Nebraska Extension in Scotts Bluff County

Local Interest

UNL Releases Preliminary Farm Real Estate Market Survey Results for Northwest Nebraska

The market value of agricultural land in Nebraska declined by 2 percent over the prior year to an average of $3,935 per acre, according to the preliminary results of the 2025 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey. This marks the first decline in the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska since reaching the record non-inflation-adjusted statewide land value in the survey's 46-year history in 2024.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Department of Agricultural Economics annually surveys land industry professionals across Nebraska, including appraisers, farm and ranch managers, agricultural bankers, and related industry professionals. Results from the survey are divided by land class and summarized by the eight Agricultural Statistic Districts of Nebraska.

Land industry professionals responding to the annual survey attributed the drop in Nebraska agricultural real estate values to current crop prices, interest rate levels, and farm input costs commonly used by operations across the state. Lower crop prices for commodities grown across the state have tightened the financial positions of many operations. Interest rates have raised borrowing costs for leasing or real estate purchases. Farm input costs and current interest rates present elevated financial pressure and influence land or agricultural equipment investment decisions.

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Managing hail-damaged pastures, alfalfa, and annual forages

By Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Livestock Educator | Brock Ortner, Nebraska Extension Livestock Educator

Parts of the Nebraska Panhandle have recently experienced severe hailstorms. This has left many producers evaluating what approach to take when managing these severely damaged crops. Where before grass, alfalfa, or annual forage was standing, now it’s been pummeled into the ground.

The impacts of a severe hailstorm on rangeland and pasture are not unlike other severe defoliation events. Perennial forages will recover, but it is beneficial to give them ample time to rest and rejuvenate by removing grazing animals and allowing them a period of uninterrupted growth. The recovery time may need to be extended, especially if plants were drought-stressed and moisture conditions are limited. Stacking insults such as drought, grazing, and hail damage can significantly impact production potential in future growing seasons. Giving plants the opportunity to fully recover by delaying grazing on hail-damaged pastures until fall, or potentially next growing season, will limit the negative impact of hail on plant productivity in subsequent years.

Nebraska Extension Educator Ben Beckman states in a recent “Pasture and Forage Minute” that for alfalfa fields, damage assessment and timing are key to recovery. Work from the University of Wisconsin advises that fields with more than two weeks before harvest can usually be left alone, with some yield loss expected. If terminal bud damage exceeds 50 percent in alfalfa crops less than two weeks before planned harvest, one can proceed with normal harvesting, expecting some yield loss. For severely lodged crops, waiting for three to four days for plants to right themselves vertically before cutting is beneficial. Disk mowers are better at picking up lodged crops than sickle bars, but for both, tilt the bar or disc forward for better forage pickup. If damage is severe and the yield isn't worth the effort, focus on managing and harvesting the regrowth.

For summer annual forages that have been damaged, giving the plants time to assess regrowth is beneficial. Depending on the stage of plant growth, the type of annual forage, and subsequent growing conditions, plants may regrow and still produce a crop. In some circumstances, replanting may be necessary if the potential for crop recovery is limited. Unfortunately, hail damage to annual forages can also render them less competitive with weeds, potentially necessitating herbicide applications to reduce weed pressure.

Nebraska Extension Educators and Specialists are available to discuss options and provide resources to producers as they evaluate their management options for grasslands, alfalfa, and annual forages damaged by recent hailstorms.

Bacterial diseases in dry beans in Nebraska: a potential problem

By Bob Harveson, Extension Plant Pathologist

With the recent thunderstorms, hail, and higher temperatures, growers may experience widespread bacterial disease problems in dry beans throughout the Panhandle. Growers should be on the lookout for the major bacterial diseases and be able to identify these pathogens.  

Four major bacterial diseases affect Nebraska dry bean crops: common blight, halo blight, brown spot, and wilt. Each disease is caused by a distinct pathogen and favored by environmental conditions involving high levels of moisture.

These diseases are enhanced when plants are wounded by storms, hail, or any physical damage from humans, animals, or farm equipment. Bacteria cannot infect plants by themselves but instead require either natural openings in leaves or plant wounds to initiate infection. Storms with high winds and hail provide the perfect opportunity for bacteria to become established, as they can cause wounding and will move the pathogen and/or infected plant residues between and within fields.

Bacteria can survive in crop residues until environmental conditions favorable to infection occur. Daily temperatures that promote the development of each respective disease vary slightly:

• halo blight — less than 80°F
• brown spot — less than 85°F
• common blight and wilt — greater than 85°F

Making the correct diagnosis can also be critical to control. Because the efficacy of several control measures depends on the particular pathogen involved, the first and most important step is to accurately identify the pathogen in order to make the right management decision.

Management

Disease development and recommended management are similar for all these diseases. Unfortunately, bacterial diseases are not easy to manage, and good control options are limited. Chemical control using copper-based products is variable, depending on pathogen, weather, and disease pressure. Recently, we have seen some success in infested yields using products containing hydrogen dioxide as the active ingredient.

Genetic tolerance is available in a few cultivars, but complete disease resistance packages are difficult to obtain. The plant pathogen and dry bean breeding programs are both currently working toward producing new cultivars with better resistance to bacterial diseases. Several popular cultivars have good levels of resistance to certain bacterial diseases, but are more prone to infection by rust or white mold. Other cultural practices that may aid in management include:

• Avoid planting infected seed or beans near fields infested the previous year.
• Implement some form of tillage to accelerate decomposition of infested tissues, which limits bacterial survival.
• Avoid unnecessary wounding of plants. Any type of mechanical damage can open the door for bacterial pathogens to infect plants. Even walking through infected fields in the morning when wet with dew provides an opportunity for spreading disease. It is often better to wait until afternoon when the foliage has dried to enter fields for scouting or field operations.