Soil Health
Virginia farmer David Hula is known for growing big yields and he’s doing so once again. He won the 2023 NCA National Corn Yield Contest with a new record yield, beating his previous world record set in 2019.
Through his work, Russell Taylor has focused on being an advocate for conservation practices in agriculture – partnering with several different organizations to change laws and draft language for the farm bill.
To help growers create an effective management plan for controlling soybean cyst nematode (SCN), the SCN Coalition shares five key steps to take.
The absence of glyphosate would have made a bad year even worse. We would have grown fewer crops, spent more time and money on controlling weeds, and harmed our soil with plowing.
Removing compaction and density layers before transitioning to a vertical system can add 15 bu. to 20 bu. per acre and might lower cost of production, according to Farm Journal Test Plot research.
What is vertical farming and how can it set you up for future government incentives? Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal field agronomist, explains it often requires mixing and matching tools for primary and secondary tillage.
Corn harvest in Missouri is at 28% complete, with soybean harvest at only 4%. While Missouri was hit by drought this year which will cut yield average, some areas are bucking that trend.
With crops slowly coming in off the fields, now is a good time to start thinking about soil testing. Here are five reasons why fall testing may be more ideal than spring.
Two new metering systems from Montag are engineered for accuracy in conservation practices.
Missouri soils unlocked a ‘golden’ antibiotic 75 years ago that’s still used in livestock today.
“No other company can offer such integrated testing to predict what risks farmers face in the coming growing season,” Danielle Watts, vice president of data, said.
By layering disciplines in agronomy, environmental sciences and data analysis, ag retailers are unlocking new opportunities to work with farmers.
To better understand the word choices preferred by farmers and ag retailers/crop advisers, Farm Journal conducted online surveys this fall asking both groups.
In 2000, the highest auction price paid for any tillage tool that year was $28,500. Today, that number tops $140,000 and easily ranges from $80,000 to $120,000.
Take our three-question survey to help understand farmer preferences about word choice around conservation practices
Products from John Deere, Soiltech and EarthOptics can help growers learn more about their fields while reducing input and operating costs.
Eighty percent of U.S. growers participating in the 2022-23 National Cover Crop Survey report trying cover crops. Two Indiana farmers share what they’ve learned along the way and some recommendations.
“When you look at the big picture, ultimately regenerative agriculture practices will increase the value of your land over time,” says Jerry Hatfield.
While most Midwest farmers utilize a corn-soybean crop rotation, it would help them from an agronomic and economic viewpoint to consider adding a small grain as a third crop in their rotations.
Stop questioning if soil health pays. Instead, ask yourself how to measure the dollars and cents of your investments in soil health.
Cover crops, reduced tillage and a simple water infiltration test help Adam Chappell capture and hold water and nutrients.
The recent soil dust cloud catastrophe in central Illinois is a wake-up call from Mother Nature suggesting all of agriculture needs to implement more sustainable production practices. We owe it to future generations.
Nestled in an old barn sat 8,000 mason jars filled with soil dating back to 1862. Now the plan is to revisit the 450 sampling locations spanning 21 million crop acres for insights into soil fertility and conservation.
“If you raise 200 bu. corn with a CI score of 0, that’s $1.57 per bushel and an extra $314 in value. Now, the ethanol plant isn’t expected to share 100%, but it could be 25% to 30%,” says Paul Neiffer, a farm CPA.
Potassium (K) is a fascinating macronutrient. In corn, it sets the stage for a healthy and vigorous plant that produces a beautiful ear.
By turning biological test results into gigabytes of data, Pattern Ag has developed the largest soil metagenomics database with more than 200 billion DNA reads.
Renewable diesel is revving up interest from both agriculture and the oil industry, and now oil and agriculture companies are teaming up to find additional crop sources to fuel the growing demand.
Learn how to create a groundwork for high yields and profitability.
If your soil is sick, there are ways to nurse it back to health. How long it takes depends on how unhealthy your soil has become. It’s worth the effort because healthier soil means more water for crops.
Marion Calmer says nutrient stratification in soil is a significant problem on his western Illinois farm — and it’s only getting worse.