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Updated: 22 min 52 sec ago

Crop Progress: Harvest '24 in Full Swing

Mon, 09/16/2024 - 16:03
Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. Nebraska farmers have begun harvesting all spring-planted crops as of this week, with soybean and sorghum harvest officially underway.

PREEC Recognizes Farmers and Agriculturalist at Annual P.A.R.T.T.

Fri, 09/13/2024 - 10:18
Trent Benzel, left, Steve Benzel and Michael Ann Relka were co-recipients of PREEC’s 2024 Outstanding Service to the Panhandle Agriculture award. Not pictured: Carl Benzel. (Photo by Chabella Guzman) Michael Ann Relka and the Benzel brothers were honored for their outstanding contributions to Panhandle agriculture, highlighting their efforts in sugarbeet cultivation, community education, and on-farm research innovations.

Nebraska Extension Offering Workshop on Tax Planning for Farms and Ranches

Fri, 09/13/2024 - 09:47
Range in early June. (Photo by Chabella Guzman) The workshop will cover basic tax information on filing a Schedule F, used by farmers and ranchers to report income and expenses of the business.

This Week on N Field: Control of Volunteer Corn in Double Team Sorghum Using FirstAct

Thu, 09/12/2024 - 17:43
Insights on using the herbicide quizalofop (FirstAct) to manage volunteer corn in Double Team sorghum.

Nebraska Crop Production Report for September 2024

Thu, 09/12/2024 - 17:28
Historical crop production reports for Nebraska are available at USDA. Record-high corn production and yields are expected this year for Nebraska, and soybean production is up 16% from a year ago.

Weather at a Glance: Dry Spell Ending?

Thu, 09/12/2024 - 16:46
Drought conditions may ease next week with several chances of precipitation next week, beginning Tuesday evening.

Cooler Than Average, But Drought Expands in July

Thu, 09/12/2024 - 16:16
Uneven precipitation distribution caused issues across much of Nebraska in July — while areas of eastern Nebraska experienced flooding, drought intensified in the western regions.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Alfalfa Irrigation and Last Cutting, Grasshopper Management

Thu, 09/12/2024 - 14:54
Monitoring grasshopper populations using the square-foot method can help prevent damage to late summer alfalfa and forage crops, with insecticide treatments considered if thresholds are exceeded. Extension insights on fall alfalfa irrigation for improving yields, strategies for timing the last cutting to ensure winter survival, and grasshopper management to protect late summer forage from pest damage.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Fall Planting Alfalfa and Winter Annual Forages

Thu, 09/12/2024 - 14:04
Fall-planted alfalfa needs at least four to six weeks of growth before the first frost to establish a strong root system, with proper seeding depth and weed control being key to its success. Tips for selecting suitable alfalfa varieties for successful establishment before winter, and deciding between rye, triticale, and wheat for fall seeding.

Arthropod Abundance in Industrial Hemp in West-central Nebraska

Wed, 09/11/2024 - 18:17
A diversity of both beneficial and potentially harmful arthropods has been found in industrial hemp grown in west-central Nebraska, and continued observation will be crucial for producers in managing pests as interest in hemp production grows.

2024 Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day Kicks Off Sept. 17

Wed, 09/11/2024 - 16:21
An older Google Earth photo of the Rogers Memorial Farm with several of the cover crop studies visible. The field day will feature demos and discussion on a wide array of cover crop and soil health practices by UNL faculty and extension professionals, including a statewide study on cover crop variety selection and performance.

Colfax County Claims Top Honors at 2024 Youth Crop Scouting Competition

Wed, 09/11/2024 - 15:26
Members of Colfax County 4-H Team #2 diligently inspect a corn field during the 2024 Youth Crop Scouting Competition. (Photos courtesy Brandy VanDeWalle) Snagging both first and third place in this year's competition, the 4-H'ers of Colfax County are proving their reputation as agronomy aficionados once again.

The Moves to Make for Late-seeded Winter Wheat

Wed, 09/11/2024 - 10:01
When preparing winter wheat fields for late-season planting, one tactic producers should consider is narrow row spacing. Late-seeded winter wheat can yield higher than early-seeded crops, partly due to reduced disease and insect issues. This article provides tips for increasing seeding success if weather or harvest has delayed winter wheat planting.

Nebraska Field Experiments Investigate Biochar Impact to Soil Health and Crop Yields

Tue, 09/10/2024 - 15:26
Figure 1. Spreading and disking biochar in a sandy soil (left) and a sloping soil (right) in spring 2020 before planting corn and soybean. This article discusses third-year results of ongoing UNL research on utilizing biochar and cover crops in environmentally sensitive Nebraska soils to identify the conditions under which biochar may benefit temperate regions.

Crop Progress: Corn, Dry Bean Harvest Underway

Tue, 09/10/2024 - 13:10
Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. Corn and dry bean harvest has begun in Nebraska, and winter wheat planting was at 7% as of Sept. 8.

Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center Cuts Corn Plots for Silage

Tue, 09/10/2024 - 12:45
Corn silage being cut at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center plots on Aug. 30. (Photo by Chabella Guzman) Extension updates on harvest progress in the Panhandle as the irrigation season closes out.

Growers Sought for Potassium Study

Mon, 09/09/2024 - 13:59
Farmers are invited to participate in a new UNL-Nebraska Soybean Board study to evaluate potassium fertilization impacts on crop yield. Participants will receive detailed reports and soil and grain quality results in exchange for their help. Boost your yields and refine your practices: Join UNL's potassium fertilization study and gain valuable insights into your soil and crop performance.

Agronomy and Horticulture Seminar Series Begins Sept. 12

Wed, 09/04/2024 - 10:15
Kicking off the fall seminar series on Sept. 12, Amit Jhala will discuss the challenges of managing herbicide-resistant weeds through pollen-mediated gene flow — the process by which herbicide resistance genes are spread from plant to plant via pollen. Free to the public, the fall seminar series will cover a wide range of topics — herbicide-resistant weeds, crop genetics, sustainable agriculture, digital agriculture, the impact of droughts on public health, and more.

Sugar Beet Harvest Begins, But Water Still Necessary for Maturing Crops

Wed, 09/04/2024 - 09:37
The beet yard at Western Sugar in Scottsbluff, as 90-plus temperatures keep activity low on Sept. 3. (Photo by Chabella Guzman) Nebraska's sugar beet harvest had an early and promising start this year, with record-high sugar content so far.

Crop Progress: Crops in Good Condition Despite Increased Dryness

Tue, 09/03/2024 - 16:36
Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. Though drought has crept back into several regions of Nebraska, most crops and soil moisture levels are still in relatively good condition.