Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu

Historical crop production reports for Nebraska are available at USDA. Nebraska crop production forecasts continue to indicate a banner year for sorghum, at a 153% increase compared to 2022. Corn, sugarbeet and potato production is also up, while soybean production is slightly down.

Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. Soil moisture supplies and pasture conditions in Nebraska were on a downward trend as of Nov. 12. Corn and sorghum harvest remain on track, with less than 10% of each crop to be finished.

A section of field from a 99-acre plot in southwest Nebraska, which has experienced significant yield decline after terraces were built. In this article, Soil Health Exchange professionals identify some of the potential causes and solutions for low-yielding terraced fields. (Submitted photo) The Soil Health Exchange team shares insights and potential solutions for a southwest Nebraska farmer who has observed a significant yield decline in a field after terraces were built in 2010.

In this episode, Dr. Caro Cordova discusses the roots of her passion for soil, why soil health is critical for agriculture and steps producers in Nebraska and elsewhere can take to improve soil health.

Leaving stubble at the end of the growing season is a great way to catch snow, which will provide insulation to and prevent evaporation from the soil, protecting forages in the process. Extension educators review the nutritional value of cornstalk grazing and importance of leaving stubble at harvest to help build snow cover.

Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. As of Nov. 5, Nebraska winter wheat was in 50% good to excellent condition. Soybean harvest only progressed 3% from the prior week, standing at 95% complete.

USDA’s Agricultural Projections to 2033 report will be released in February 2024, and will feature full discussion of the commodity supply and use projections, and projections for farm income and global commodity trade. The tables to be released on Nov. 7 will include 10-year projections for major U.S. crops and livestock products.

Learn more about how to distinguish female Palmer Amaranth plants from their counterparts, and techniques for mitigating seed dispersal during corn harvest.

This farm succession webinar features discussion by Lisa Quist, the central regional vice president for Nationwide’s Land As Your Legacy® program, a division of the Nationwide Retirement Institute®. When it comes to transition planning, there is a close relationship between how well a family communicates and the probability of success. This webinar explores ways for families to communicate successfully.

All sessions of the 2024 Agricultural Outlook Forum will be livestreamed, and virtual attendance is free. See registration link below for more information. At the 2024 forum, more than 100 experts from government, industry and academia will share insights on commodity and food price outlooks, U.S. and global agricultural trade developments, agricultural innovations, climate change and the bioeconomy.

Richard Faflak, KZValve mechanical engineer, adjusts a valve at the annual Panhandle Agriculture Research and Technology Tour before a tour group goes by in June. (Photo by Chabella Guzman) The new value, created by KZValve of Greenwood, Nebraska, has self-power generating capabilities that could potentially be used in partial variable rate irrigation.

Nebraska Extension Educator Gary Stone counts bean loss after a combine has passed during harvest of an on-farm research study field in Alliance, Nebraska. An Alliance-based farmer recently finished his second season of research on the harvest management tool Pod Ceal, and Nebraska Extension educators are eager to share his results at the annual On-Farm Research Update meetings in early 2024.

All workshops during Ag SmartMoney Week are free to attend, but registration is encouraged. See details below. The series will include three in-person workshops across the state and seven online webinars covering topics related to risk management, estate and transition planning, land leasing and rental rates, human resources and technology.

Quality hay probes and good sampling techniques are important factors for accurate hay test results and will help producers save money on supplemental feed during the winter. Extension educators review considerations for managing livestock nutrition during the winter, from grazing pastures to feeding quality hay.

With the 2023 TAPS competition coming to an end, final results and winners will soon be announced. A brief summary of the irrigation decisions made in the TAPS sorghum, popcorn, SDI corn and sprinkler corn competitions this year.

Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. Dry edible bean harvest was nearly complete as of Oct. 29, and soybean harvest followed closely behind. Corn and sorghum harvest were 76% and 69% complete, respectively.

Sorghum, soghum-sudan and milo are great options for fall grazing, but producers should be cautious of frost damage and prussic acid prior to putting cattle out to graze.

In a 2023 study, USDA ARS researchers used a GPS-mounted yield monitoring system to assess green snap in corn fields and more accurately estimate yield loss.

The free workshops will review current trends in land values and cash rents, strategies for successful land transitions, lease provisions, legal considerations, managing communication and expectations among family members, and creating estate plans.

Julie Peterson has been named the associate director of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte. The appointment took effect Sept. 1, 2023. Peterson's research at the center’s Agroecosystems Entomology Lab focuses on the ecology and management of agricultural pests with an emphasis on practical applications for integrated pest management of field crops.