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Tuesday, August 1, 2023

As a result of this year’s wet weather in areas of Nebraska, ranchers and land managers can expect some changes in weed species abundance in range and pastures. Larkspur is one weed that’s showing up and causing some problems. At the Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff we have had more phone calls and in-person visits from ranchers regarding larkspur management in the last month than we have in the previous five years combined.

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Nebraska Extension Plant Pathologist Dylan Mangel (second from right) discusses soybean diseases during the 2022 Soybean Management Field Days. (Photo courtesy Department of Agronomy and Horticulture) Hosted at four sites across central and eastern Nebraska, the field days will provide research-based information to enhance soybean profitability, addressing both local and global issues significant to farmers.

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 Top 5 Takeaways

• Wet bales are at risk for combustion; store appropriately and check temperatures. Anything above 170°F is high risk.
• Mold may produce mycotoxins, so roll out and let animals select good portions of moldy bales. Make sure other clean feed is available.
• Protect yourself from respiratory issues while working with moldy bales by using a dust mask.
• Hay testing is especially important when hay quality and safety are concerns.

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Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. Harvest for winter wheat and oats continue well behind average pace in Nebraska at 43% and 39% complete, respectively.

The crop water use report is updated weekly. Visit PHREC AgLab for more information.

Nebraska Extension Educator Gary Stone weighs in on managing plant stress and water use during the higher temperatures expected this week.

One hundred teens across Nebraska recently embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime civic engagement experience through the Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) program. Youth spent five days in Washington, D.C., learning our nation’s history and developing the civic engagement skills they need to be leaders in their communities.

CWF is the premier leadership and civic engagement event for Nebraska 4-H members and teen leaders. During their time in Washington, D.C., the high school students toured the White House and Arlington National Cemetery. They explored national monuments and memorials, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Jr., World War I, and US Marine Corps Memorials. During a day on Capitol Hill, the Nebraska delegation attended the Nebraska Breakfast and connected with state senators and representatives. Youth engaged in workshops on media literacy, local government, advocacy, active listening, and civil discourse.

Using the nation’s capital as their classroom, the young leaders gained the skills and experiences to become effective change agents. Teens used what they learned to refine action plans to improve their local communities back home.

The Nebraska delegation left home on June 5, participated in the CWF program in Washington, D.C., from June 11-16, and returned to Nebraska on June 18. A group of 14 teens and four chaperones from Cherry County joined 14 youth and two chaperones from Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, and Richardson Counties. A group from West Nebraska consisted of 72 youth and eight chaperones from the following counties:

• Arthur
• Buffalo
• Custer
• Dundy
• Franklin
• Gosper
• Hayes
• Hitchcock
• Kearney
• Keith
• Lincoln
• Phelps
• Red Willow

"Being a part of this conference helped me realize that being a good citizen isn't necessarily just sitting around, waiting for change,” said one participant. “You have to go out and let it be known that change is necessary; otherwise, it won't happen."

“Youth spent time during the conference working on their own local action plans that they will hopefully implement in their communities,” said Molly Brandt, Nebraska Extension Educator who accompanied this year's group. “Youth started brainstorming on these ideas before the conference and were able to get more ideas and suggestions from others during the conference.”

Brandt believes one of the most valuable benefits of CWF is the opportunity for youth to interact with peers from their community and other young adults from across the country. “Youth learn the importance of being a good citizen and having respectful conversations with those who might think differently than they do,” said Brandt.

"It engaged me firsthand with people different from me or who had different views,” said one participant. “Learning how to effectively communicate with everyone is an invaluable skill needed in various parts of my life.”

“The conference gave the youth a newfound sense of energy, confidence, and purpose to be able to make local change,” said Brandt.

Coordinated by National 4-H Council, CWF is a national program designed as the premier leadership and civic engagement event for 4-H members and teen leaders ages 14-19. Weeklong sessions are offered through June and July each summer. Trips are coordinated regionally by local Extension Offices. For more information about CWF, please visit 4h.unl.edu/cwf.

Founder of Sentinel Fertigation, Jackson Stansell is the keynote speaker at the South Central Agricultural Laboratory (SCAL) field day set for Tuesday, Aug. 1. The 2023 SCAL Field Day is free to attend and will feature presentations on fertigation, nutrient and irrigation technology, and new research and strategies on controlling disease, insects and weeds in corn and soybean.

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Summer is officially here, and temperatures are beginning to heat up across the nation. With increasing temperatures, special attention is needed when it comes to mitigating heat, especially those animals being housed in a dry lot. While some only consider temperature when assessing the effects of heat, other environmental factors such as humidity, air movement, and solar radiation contribute to the heat load cattle experience.

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Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Ongoing dry and drought conditions in many parts of the state are supporting hay and forage prices as we look towards this fall. Perennial dryland hay production in many parts of Nebraska has been less than average. Forage production on rangeland and pasture in central and eastern Nebraska is, in many situations, significantly less than average. This diminished production is going to result in less fall and winter grazing.   

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Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Cow-calf producers are looking at the potential for significant profits for 2023 due to high calf prices. This income may give cow-calf producers the rare opportunity to invest capital back into the ranch.

The following are options, in no particular order, to consider when thinking about and planning for investments into the ranch or cow-calf enterprise.

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Free legal and financial clinics are being offered for farmers and ranchers across the state in August.

A recently released app called CliGrow, developed by the High Plains Regional Climate Center, helps producers estimate crop maturity using a field’s historical climate data.

Mostly good news to report again this week. We saw upgrading of exceptional drought (D4) to extreme drought across York, Seward, Fillmore, Saline, and Polk counties.

Tractor planting pintos for a dry edible bean study in Box Butte County. Photo by Gary Stone. One of the research studies, called “Variable Rate of Nitrogen in Irrigated Corn,” has several Nebraska farms in its study, including one in Sheridan County. The entire study is driven by technology using GPS guidance and precision variable application equipment.

University of Nebraska–Lincoln scientist James Schnable and international colleagues have created the first complete map of the corn genome, a landmark achievement that can enable major long-term advances in crop health, resilience and productivity.

Corn and soybean progress continues near the five year average, soil moisture remains consistent and the winter wheat harvest continues but well behind last year and the five year average.

Ten Nebraska communities are saying goodbye later this month to a cohort of university students who have lived and worked among their residents this summer. July marks the end of the 10th season of the Rural Fellows, a program run through the university’s Rural Prosperity Nebraska initiative that places interns in rural communities. To commemorate this milestone, the Rural Fellows team will host a virtual celebration on July 28.