Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu

Last week's rainfall improved Nebraska's overall drought status by 11%, a significant improvement over three months ago when 99% of the state was in some level of drought.

Remember: You don’t have to hire the first lawyer you consult. You need to have a lawyer you trust. Consider recommendations from friends, family and other ag professionals in the community to see who they’d recommend, or find recommendations in your area on websites like legalmatch.com or lawyers.com. Insights on how to prepare for a meeting with an attorney, including questions that can help producers decide who will best represent their family's interests.

Regardless of the type of lease — written, verbal, or even multiple year — the landlord should have clear communication with the tenant. You can avoid any miscommunication or pitfalls by sending a termination notice before Sept. 1, even for written leases. The most common legal issue associated with verbal farm leases is how a lease may legally be terminated. In this article, Nebraska Extension shares recommendations and deadlines for clearly communicating lease changes or termination.

Nebraska On-Farm Research Network photo Nebraska farmers are conducting on-farm research to investigate alternative control strategies for controlling western bean rootworm.

Historical farm real estate values for Nebraska are available at USDA. (Photo by Craig Chandler, University Communication) Nebraska's farm real estate value for 2023 averaged $4,240 per acre, up $490 per acre (up 13%) from last year.

Uncertain forecasts make harvest decisions difficult for hay producers, but it's important to keep in mind that the more hay is worked, the more leaf shatter occurs and the lower quality we end up with — especially for alfalfa. Nebraska Extension Educator Ben Beckman reviews methods of kernel processing for quality corn silage and reducing hay loss during storage, as well as considerations for producers encountering adverse weather during hay harvest.

UNL researchers are collaborating on the development of a new irrigation scheduling application to optimize the utilization of water resources and predict the accurate amount and time of irrigation water that is required for crops.

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

Nebraska Extension Educator Gary Stone shares his expectations for crop water use and reservoir levels throughout August.

Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. As of Aug. 6, winter wheat harvest in Nebraska was nearly back to average pace, and 3% of corn had entered the dent stage.

The total expenditures per farm or ranch in Nebraska averaged $644,018 in 2022, up 18 from 2021. The livestock expense category was the leading expenditure, at $151,242 per operation, 6.61 times the national average. Livestock expenses were the largest expense category, which increased 3% from 2021, but feed expenses represented the most dramatic difference, increasing 52% from the prior year.

Learn how to identify western bean cutworm eggs and larvae, and how to determine the economic threshold for insecticide applications in the latest N Field Observations.

The benefit to forming a pass-though entity is a federal tax deduction for the state tax paid; however, the entity will need to make estimated tax payments (even if it is a farming partnership), starting Jan. 1, 2024, if they decided to make this election. (Center for Ag Profitability photo) Whether or not the pass-through entity tax bill could benefit you will depend on your profitability level, current structure, the size of your operation, and more. Read this Center for Ag Profitability analysis to make an informed decision about the new tax option.

Producers, industry representatives and researchers are invited to attend the field day in North Platte, which will feature the latest technologies and practices in agriculture. This free field day will feature producer and industry panels on covers crops and USDA's Climate Smart Initiatives, and field tours and demos on irrigation sensing tools, cover crops, western bean cutworm and drones in pesticide application.

Offered since 2019, the Land Management Quarterly webinars address common management issues for Nebraska landowners, ag operators and related stakeholders interested in the latest insight on trends in real estate, managing ag land and solutions for addressing challenges in the upcoming growing season. The August webinar will cover recent findings from the 2023 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report, including updates on average cash rental rates and land values and trends in flexible cash lease arrangements.

Target silage storage moisture content should be 65%-70% moisture, as drier silage can overheat and spoil, and higher moisture content may cause loss of nutrients. Extension educators share recommendations on strategies for silage harvest and storage, and ways to improve thinning alfalfa fields without a complete reseeding.

Photos taken July 24 following the storm. Left shows one of the popcorn competition plots and at right is one of the sprinkler corn competition plots. (Photos by Krystle Rhoades) The TAPS team estimated there was approximately 35%-50% leaf defoliation and consequently, corn yield loss is currently anticipated to be 17%-31%.

In the last week, numerous areas in the eastern half of the state received upwards of five inches of rain, relieving severe drought conditions in several counties — particularly in central Nebraska.

There continues to be a high probability of near-average yields for most irrigated sites in the Corn Belt, while expectations for rainfed corn sites are diverse across the region.

With soybean aphid infestations, preserving natural enemies should always be a goal under an integrated pest management approach, and treating only when pest populations reach economic or treatment thresholds to let them do their work.

Soybean aphids typically concentrate at the very top of the plant, but they will move onto stems and within the canopy as populations grow and/or the plant reaches mid- to late reproductive stages. Soybean aphids in Nebraska usually reach the economic threshold and require treatment in late July through August. Treatment during this time is usually enough to keep aphid populations from resurging before they leave fields for the season.