News
Today’s agriculture headlines and expert perspectives serving farmers, ranchers, crop consultants, livestock nutritionists and the entire U.S. ag community.
Manage your time, weeds and previous stands to maximize yields
If you’re putting a pencil to your corn cost of production for 2018, consider the blog that Joe Lauer, University of Wisconsin agronomist, released this morning. Lauer reports that the “cost of production in 2018 is predicted to be $645 per acre. The breakeven price for corn at a yield level of 200 bu/A is $3.23 per bushel, at 180 bu/A is $3.58 per bushel, and at 160 bu/A is $4.03. Today, December corn on the CBOT closed at $3.85 per bushel making the 2018 growing season a challenging one economically.” Lauer references the annual Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) to develop his snapshot on expected costs of production. The estimates exclude costs for marketing and storage. ARMS collection begins in the fall and then is completed the following spring; the 2017 survey is still underway. Lauer notes that the “cost of corn production in 2016 was $665 per acre in the Heartland region and $587 per acre in the Northern Crescent (Figure 2).”
#Plant18 is getting closer by the day. Your planter might be up and working in perfect order, but are the seeds being dropped where and when they need to?
At the beginning of the week, farmer Russell Boening of Poth, Texas tweeted a picture of nitrogen application, saying that planting for him is less than 30 days away. He farms roughly 40 miles southeast of San Antonio.
Farmers are taking some of the trade war risk off the table by planting fewer soybeans and more corn.
Prepare for additional challenges when planting soybeans on soybeans
Overlapping germplasm can hit your pocketbook and reduce crop diversity
Despite some Midwest harvest delays in recent weeks, farmers have made up a lot of ground in their soybean fields this past week.
Farmers will be able to plant Enlist E3 soybeans in select areas because of a partnership of Dow AgroSciences with ADM. This will allow certain farmers to use not only the herbicide tolerant seed, but the accompanying over-the-top herbicide as well.
While use in agriculture remains small, sales of zinc-infused fertilizers from companies including Mosaic Co. are growing. Farmers are trying to boost yields by reviving soils deprived of nutrients by overuse and a changing climate.
Almost perfect – but not quite. That’s how many Midwest farmers would describe the weather so far in April. Temperatures have been amenable, but precipitation has put more than a few planting schedules on pause.
One thing wheat growers think a lot about during planting is the how many pounds of seed they’ll need to put down per acre.
Evaluate early season weed control to preserve yield potential
Test Plots study differences between in-furrow orthophosphate, polyphosphate fertilizers.
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — The constant rains this spring are forcing some Ohio farmers to give up hopes of planting any corn this spring and won
The nation’s corn crop was 83% planted as of June 9, soybeans are 60% planted.
Does starter fertilizer pay? Several Extension agronomists aren’t completely convinced.
What can soybean farmers do to get the most out of their crop’s potential, given a late start? The United Soybean Board recently made the following six recommendations.
As farming equipment gets heavier, farmers look for ways that extra weight won’t end up crushing their yield expectations.
Add a pound of nitrogen, grow a bushel of corn. That simple rule of thumb that has governed thousands of fertility decisions over the years. But is it correct?
Early planting has its benefits, but be sure to weigh your options before heading to the field.
USDA crop progress and condition report highlights.
When the weather says you can’t head to the field, it’s time to head to the office.
Chris Barron, the impact of late-planted, lower yielding corn on a farm’s Average Production History (APH) is something to consider.
Odds are good you’ll deal with one or more of these frustrations on the first day of planting.
It’s time to start thinking about 2011 crop budgets
Some farmers will receive higher prevent plant payments from the bill, but it’s not likely to be widespread unless Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue broadens the language.
With the clock ticking down on prime planting season, Ken Ferrie says farmers may have to make some tough decisions this year.