Latest Updates from cropwatch.unl.edu

USDA/Flickr (Public Domain) Nebraska Farm Business, Inc. Director Tina Barrett reviews factors that farmers and ranchers should take into consideration before applying for tax deferrals regarding drought-impacted crops and livestock.

Soil testing is the only way to accurately identify and monitor soybean cyst nematode, which may be the cause for unidentified yield loss identified during fall harvest.

At the end of the season, a nitrate test can help determine whether the crop was under-, adequately or over-fertilized with nitrogen, resulting in the potential to significantly reduce input costs.

UNL researchers have developed the Cropland Reference Ecological Unit and Soil Health Gap concept to offer a method of describing the true soil health potential of land.

In a recently published article, UNL researchers help shed light on common questions related to using cover crops as a way to meet soil health goals.

Figure 1. Departure from normal precipitation during 2022 growing season in Nebraska. In irrigated or dryland areas with normal production, the management practices may continue as normal, but for dryland areas with drastic yield reductions, there is potential for nitrogen fertilizer adjustment for the 2023 crop.

The Nebraska Rural Response Hotline is hosting three workshops in December that will help producers form business succession plans and better understand tax measures such as the inheritance tax and federal transfer tax.

Harvest is progressing at average pace for all crops except dry edible beans, which continues to lag last year's harvest pace by 16%. Winter wheat emergence is also behind at 4% as of Sept. 25, compared to the average 15% for this time of year.

Following last year's atypical infestation of fall armyworm caterpillars, extension educators urge preparedness in the event of a reoccurrence this fall. Plus — why overgrazing is a good strategy prior to interseeding legumes, and best options for controlling thistle in pastures.

Topics covered during the daylong workshop will include livestock risk protection, expectations for the 2023 Farm Bill, outlooks for crop and livestock markets, how crop insurance fraud is investigated, macroeconomic trends and climate trends.

Santosh Pitla poses with the Flex-Ro autonomous tractor in June 2019. (Photo by Greg Nathan, University Communication) The research team is investigating the security and hackability of autonomous farm vehicles and other precision ag equipment using Flex-Ro, the fully autonomous agricultural robot created by UNL's Biological Systems Engineering Department.

Figure 1. Combines can spread weed seeds during harvest, resulting in higher weed pressure. Significant amounts of foreign material accumulates in different parts of a combine, enabling weed seeds to easily spread during harvest; however, weed seed distribution can be reduced by targeting specific areas of the combine for a quick cleanout before and after harvest.

After widespread precipitation in the second half of this week, dry weather and temperatures returning to the 70s and 80s should dominate the last full week of September through the first full week of October.

Extension educators cover the variables involved in testing hay quality and what pests may sneak in with your imported hay — plus, why harvesting some corn a little early might be a good strategy for grazing this year.

There are four dates scheduled for free, in-person farm and ag law clinics in October. 

With drought intensity persisting across Nebraska, there has been no improvement yet this month for pasture and range conditions, which are currently 50% very poor. Crop conditions remained relatively stable as of the Sept. 18 report.

The public has until Oct. 7 to provide feedback on proposed changes to atrazine restrictions, to inform the EPA of knowledge gaps, considerations or concerns that they would like addressed.

Farmers and auto drivers must work together to ensure safe roadways for all this harvest season.

Due to Nebraska's intense drought conditions, which increase the risk for combine fires, Nebraska Extension urges producers to take every precaution available to harvest safely this year. As crop residue starts the majority of combine fires, it's vital to clean equipment every day after harvesting, allow it to cool off before storing inside a machine shed, and avoid harvesting when conditions are at peak risk of fire.

Nebraska's crop production forecast as of Sept. 1 reflected a downward trend for corn, soybean, sorghum, sugarbeets and dry edible peas, with the most substantial losses in peas — down 38% from 2021.