broadleaf weeds and grasses by 25% to 90%.
University of Illinois researcher details scenarios in corn and soybeans where biological products can provide value.
Irrigation experts explain how tracking daily “deposits and withdrawals” can prevent costly watering mistakes and protect yields during critical growth stages.
A fast-developing El Niño could bring much-needed rain to the Plains, but timing and coverage remain uncertain. Brian Bledsoe explains what a strong event could mean for drought relief.
Sixth-generation Minnesota farmer Carson Kahler is putting homemade nitrogen to the test this season, evaluating its field performance and whether the investment truly pencils out.
Indiana farmer Jason Mauck uses his wheat crop as a “supporting actor” to increase soybean yields and boost profits.
The 1,200-acre farmer says earthworms are central to his success in growing no-till corn, soybeans and winter wheat.
Agronomist Eric Beckett shares strategies for managing tillage, product applications and budgets despite what’s shaping up to be a dry and potentially windy spring.
USDA’s March 2026 Prospective Plantings report produced no major surprises, but the bigger story may be the fact only 37.6% of farmers responded, the lowest participation in history for that survey.
From Mehlich-3 to Olsen P, the extractant method your lab uses can help you interpret the data and manage inputs for more ROI.
While an unexpected March freeze is causing some farmers in Mississippi to replant corn, a mild spring is spurring early planting, with some farmers reporting they’ll finish planting corn by the end of this week.
In Illinois and Virginia, Frank Rademacher and Paul Davis lean on cereal rye, no-till and patience to keep waterhemp and other tough weeds in check.
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.