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Producers should be mindful of their hay feeding practices to reduce financial loss — with no restrictions, cattle can waste nearly 45% of fed hay. Extension educators share insights on how to reduce fed hay losses and the differences between relative feed value and relative forage quality when testing grass hay.

Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. As of Nov. 19, corn and sorghum harvest reached 95% complete. While pasture conditions remained unchanged, soil moisture supplies improved slightly.

Hosted at the Stumpf International Wheat Center in Grant, Nebraska, the Drones in Ag Workshop will include continuing education credits for certified crop advisors. The workshop will feature presentations on drone use in agriculture, licensing requirements and regulations, aviation safety, drone imaging, spraying with drones, drone demos and the opportunity for attendees to fly a small drone.

All sessions of the 2023 Successful Farmer Series session will be livestreamed and archived on YouTube for on-demand viewing. Split into three sessions, the series will feature discussions on ag policy and marketing, weather and climate projections, cover crops, nitrogen and nitrate management, water quality and more.

In this RFD-TV segment, Tammy Mittelstet, CASNR statewide education and careers pathways coordinator, discusses the educational programs offered across the state to prepare K-12 students for ag-related careers.

To submit a request for USDA FSA assistance, producers should contact their local USDA Service Center. USDA FSA's website features the Loan Assistance Tool, an interactive online, step-by-step guide that assists producers through the farm loan process.

Although field operation costs are projected higher for 2024, some material input costs are lower than were projected for 2023, due in part to fertilizer prices and continued improvement of application practices. (Center for Ag Profitability photo) Glennis McClure, Nebraska Extension educator and farm and ranch management analyst, reviews her projections for cost of crop production increases in 2024.

Drought has enhanced this month in sections of southern and eastern Nebraska, but a storm early next week may bring relief

This year's program will assist producers with making decisions for the 2024 growing season, as well as renewing their private pesticide applicator licenses. In its seventh year, Nebraska Extension's Confronting Cropping Challenges program will help producers in northeastern Nebraska with current and emerging cropping issues.

Twelve Nebraska 4-H members traveled to the 2023 North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky, to participate in national 4-H livestock competitions. In addition to the memories of a once-in-a-lift experience, youth brought home top awards. 

Livestock Judging

Nebraka's livestock judging team included Jaylea Pope from Revenna, Breanna Bosshamer from Amherst and Hannah Herrick from Amherst. The team earned ninth place in hogs, 10th place in sheep, and 10th place in goats. Jaylea Pope earned first place overall, first place in reasons, first place in sheep, first place in goats, second place in hogs, and 10th place in cattle.

The team was coached by Lauren Miller. 

Livestock Skillathon

Nebraska's Livestock Skillathon team members included Bart Beattie from Sumner, Jacie Wolfinger from Lexington, Jaelin Wolfinger from Lexington, Parker Walahoski from Overton, and Spencer Walahoski from Overton. The team earned fourth place. Spencer Walahoski earned eighth place overall individual. Jacie Wolfinger earned 13th place overall individual.

The team was coached by Taryn Vonderschmidt. 

Livestock Quiz Bowl

Nebraska's Livestock Quiz Bowl team included Gracie Wagoner from Shelton, Justine Pope from Revenna, Mason Janda from Revenna, and Skyler Summers from Gibbon. Mason Janda earned ninth place overall individual. 

The team was coached by Jeanne Pope. 

Nebraska 4-H members earn opportunities to compete in national 4-H livestock contests through the Nebraska 4-H Premier Animal Science Event held in June each year. To learn more, visit 4h.unl.edu/pase. 

Part one of a two-part series from Cornhusker Economics, this article describes the approach taken to understand how tractor fuel efficiencies have evolved since the introduction of EPA tiers. The second part of the series will identify the impact of EPA tiers on fuel efficiency through an econometric analysis. Cornhusker Economics experts examine the impact of fuel efficiencies as exhaust emission standards evolved in stringency from their beginning in 1996 to today’s standard.

Landowner who are interested in claiming deductions via Section 180 should consult with their CPA or tax advisor. (Center for Ag Profitability photo) With recent land purchases, some are asking questions to learn more about IRS Section 180 and how it may provide tax deductions in the year of purchase.

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln welcomes Tyler Quick as the newest Extension instructor with Rural Prosperity Nebraska, the community development arm of Nebraska Extension. Born and raised in Alliance, Quick feels rural Nebraska is part of who he is. As a Rural Prosperity Nebraska Extension instructor, Quick will work with communities in Blair, Burt, Douglas, Dodge, Sarpy, Saunders and Washington counties. Here’s a little bit about him.

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Now is the best time of year to begin your soybean cyst nematode management program — watch this episode of N Field to learn more about SCN testing and management best practices.

Learn more about the benefits and process of direct harvesting, a method favored by a growing number of western Nebraska producers for their upright bean varieties.

For producers interested in attending both extension workshops on Nov. 30, Saving by Using Manure on Crops will be immediately followed by Confronting Cropping Challenges at the Nielsen Center in West Point. During this highly interactive workshop, participants will learn the basics of how to sample manure and soil, decipher results to determine the available nutrients in manure, and calculate how much manure will be needed for next year's crop.

Nebraska's David Holding sorts popcorn on a light table in his Beadle Center lab. (Photo by Craig Chandler, University Communication and Marketing) A UNL research team has naturally bred new varieties of popcorn that outperform today’s most popular kernels in their intrinsic nutritional value and taste.

Free to attend, registration for the Nov. 21 workshop in Harrison is required. See details below. (Photo by Chabella Guzman) Set for Nov. 21, the workshop will feature discussion from Nebraska Extension Educator Jessica Groskopf, who will offer tools and strategies to create estate plans while avoiding common mistakes during the process.

Land Management Quarterly, presented by the Center for Ag Profitability, is free to attend and recorded for on-demand viewing. Watch previous recordings here. The November Land Management Quarterly webinar will cover recent findings from the 2023 USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service county-level cash rent survey and trends in farm programs influencing operations across the state.