Feed aggregator

Eight counties have been selected across the state for the creation of case farms, which will help policymakers see how changes in economic outlook, farm safety net, or production and management decisions may impact specific enterprises or whole operations. (Center for Ag Profitability image) During this initiative, a panel of Nebraska producers in eight counties will provide input to help build case farms across the state that accurately reflect local ag production.

Often, communities turn to cooperatives — businesses run and owned by community members — to fill a void left by the closure of an essential business such as a grocery store or elderly care center.

In Utica, community members began the process of transitioning their grocery store to the new Centennial Market Cooperative before it closed for good and, in the process, set a new model of what a successful co-op transition can look like.

The 90-minute training session will be held online via Zoom and is free to attend.

The public is invited to attend this conference, where producer input will be sought on the creation of a network of national ag data repositories. (Photo courtesy Nebraska Today) Throughout the conference, leaders from USDA, the Ag Data Coalition, Bayer Crop Science and numerous other industry organizations will discuss and hone ideas for creating a network of national ag data repositories.

Bean plants in the bacterial isolate research study. Panhandle researchers were recently awarded USDA specialty crop block grants to study new copper alternative chemical products on fungal and bacterial diseases of dry beans, cowpeas, chickpeas and dry peas.

Part 2 of the Nebraska Rivers series focuses on the impact of the Elkhorn and Missouri rivers and their impacts in Nebraska. (Photo by Gary Stone) Part 2 of the Nebraska Rivers series focuses on the impact of the Elkhorn and Missouri rivers and their impacts in Nebraska.

This year's competition on Aug. 2 will feature indoor and outdoor events on crop staging, patterns of crop injury, disease, insect and weed seedling identification, pesticide safety, nutrient disorders and herbicide injury.

Three Nebraska 4-H members shared their voices with federal officials at the 96th annual National 4-H Conference, held April 14-19 in Arlington, Virginia. Nebraska's delegation included Lexi Johnson from Dawson County, Autumn Lindsley from Butler County, and Sarah Treffer from Dawson County.

During the Conference, federal partners presented Challenge Questions to delegates which were designed to provoke critical thinking about current issues. In roundtable groups, youth investigated and discussed the agency's current efforts and generated new ideas to bring about positive change. After working together for two days, the teams presented their recommendations to federal partners during 45-minute Youth Perspective Briefings. 

"My favorite part of the Conference was the roundtable discussions where my group worked with the Smithsonian Institution," shared Autumn Lindsley. Lindsley and her team develop ideas for teaching more accurate and inclusive history education in classrooms and community settings. "I hope the suggestions my group made are able to help many people in the future," said Lindsley.

Lexi Johnson's group developed and presented recommendations for the 4-H program to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee of Agriculture, and Sarah Treffer's team presented a campaign against food waste to the Environmental Protection Agency. "[T]hey were very intrigued by the ideas that we presented to them and even talked about implementing some of our ideas as soon as they could," shared Treffer. 

The experience empowers delegates to apply their learning and create positive change in their local communities. Treffer has already begun by informing her peers about food waste issues and challenging them to reduce waste. "Even though informing people about the issue will make a difference, I want to create a composting system at my school and do what I can to help prevent food waste," said Treffer.

"They have a unique opportunity to truly see how their voice matters, and even as young people, they can make a difference from their local club and community to our country and our world," said Dawn Lindsley, Nebraska Extension Educator who accompanied this year's delegation.

While at the National 4-H Conference, youth also made an impact through community service projects. Nebraska Delegates worked with the U.S Forest Service to plant over 400 native trees at the Woodend Sanctuary. 

Nebraska Delegates had the opportunity to meet, listen, and speak with the Nebraska Congressional delegation during the Nebraska Breakfast and at the National 4-H Council Congressional Breakfast hosted on Capitol Hill. They also explored volunteer, internship, fellowship, and career opportunities across the federal government at the first-ever 4-H Youth Career Fair held in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution.

National 4-H Conference is the USDA's flagship youth development opportunity to develop the next generation of leaders. Each year, the event brings together over 300 young people, volunteer leaders, country and state Extension staff, Land-grant University faculty and administrators, and state and federal government officials from across the United States and its Territories. 

The Conference serves as the premier civic engagement event for Nebraska 4-H members between the ages of 15 and 19. Nebraska delegates are selected through state-level Senior Achievement Applications and a thorough interview process. Delegates also receive funding for trip expenses through the Nebraska 4-H Foundation. For more information about National 4-H Conference, please visit 4h.unl.edu/conference.

Grazing wheat or harvesting it early in the boot stage for hay could also open a window of opportunity to plant a summer annual forage into the wheat stubble as a second crop if good moisture conditions are present. (Photo by Troy Walz) Due to current cattle market conditions, and the price and availability of hay, Nebraska Extension Educator Aaron Berger evaluates the value of grazing or haying winter wheat this year.

Spring drought can result in stressed alfalfa from aggressive weed growth, resulting in thinner stands and lower yields. View the options for herbicide control in post-emergent and established alfalfa below. This week — Controlling alfalfa weeds with post-emergent herbicides, scouting for alfalfa weevil, and planning the date and pastures for spring turn-out.

Community development leadership has mostly looked the same for a long time. A cohort gathers once a month, takes a trade-based leadership assessment and tours a local business. Occasionally they complete a community development project. Lindsay Hastings, a professor in the department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication, decided that traditional format was due for a change. 

Wednesday, May 3, 2023 Las caravanas impregnadas de insecticida se introdujeron al mercado por primera vez a fines de la década de 1970 y se han utilizado para reducir las poblaciones de moscas de la cara y de los cuernos.Spanish: Spanish

Monday, May 1, 2023 Las condiciones climáticas primaverales de Nebraska han hecho que sea más difícil predecir la aparición de moscas de los cuernos. Si el patrón climático actual continúa, deberíamos comenzar a ver la aparición de la mosca de los cuernos en la parte sureste del estado a principios de mayo, llegando al norte de Nebraska a fines de mayo. Spanish: Spanish

Monday, May 1, 2023

Por Dave Boxler, Educador de Extensión de Nebraska
T.L. Meyer, Educador de Extensión de Nebraska 
Traducido por Pablo Loza, especialista en Feedlot, UNL

Muchos productores de ganado han mostrado un gran interés en el uso de ajo para reducir las moscas de los cuernos en el ganado de pastoreo. El ajo está disponible comercialmente en un mineral premezclado o puede ser comprado y mezclado por el productor en mineral o sal, normalmente a una concentración de 2% de ajo (seco). 

Spanish: Spanish

Monday, May 1, 2023

Las condiciones actuales del mercado ganadero junto con el precio y la poca disponibilidad de heno han creado un escenario en el que el cultivo de trigo de invierno puede tener más valor para los productores para el pastoreo o como cultivo de heno esta primavera que para cosecharlo para grano. El valor de mercado actual del heno de pradera o de alfalfa de buena calidad oscila entre $ 180 y $ 270 por tonelada. Los stocks de henos están muy ajustados. Los costos de alimentación a los precios actuales del heno oscilan entre $ 3. 0 0 a $4. 00 por vientre en producción por día. 

Spanish: Spanish

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln has received a $25 million cooperative agreement award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the creation of the Heartland Regional Foods Business Center. This award is among the largest ever received by the university. 

The Heartland Regional Foods Business Center is among 12 such national centers the USDA will establish to serve all areas of the country. The Heartland center will serve Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Iowa. 

This year's popcorn contest will function similar to the other crop competitions, with participants deciding on crop insurance, seeding rate, irrigation and nitrogen management, fungicide and marketing throughout the year. TAPS introduces its new popcorn competition, which will be held in the same field as the sprinkler irrigated corn competition at West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte.

Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. As of April 30, corn and soybean planting progressed near average pace, and sorghum planting was just getting underway in Nebraska.

Nutrition Software Used: ESHA Food Processor

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ Tablespoons oil
• 1 ½ pounds beef Top Round Steak, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch thick strips
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, gently rubbed under cold running water, sliced
• 1 cup onion, scrubbed with clean vegetable brush under running water, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons cold water
• 1 ½ cups low-fat sour cream
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, gently rubbed under cold running water, chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Wash hands with soap and water.
2. Using the sauté function on your multi-cooker, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add half the steak pieces to the pot and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove from the pot and repeat with the remaining pieces. Remove from the pot and keep warm.
3. Wash hands after handling uncooked meat.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden, stirring occasionally to prevent them from burning. Add 1 tablespoon of water if the mushrooms begin to stick. Remove from pot and set aside.
5. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil to the pot. Add chopped onion and cook stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened.
6. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
7. Pour in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper, and stir until combined. Add the browned beef pieces and stir.
8. Place lid on multi-cooker and lock according to manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure the valve is set to sealing position.
9. Cook on high pressure for 18 minutes followed by a 15-minute natural release, then a quick release. Once pin drops, remove lid.
10. In a small mixing bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Add slurry to the pot.
11. Select the sauté function and bring the gravy to a boil, stirring constantly until it thickens.
12. Add the sour cream and mushrooms and stir until smooth.
13. Serve with egg noodles, polenta, rice, zucchini noodles, or spaghetti squash. Top with fresh parsley, if desired.
14. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Category:  Main Dishes Yield: 8 servings Calories: 210Total Fat: 11Saturated Fat: 3.5Potassium: 2Total Sugars: 4Iron: 10Vitamin D: 0Calcium: 8Protein: 23Fiber: 0Added Sugars: 0Total Carbohydrates: 7Sodium: 460Cholesterol: 50Photo by Marusa Jonas