In recent years, with excellent prices for organically grown crops, many convention farmers that were growing commodity crops became interested in organic production of commodity crops, i.e. corn soybeans, and wheat, along with forage crops like alfalfa and food crops. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released this information.
Local Interest
Fusarium head blight (FHB), also called head scab, is a fungal disease that infects wheat during flowering, which typically occurs between mid-May to early June in this area. This year, early maturity varieties and earlier planted winter wheat fields started heading on May 15 and likely will be flowering by May 21.
In traveling around southeast Nebraska I am seeing a number of trees in the area showing signs of iron chlorosis. This is the condition when the leaves of trees are more yellow than normal. In the environmental conditions southeast Nebraska has experienced in recent years, trees have been under a great deal of stress.
Each spring there is potential for challenges in getting herbicides applied in a timely matter for good weed control. This year is no exception with the extremely windy conditions we have experienced this spring. With good soil moisture, weeds will take off if they have not been treated yet.
While soybean prices and yields have generally been excellent last year, we still have many challenges to be aware of in the region.
It seems each year we learn of potentially new corn pests or diseases we need to be aware of. Well, 2022 is no different. In October of 2021, the corn disease “Tar Spot” was positively confirmed in seven Nebraska counties, including Richardson County, in extreme southeast Nebraska. They believe it may have even been in corn fields in southeast Nebraska in 2020. While the late discover of tar spot did not impact yields in 2021, it has been shown to have a significant impact on crop yields in other states where they had a high infestation of this disease. The disease first showed up in some Midwestern states in 2015, and since then has been moving west.
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Terminating a verbal farmland lease
August 10, 2022
Some farm leases are not written but are verbal — or "handshake" — agreements.
‘Backyard Farmer’ Visits Vala’s Pumpkin Patch Aug. 22
August 10, 2022
“Backyard Farmer” – a perennial favorite on Nebraska Public Media celebrating its 70th season – is going on the road to record a special program Monday, Aug. 22, at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, 12102 S. 180th St., near Gretna.
Nebraska Extension provides in-field training in August on corn and soybean production
August 10, 2022
Nebraska Extension is providing in-field training opportunities during the Crop Management Diagnostic Clinics. Training includes the Aug. 23 Midwest Soybean Production Clinic and the Aug. 24 Midwest Corn Production Clinic.
Explore new research and technology at panhandle tour on August 23
August 10, 2022
The University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center will partner with the Nebraska Dry Bean Growers Association on Aug. 23 to host the annual field tour, Panhandle Agricultural Research and Technology Tour (PARTT).