News

California bans use of some farming pesticides near schools

Today the Arkansas State Plant Board voted 10-3 to pass an April 16 to Oct. 31 in-season dicamba ban for soybeans and cotton. The decision came after five hours of hearing public comments and deliberation by the board. The ban, and fine increase to $25,000, comes after nearly 1,000 official complaints regarding alleged dicamba damage in the state. Monsanto representatives urged members of the board to consider information from BASF that stated on 52% of the soybean acres in the state with Xtend technology purchased the Engenia product. The company questioned whether or not that meant generic products were used. University representatives, scientists, farmers and others all spoke—both in favor of and opposed to the ban. Those in favor of the ban discussed effects on not only row crops, but gardens, trees and bee keeping as well. The approved rules will now move to the Arkansas Executive Subcommittee and later be signed by the governor to officially put it into law. Watch for more updates as the story unfolds.

Reaping the benefits of new technology demands a systems approach to crop production

The environmental aspect of crop production is as key as the agronomics and economics

Farmers from across the country saw their fair share of surprises this year, both pleasant and not so pleasant. Learn what farmers had to report from the combine seat on AgWeb’s Crop Comments section and the weekly Farmer Forum segment on “AgriTalk” the first two weeks of October.

Do your research to select the best seed for each field

Commodity prices have been challenging, but according to recent projections they likely won’t get any worse.

That patch of woods on the back of your property could increase your land’s revenue this year. Not only does high-quality timber garner attractive prices, woodland management also increases the health of the stand and wildlife benefits. “As a landowner, you have three options,” says Hank Stelzer, associate professor and state forestry Extension specialist at the University of Missouri.

“You invest a lot of time studying inputs like seed and chemicals, but sometimes not in drying and storage,” says Kenneth Hellevang, North Dakota State Extension agricultural engineer and professor. “It makes sense to invest as much or more time in storage to make sure you can maintain the grain we worked hard to produce.”

A pest boss—one member of a farm’s management team in charge of everything involving weeds, insects and diseases—earns his keep by preventing surprises. “That’s his job—to never be caught off guard,” says Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie. “A pest boss usually treats a problem while other farmers are still talking about it.” That’s a tall order, considering how many insects and diseases can attack crops. But good pest bosses approach it systematically, Ferrie explains. They know what pests are likely to occur and when to expect them. They know how they will control them, where they will obtain pesticides and who will apply them. They target their scouting and know when to treat. Good records of every field make the task easier in successive years.

Looking for Clues to Fate of Fertilizer Rally Amid Surplus)

Researchers have discovered that waterhemp, and possibly other weeds don’t respond to rotating herbicides each year as they originally thought.

By partnering with Planet, aerospace and data analytics company, Farmers Edge will offer satellite images more frequently—every one to three days.

Pest management plans must be tailored to each management zone

Kansas woman proponent of cotton on the southern plains

Use five simple steps to plan a multi year strategy to gain control of problem weeds.

Nutrient management is costly, especially if the weather makes it hard to fully utilize things like nitrogen.

Some problem pests just keep raising their ugly heads each season, and that’s certainly true for Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN). Despite a lot of work and effort on the part of university Extension and company researchers, this endemic pest continues to take a big bite out of soybean yields across the Midwest—to the tune of over $1 billion annually, according to the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers know the typical signs that SCN is present in a field--plants are stunted, yellow and scraggly. In severe cases, SCN can destroy 80% of a field’s yield potential. University of Illinois research shows that when SCN goes undetected in fields--where symptoms aren’t present--it can still sap yields.

House Republicans on Monday unveiled an $81 billion disaster aid package to help hurricane-ravaged communities and states hit by wildfires.

Killer Fungus That Just Won’t Die Threatens Brazilian Farms (1)

John Phipps offers commentary on how to fix the dicamba drift problem for 2018.

By the time mid-August rolls around, corn growers often think it’s too late in the season to adjust their crop’s nutrient program. But that’s not at all the case according to John Leif, AgroLiquid Field Agronomy Manager. Leif says as he’s evaluated corn throughout the Midwest this season he’s seen the results of huge moisture differences from area to area, with some being too dry while others are too wet. He believes farmers on both sides of the weather extremes are likely to have crops that need additional nitrogen, potassium and sulfur.

Identify Palmer amaranth presence to better manage for herbicide resistance

There are plenty of tools at a grower’s disposal, and Farm Journal’s wheat agronomist uses his handheld GreenSeeker on the farm.

Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs) across the country routinely address pests, diseases, weeds and other agronomic issues with their farmer-customers. In Illinois, CCAs are also working closely with industry stakeholders to address and reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus the state contributes annually to the Gulf of Mexico.

Is it dicamba, another herbicide or disease?

Insects and diseases likely to vary this season—here’s what should be top of mind

Farmers test out-of-the-box techniques to add soybean bushels and profits

Microscopic organisms can make or break your crop

Many planters are rolling in farm country, and it’s important to get a plan together for starter fertilizer.