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The city of Beatrice is no stranger to street art. In the last few years, a number of murals have been painted on walls and in alleyways throughout town, all designed by local artists. The production of the most recent mural, however, has been a little different. A collaboration between Nebraska Extension, students at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, local business owners, and Beatrice youth, the mural links together the past and present of Nebraska.

The Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Native American Coalition, both housed at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, have launched a new website providing business development aid for Indigenous entrepreneurs. The Turtle Island Trade Coalition website provides support and resources for Native food producers interested in expanding their customer base and the reach of their business, and free membership applications are currently open.

Despite their resiliency, perennial forages can experience significant yield loss from hailstorms. Damage assessment and timing are key to the recovery process for pastures and hay fields. Extension recommendations on reducing the risk of toxic plant consumption by grazing animals, hail damage recovery for pasture and hay fields, and summer alfalfa irrigation following a wet spring.

Historical farm labor data for Nebraska is available at USDA. The number of farm workers in Nebraska has remained unchanged since 2023.

Attendees of the 2023 Agronomy Youth Field Day participate in an activity on the NCTA campus. The field day is free for youth ages 9-18 and parents/adults are welcome to attend. (Nebraska Extension photo) Free to attend, this field day will teach Nebraska youth more about how agriculture is changing with precision technology.

To receive 2024 weekly crop water use reports via text message, subscribe on the PHREC AgLab site.

Nebraska Extension Educator Gary Stone shares an update on Panhandle crop planting and growth with this week's crop water report.

Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. (CropWatch file photo) With just about 20% of sorghum acreage remaining, planting season is coming to a close and Nebraska producers will soon begin winter wheat harvest.

For producers who are unable to attend the Wheat Variety Tour dates this year, demonstration plots will be labeled approximately a week before the scheduled tour and remain in place until harvest. The next stop for the 2024 UNL Wheat Variety Tour will be the Henry J. Stumpf International Wheat Research Center in Grant, featuring research updates on wheat stem sawfly, winter peas, water stress-tolerant wheat hybrids and more.

Nebraska Extension Weed Management Specialist Amit Jhala shares details about a new John Deere precision sprayer, which has the ability to detect weeds and spray herbicide in realtime.

Extension educators share their observations in Nebraska fields this week.

Bales of hay are stored for winter along the fence line. (Photo by Chabella Guzman) With concerns about reduced forage production from pasture and rangelands this summer, and significantly lower hay prices this year, producers should consider securing a portion of the expected needed hay supplies for next fall and winter now.

For more than 30 years, and in partnership with organizations nationwide, USDA's 2501 Program has helped reach underserved farmers and ranchers. With 2501 Program funding, organizations conduct education, training, farming demonstrations, and conferences on farming and agribusiness to help underserved and veteran farmers and ranchers own and operate successful farms.

The newly launched LIP Decision Tool assists livestock producers who suffered losses from severe weather, providing guidance on required loss documentation and allowing them to submit documentation to FSA county offices.

Identifying some of the common soybean diseases in Nebraska be difficult, as they often share similar features. This article will assist producers' efforts to identify and manage seedling diseases.

After some showers this weekend, Nebraska will receive its first real summer heat next week

First cutting of alfalfa is a great time to assess your field conditions — producers should take time to scout for disease, insects, weeds and other issues that may need corrective action. It's time for first cutting of alfalfa, which is a prime opportunity to assess field condition. Keep these factors in mind during harvest to get ahead of crop issues. Plus, insights on controlling pasture weeds and livestock water supplies.

Though the farm finance and ag law clinics are offered monthly at sites across Nebraska, remote sessions are another option — call the number below to arrange a one-on-one meeting via phone or virtual platform. Nebraska producers can receive free legal and financial advice through one of four clinics in Nebraska throughout June.

Borrowing a loan can be a useful tool for farmers and ranchers, but it's important to first understand the loan terms and repayment requirements as spelled out in the loan documents. (CAP photo) ebraska Extension Agricultural Economist Jessica Groskopf reviews basic information about loans, operating notes, the difference between secured and unsecured loans, and what financial documents to prepare for a lender to secure a loan.

Vladimir Torres-Rodriguez, a postdoctoral associate in the Schnable Lab, developed and tested an innovative gene-analysis method, focusing on RNA, that greatly boosts the ability to identify corn genes. (Photo by Lina Lopez, Schnable Lab) UNL researchers' findings could lead to faster creation of more resilient corn varieties and broader producer access to improved crops by identifying the functions of individual corn genes more rapidly and accurately.