Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt & Boyd Counties - LaDonna Werth
Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt & Boyd Counties - Amy Timmerman
Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt, Boyd, Garfield, Loup, & Wheeler Counties - Bethany Johnston
Nebraska Extension Educator - Brown, Rock, & Keya Paha Counties - Brittany Spieker
Nebraska 4-H Assistant - Holt & Boyd Counties - Debra Walnofer
August 24: DUE: Non-Perishable State Fair 4-H Exhibits in your County Extension Office by 4:00pm
August 25: DUE: Perishable State Fair 4-H Exhibits in your County Extension Office by noon
Aug 28 – Sep 7: Nebraska State Fair, Grand Island, NE
Helping Children Get Along with Friends
Friends are important to children. They make life more interesting and fun. They are playmates, and they help children feel that they belong. Children who have friends are less lonely and depressed. They are also more likely to feel confident and good about themselves. In long-range terms, we know that when kids have good friendships, they will probably do well in school and grow up to be well-adjusted adults. For these reasons, it is important for adults to help children learn to be good friends and to have good friends.
Children’s ideas about friends
As children grow up, their ideas about friends change. As preschoolers, friends are there to play with. While these friendships may not seem very important, they really give children much happiness.
In the school-age years, children start to build some clear ideas about friendship. In general, friends are those with whom they play, talk and share. They also have some ideas about how to treat friends. Friends are nice to each other, they are helpful and they protect each other.
In the early teen years, these ideas about friendship change further. During this time, young teenagers begin to understand the importance of sharing personal information with friends. They realize that friends are the ones you can share your private feelings and thoughts with, not just those you enjoy being around.
Cooperation
One of the important skills in making and being good friends is cooperation. It is important for children to learn to get along with others, especially in the school-age years when children spend lots of time playing together.
- Sharing. Children need to learn how to take turns and share. Children are more likely to get along with each other when they can be fair. This means learning to wait while others get to do something fun. It can also mean learning to give up a fun activity or a toy so that another child can get a turn.
- Asking permission. Children also need to learn how to ask permission to join an activity or to play with something. Sometimes children just try to take over a situation rather than ask if they can play. Children need to understand that when they try to push their way into a game, it is more than likely going to end in an argument.
- Suggestions. Another common problem among children is that one child will try to boss other children around. Bossy children are not liked by other kids. Encourage children to express their ideas, but show them how to offer suggestions rather than give orders. If a child wants everybody to play a game a certain way, he or she might say, “Why don’t we do it this way?” rather than saying, “Play the game my way.”
- Alternatives. Like adults, children have disagreements. In playing with each other, they must find ways to solve those disagreements. If a child doesn’t like the way a game is being played or doesn’t think it is fair, he or she can suggest another way. This works better than being bossy or just not playing at all. It is important to help children understand that finding other ways to do something will help change the situation.
- Winning. Children sometimes get too competitive. They will turn games into contests and always try to come out first. Children need to be encouraged to have fun in their games and play with other children. But don’t ask them who is winning or who came in first; ask questions about how much fun it was to play or how well children worked together as a team. When a child is too competitive, other children won’t want to play with him or her.
Teaching cooperation
Children have to learn how to cooperate, it doesn’t just happen naturally. Adults can be an important source of help in teaching children how to cooperate.
A first step in helping children learn to cooperate is to pick out situations where the child has difficulty. Does he or she have trouble waiting his or her turn? Does he jump into games without asking? Is she bossy with other children? Does he end up in lots of disagreements over rules? Is she always trying to be the winner?
The second step could be to talk about the child’s behavior in the situation. What does he or she see happening? If you can notice problems such as bossing others around or always trying to win, discuss this with the child. Try to get the children to imagine how they would feel if others were bossy or always trying to win. You could point out that other children will enjoy playing with them more if they are less bossy or competitive.
Another idea is to give them some make-believe situations and ask them what else they could do besides being bossy or competitive. Often bossy children have to learn how to make suggestions rather than give orders. You could ask the children to pretend and practice making some suggestions.
The next step is actually trying to practice these new social skills. The next time the children are playing, encourage them to try suggestions rather than give orders. If you have a chance to watch the child playing, this would be ideal — then you could see if they try out the new ideas. Obviously, change will not come about immediately. You will need to talk several times about successes and failures as they try out new ways to get along. Keep looking at the situation, have the children pretend what to do and encourage them to try things out in their play.
Summary
Parents and other adults can be important teachers as children learn how to get along with their friends. They need your help in understanding what works and what doesn’t work. And most importantly, they need your encouragement as they build strong friendships.
Source: Robert Hughes, Jr., Ph.D., former Professor, Department of Human Development & Family Science, University of Missouri
Pollinator Protection During Pesticide Application
Key Takeaways
- Pollinators support crop production: Bees and other pollinators are essential for the production of many fruit, vegetable, seed and specialty crops, in addition to supporting biodiversity and ecosystem health.
- Pesticides can unintentionally impact pollinator communities: Exposure can occur through direct spray, residues on blooming plants, contaminated food or nesting sources, and spray drift.
- The label is law: Pesticide labels contains legally required instructions and pollinator protection precautions that should always be reviewed prior to application.
- Timing matters: Pollinators are less active in the evening, so later evening or nighttime applications are beneficial. Always avoid pesticide applications during bloom when pollinators are actively foraging.
- Reducing spray drift is crucial: Proper nozzle selection, boom height, droplet size and general weather awareness help keep applications on the intended target(s).
- Communication improves protection: Coordinating with nearby beekeepers can reduce conflicts and allow proper time for management protection measures to be implemented.
Introduction
Pollinators play a crucial role in agricultural production systems by supporting crop pollination, biodiversity and overall ecosystem sustainability. Both managed pollinators, such as honey bees, and wild pollinators contribute to food production and environmental health. Many fruit, vegetable, seed and specialty crops benefit directly from the use of pollination services, in addition to the broader ecosystem functions within and outside agricultural landscapes from pollinators. Recent research continues to highlight the ecological importance of pollinators in sustaining agricultural productivity and ecosystem resilience, including research focused on the impact of pesticide use on wild bee distributions across the United States (Guzman, 2024).
In recent years, there have been growing concerns over the declining pollinator populations across the globe. These population declines have also increased awareness of how current agricultural practices may be impacting pollinator health. Environmental stressors, habitat loss, disease and pesticide exposure have all been identified as contributing factors to pollinator declines (USDA, 2024; Pollinator Partnership, 2024). Growers and applicators must consider how pesticide applications may unintentionally affect pollinators and other beneficial insects, because they remain an important part of crop protection.
Protecting pollinators does not mean the elimination of pesticide use. Rather, it means making informed management decisions that would reduce unnecessary exposure while still maintaining effective pest control. Pollinator risk can be minimized through careful application planning, label compliance, communication with nearby beekeepers, and using integrated pest management (IPM) practices while also providing effective crop protection programs. By understanding pollinator activity, pesticide risks, and application best practices, growers and applicators can help pollinator populations while supporting long-term agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Pesticide Impacts on Pollinators
There are a variety of ways in which pollinators can become exposed to pesticides, such as direct spray applications, pesticide residues on flowering plants, contaminated pollen and nectar, and even nesting materials. Additionally, spray drift can move pesticides beyond the target area and expose any nearby pollinator habitats and populations (Albaseer et al., 2025).
The level of risk is dependent on several factors, including:
- Type of pesticide being used
- Product toxicity to pollinators
- Application timing
- Pollinator activity levels
- Environmental and weather conditions
- Spray equipment setup and boom height
- Presence of blooming weeds or nearby flowering plants
Insecticides are one of the greatest concerns for pollinators, although some herbicides and fungicides may also indirectly impact forage availability or have synergistic interactions with other environmental stressors.
Best Management Practices for Pollinator Protection
Avoid Active Bloom Times
One of the most effective ways to reduce pollinator exposure is to avoid applying insecticides when crops, weeds or nearby vegetation are flowering. Bees and other pollinators are most active during these bloom periods, when they are foraging for nectar and pollen.
If application is unavoidable at the time, consider mowing flowering weeds prior to treatment when appropriate and safe to do so. However, avoid mowing immediately before an application if pollinators are actively foraging in those weeds, as this may temporarily increase insect movement into the nearby crops.
Application During Low Pollinator Activity Windows
When possible, apply pesticides during evening or nighttime hours, as the bees are less active. Early morning applications may also reduce exposure risks compared to daytime applications. Environmental conditions should be monitored carefully, as temperature shifts and weather conditions can increase drift potential during evening hours.
Select Lower-Risk Products
Some products have lower risks to pollinators than others. When alternatives are available, use products with lower toxicity to bees and beneficial insects. Always read and follow the label. Product selection should also consider residual activity, the formulation type, and the overall goals for pest management.
Reducing Spray Drift
Applicators can minimize drift in a variety of ways, which is essential for protecting pollinator health and habitat adjacent to or nearby treated fields.
Using drift-reduction nozzles
- Maintaining proper boom height
- Monitoring wind speed and direction
- Using appropriate droplet sizes and spray pressure
- Avoiding applications during temperature inversions
- Careful consideration of calibration and awareness of environmental conditions can help keep pesticides on target areas and reduce unintended exposure.
Communicate with Nearby Beekeepers
Communication between applicators, growers and beekeepers can improve pollinator protection efforts. By communicating early about planned pesticide applications, beekeepers can effectively provide protective measures, including temporary relocations or hive covers. The collaboration among farmers and beekeepers benefit both agricultural productivity and pollinator health by encouraging proactive management strategies and reducing avoidable exposure events that may occur.
When possible, use BeeCheck, a voluntary communication tool that enables beekeepers and pesticide applicators to work together to protect apiaries through the BeeCheck mapping program.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Considerations
Rather than relying on pesticide applications alone, IPM programs use a combination of monitoring, economic thresholds, cultural practices and biological controls to guide proactive treatment decisions (USDA, 2026).
One of the primary principles of IPM is regular pest monitoring and field scouting for pest identification, which allows growers and applicators to determine when treatment is economically feasible and justified. In addition to pest monitoring, there are multiple management strategies that can help reduce pest pressure:
- Crop rotations, which provide a natural disruption to pest life cycles.
- Tolerant/resistant crop varieties.
- Biological (insect predators and parasitoids) and cultural control practices.
Beneficial insects can include predators and parasitoids, which help keep pest populations lower in agricultural systems. Preserving these organisms may also reduce the need for additional pesticide applications and support balanced ecosystems in agricultural settings (University of Minnesota, 2024).
When pesticide applications are necessary, IPM principles encourage selecting products, application timing, and methods that reduce risks to pollinators whenever possible. Combining multiple pest management approaches can help growers maintain effective crop protection programs while supporting pollinator conservation and long-term agricultural sustainability.
Conclusion
Pollinator protection and effective pest management are not mutually exclusive goals. Careful planning, understanding, and complying with the label, application timing and communication can significantly reduce pollinator risk while maintaining crop productivity.
As awareness of pollinator health continues to grow, growers and applicators have an important opportunity to adopt practices that support both agricultural success and environmental stewardship. Protecting pollinators today helps preserve the long-term sustainability and resilience of agricultural systems.
Understanding and following the pesticide label is a key step in protecting pollinator populations. Pesticide labels contain legally enforceable instructions regarding application timing, various environmental hazards and pollinator protection requirements. Both farmers and applicators should always review the label carefully before application.
Source: Jade "Jae" Horn - Doctor of Plant Health Graduate Student, Josh Villazana - Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator, Extension Educator (August 19, 2026 – CropWatch)
Overgrazing: What It Costs and How to Prevent It
There is a saying that you “take half and leave half” about grazing. However, with the weather events we’ve been seeing this past year, some producers are concerned about overgrazing.
Overgrazing doesn't just reduce grass production; it can reduce profits for years. While it may seem like you're getting every last bite from a pasture, overgrazing often leads to higher feed costs, lower carrying capacity, and more expensive pasture recovery over time.
Lower forage production means fewer grazing days. Producers may have to purchase hay or supplemental feed earlier than planned, and reduced carrying capacity can lower stocking rates in future years. It can also cause weeds or pest invasion, and soil erosion often increases. That can lead to additional management costs, and it can take three to five years to regain original carrying capacity.
For example, if overgrazing reduces forage production by 20%, a 100-acre pasture producing two tons of forage per acre loses the equivalent of 40 tons of forage. From this, we have calculated the original forage supply of 128.2 AUM.
- Average Forage Supply equals 100 acres times 4,000 pounds per acre times 0.25 (efficiencey), all divided by 780 lbs (forage/AUM), which equals 128.2 AUM.
We also assume 25% efficiency here, as some of the grass will be trampled and lost due to other natural phenomena. Now we reduce that by 20% to get the current carrying capacity of the field, and that is:
- Current Forage Supply equals 128.2 AUM times (1 minus 0.2), which equals 102.56 AUM.
The average forage supply for this pasture is 128.2 AUM. With a 20% reduction from overgrazing, the current forage supply drops to 102.56 AUM. Subtracting the current supply from the average supply, 128.2 AUM minus 102.56 AUM, leaves a shortfall of 25.641 AUM for the season. This is called the grazing balance. Replacing that forage with purchased hay can quickly add thousands of dollars in feed costs.
The best option to avoid overgrazing is to be proactive. Some things producers can do are:
- Rotate livestock before plants are grazed too short.
- Monitor forage availability throughout the season.
- Adjust stocking rates during the season as needed.
- Leave adequate residual forage after grazing.
- Think of pasture as an investment that requires annual maintenance.
The cheapest forage you'll feed is the grass already growing in your pasture. Protecting that resource through proper grazing management can improve profitability today and preserve productivity for years to come.
Source: Shannon Sand - Extension Educator (BeefWatch – August 11, 2026)