Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu

One of the wheat field tour stops in 2022 at the UNL High Plains Ag Lab. (Photo by Chabella Guzman) Field day participants will get the chance to tour varieties of winter wheat, spring wheat and spring peas on dryland and irrigated plots in six locations spanning Perkins to Banner County.

Graduate students Grace Emperatriz Pacheco Jiron (left), Bridget McKinley, and Vesh R. Thapa, UNL postdoctoral research associate, gather forage samples at PREEC cover crop plots. (Photo by Chabella Guzman) The project is a four-year collaboration between UNL and NRCS to identify the most-suited cover crops species and varieties for unique eco-regions across the state of Nebraska.

Carter Canyon wildfire in 2022 as seen from Scottsbluff. (Photo by Chabella Guzman) The free field tour will visit two locations that experienced wildfires during the summer of 2021 and 2022 for discussion with rangeland management experts on recovery strategies, reseeding fire lines and more.

Beth Ford, CEO and president of Land O’ Lakes, engages in a “fireside chat” with CASNR Dean Tiffany Heng-Moss. (Photo by Craig Chandler, University Communication and Marketing) In a recent Heuermann Lecture, Land O'Lakes President and CEO Beth Ford highlighted current initiatives farmers are implementing to preserve our water supply and the need for a comprehensive, long-term water sustainability strategy.

Nebraska Extension Biological Systems Engineering Educator F. John Hay shares an in-depth analysis on the economics of on-farm solar following USDA's announcement that an additional $1 billion in grants are available to help ag producers and rural small businesses finance renewable energy systems or to make energy-efficiency improvements. This webinar covers the general design elements of behind-the-meter on-farm solar and walks through production, value of electricity, interconnection policies and how these impact economic return.

Nebraska Extension Educator Amy Timmerman share insights on plant survival and reseeding after ponding has occurred in planted corn fields.

The best time to cut grass hay is when the grass nutrient content matches the nutritional needs of your livestock — before heads begin to emerge for young animals, and before seeds develop for mature animals. This week — Nebraska Extension educators share target protein levels of small grains and grass hay for the upcoming harvest, and analyze the cost of various fencing options.

Spring-emerging army cutworm moths are beginning their migration journey west to spend the summer months in mountainous areas of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.

Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. (Photo by Gary Stone) Dry edible bean planting was at 4% complete as of May 21, and corn planting was nearing 90% complete.

To help producers prepare for program delivery, USDA has announced the forms that will be required to participate in ERP and ELRP for 2022 losses — AD-2047, CCC-902, CCC-901, AD-1026. For more information, see the section 'How Producers Can Prepare' below. . Through a streamlined application process, USDA intends to send pre-filled applications directly to eligible crop producers in early summer.

The goal of the symposium is to bring agriculture sector entities and law enforcement together to understand the range of threats targeting agriculture and to form enduring relationships to detect and counter cyber and security threats. Participating agencies will share insights on threats to agriculture posed by criminals, terrorists, cyber actors and foreign governments, and discuss ways to strengthen the ag sector and resist cyber attacks.

The expert panel during the May 10 Heuermann Lecture consisted of (from left) Graham Plastow, Cynthia Parr, Amy Winstead, Tom Eikhoff and Ben Craker. Mike Boehm (right), NU vice president for agriculture and natural resources and Harlan Vice Chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, moderated. (Photo by Jessie Brophy, IANR News) Industry experts recently debated the functions and objectives of the National Agricultural Producers Data Cooperative, an initiative working to create a network of national ag data repositories.

Part 3 of the Nebraska Rivers series focuses on the Loup River drainage system, which originates in the Sandhills. (Photo by Gary Stone) Part 3 of the Nebraska Rivers series focuses on the Loup River drainage system, which originates in the Sandhills.

Simple things like spending time with your pet or listening to your favorite music can help reduce stress and improve your overall health. For more help coping with difficult times, see these Stress Resources. Nebraska Extension Educator Glennis McClure shares examples of strategies that may help producers cope during stressful times.

Figure 1. A wheat field in Fillmore County in southeast Nebraska on May 17. There were no foliar diseases and emergence was uniform, but plants were much shorter than normal due to inadequate soil moisture. (Photo by Stephen Wegulo) Though stripe rust has been sighted in southern Kansas wheat fields, there have been no signs of disease in Nebraska wheat as of yet.

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

Estimated crop water use for Nebraska Panhandle crops for the week of May 15.

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. If you can't attend one of the two dates scheduled for free, in-person farm and ag law clinics in March, virtual/phone options are also available anytime. 

April's total precipitation was well below normal in Nebraska, resulting in worsening drought conditions and the fifth driest April for the state since 1895.

Figure 1. Departure from normal precipitation during last six months in Nebraska. Nebraska Extension recommendations on minimizing crop injury from anhydrous ammonia applications.

Whether cereal plant forages are grazed out, hayed or harvested as wheatlage this year, the goal is to timely plant subsequent summer annuals between mid-May to mid-June for optimizing yields. This week — Recommendations for producers considering wheat for forage, including varieties and planting timelines for summer annual grasses, plus tips on control measures for poison hemlock.