Crops
Cheap cotton prices and dwindling demand are just part of the problem. Input costs have climbed and there’s no safety net to be found from a new farm bill. One Georgia farmer says the current farm bill is irrelevant and worthless, and if a new one doesn’t get passed this year, the cotton industry is doomed.
While macronutrients and micronutrients such as zinc, iron, and manganese contribute to high yields, yield champs say don’t overlook the importance of having soil pH in place first.
Many seed beans were hammered by heat and drought at harvest last year, leading to variable seed quality this season. Knowing your warm/cold germ scores and using seed treatments at planting can help you get the crop off to a stronger start, especially early soybeans.
Farmer sentiment took a hit this month, with Purdue’s latest Ag Economy Barometer showing a 12-point drop due to concerns over trade policy, tariffs and profitability.
Legendary Stan DeBoer, rebel with a cause, set the table for today’s American farmer.
For high-yielding corn and soybean crops, there are some baseline fertility requirements you have to fund. But that doesn’t mean you can’t fine-tune practices and products and save some money. Here are four suggestions from high-yield champs David Hula and Randy Dowdy.
Sponsored
Weed escapes mean reduced yield. Use Status® herbicide early to control weeds and improve corn yield. With these tips, get it right from the start.
USDA’s March Prospective Plantings report estimates U.S. farmers will plant 95.3 million acres of corn in 2025, 83.5 million acres of soybeans and 45.4 million acres of wheat.
Not only is USDA releasing its first survey-based acreage report of the year, but it’s the week President Trump is set to unleash reciprocal tariffs. Market analysts warn it could be an explosive week in the markets, and farmers should prepare.
Brian Naber says growing up in a farming family in southwest Minnesota helped prepare him for the rigors of leading the company through the ag industry’s current economic and regulatory challenges.
Add several thousand ears per acre to your yield results and boost ROI by getting your planter ready for the field. Be sure to download our free planter prep checklist.
Roy Pfaltzgraff’s maverick row crop operation is moving further to blade’s edge.
When that corn crop comes up this spring, you want it to be green and stay green. One potential issue: if you’re using urea surface-applied, work it in right away or use a urease inhibitor. Make sure the N doesn’t gas off.
Surveying his farmer-clients, Ken Ferrie compiled a list of ways to increase profit margin. Specialty crops, such as popcorn; non-GMO corn and soybeans; seed corn and soybeans; food-grade corn and soybeans; and organic crops top the list.
Look for the sensitive areas in your fields now, advises Steve Pitstick, who farms 50 miles west of the Chicago suburbs. Be proactive and be informed, he adds, so making product use adjustments won’t be a huge lift this season.
Everything from possible tariffs...to ongoing dryness are factoring into planting decisions right now in the Northwestern Corn Belt.
ENSO-neutral means conditions could be close to average, but Eric Snodgrass, Nutrien’s principal atmospheric scientist, says that doesn’t mean the weather will be normal this spring and summer with growing concerns about drought.
Ferrie details six agronomic factors to keep in mind, if you’re newer to growing continuous corn, that can help you achieve success this season.
Sponsored
Soybean seedling blights cost growers nearly 6 million bushels in the U.S. in 2023. Learn how to scout, manage, and protect your crop from this threat.
Heading into the 2025 planting season farmers in the Northwestern Corn Belt are facing some of the same headwinds as the rest of the country from tariffs to lower grain prices and drought.
When growing soybeans, the first thing farmers need to explore is where they can get those “free bushels,” says Randy Dowdy. One of the most important factors to consider is planting date, specifically the need to plant early.
Additionally and specifically, Canadian potash imports into the U.S. will be subject to a reduced import tariff of 10%.
Sponsored
Discover the number one management tool to combat soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS) and what factors to evaluate to protect your crop from this leading yield robber.
Chris Barron with Ag View Solutions joins the Top Producer podcast and explains that to double down on your cost of production this year, you should really be maximizing yield and profit potential.
A corn grower asks: Will making a shallow application of 10-34-0 provide corn plants with sufficient phosphorus during early growth stages when corn is planted in cool soils with a soil Bray P1 of 35+ ppm? Ken Ferrie and Missy Bauer, Farm Journal field agronomists, share their recommendation.
Ken Ferrie says to batten down the hatches for this season by picking the right hybrids, placing them on the right fields and giving them the right management. He outlines the steps you can take now to do just that.
With a career focusing in nutrient management, earlier this winter Tom Snipes became CEO of fertilizer breakout company Ostara as it continues to expand the footprint with its Crystal Green fertilizer.
The company says this will be its largest field-trial program to date, giving farmers the opportunity to see the performance of industry leading products in their own fields.
Having a soil pH in the neutral to 6.8 range across corn acres can help growers get the best performance from their fertility program — achieving higher yields with better ROI.
How You Can See More ROI - No Matter the Disease Pressure